Day Seven

For some of you that are familiar with Rome you may be waiting for our tours of the Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica the most famous sites of Rome but hubby and I aren't too much into art so they weren't on our list but I am so excited to share my most favorite jaunt with you today.

Trastever is the area across the the Tiber river and is a glimpse into the medieval-village Rome (the Rome I thought I was going to see)




We took a taxi to Gianicolo Hill

 The highest point in Trastevere

Which offers these spectacular views of the city of Rome

We then headed down to the church of Santa Maria and these were some of the views on our way....

 Just looking at this picture brings back such a special time..........at the end of this little area were these park bench's where we sat and took in the clean air and greenery and people watched.

across the street was the free flowing clean water that has been available since the beginning of Rome........I talked hubby into going and getting some...it tasted pretty good.

 

"The equestrian statue of Giuseppe Garibaldi's Brazilian wife Anita, who fought alongside her husband in defense of Rome in 1849 while pregnant before succumbing to illness is located just about 200 meters far from a big equestrian monument of her husband, which is located on top of Janiculum Hill in Rome. The statue was created in 1932 by Mario Rutelli. It depicts Anita Garibaldi with a pistol in her right hand holding a baby in her other hand. The monument is also Anita Garibaldi's grave as her ashes rest in the statue's pedestal."

 I snapped this picture for my daughter who loves pines trees. I was surprised to see them here and they were so lush.

Monumento a Guribaldi A famous Military and Political figure and husband of the above.

Couldn't resist taking this one....no respecter of men these birds.

Beautiful area and all downhill:)

 Fonte Acqua Paola

A beautiful fountain.........here is a close up of the middle part

 Sombody's home sweet home

 A little clothing shop

We had lunch across from this church

The church was built (1593–1610) and in 1849, during the last stages of the revolutionary Roman Republic's resistance to the invading French forces, it was used as a hospital where Garibaldi's soldiers, wounded in the Trastevere fighting, were treated.
By this time we were at the bottom of the hill and headed back to our hotel where we walked across the Tiber River

All along the river are these huge trees

Dinner was back at our favorite place

and our two waiters gave me a gift.

 Only after I got home did I realize it was a cookbook! They signed the page that had their signature recipe but just like the Latin...I can't read it.

Now on the subject of food, the Italian food in Italy is not like the Italian food here in the states...some I liked better and some I did not like at all but here they had two things I absolutely loved! Eggplant Parmesan (not like home) and one of the best steaks I have ever eaten. The spaghetti was okay but had to remember to tell them not to pour the olive oil over top (one of their traditions). The breads are to die for and have already touted the ham's and cheese. The wine...I am sorry to say I didn't like. It was mostly Chantilly which is not my favorite but our place had tequila so we lacked for nothing.
Tomorrow will be our last day and although we hadn't made any plans we had a most fun day being as close to an Italian as possible for us two Gringo's.