Sunday = Subway

It was 31 degrees C by 10:30 this morning here in Rome. HOT and sunny. I got up early to go to the big flea market but puttered around and didn't get going until 8:30. Stefano, the cute guy who welcomed me yesterday at my rental apartment, recommended using the subway in this heat and boy, was that good advice!

Cool gaffiti on the subway cars.

Flea market was disappointing in that it was not antiques and vintage treasures but mostly new stuff - clothes, purses, shoes, motorcycle helmets, housewares. Crammed with people and shouting vendors, as was the subway station which worried me until I realized the hordes weren't also going to the flea market, they were going to the bus to go to the beach!

Following the hordes up off the subway platform

I walked and walked and towards the end, I found maybe a dozen stalls scattered amongst the rest that had the sort of stuff I was looking for. Picked up a few bits of Italian ephemera, receipts and postcards, that sort of thing but didn't spend more than 20 bucks.

Then I walked back towards the subway while looking for the Protestant cemetery.  Luckily, I had Googled my route before I left home so I found it pretty easily. Fabulous statues and headstones. Keats and Shelley are both buried there.

It's right next to a huge pyramid where there is also a sanctuary for stray cats.

Now I'm going to eat the other half of last night's dinner, pizza from a lovely little restaurant near the Trevi fountain, where I walked last night after showering and getting settled in my apartment. I threw in another coin.  Obviously the one I tossed in in 2004 worked because here I am again  in Rome.

Then I will need to decide what to do with my afternoon and my subway ticket, which is good until midnight.

Addendum:  I spent some time after lunch writing in my journal and just generally relaxing, enjoying the air-conditioning, listening to the birds and the sounds of the street outside my window.  When I ventured out into the heat of the late afternoon, I went first to visit the Spanish Steps, taking the subway there. 

Of course, I had to climb them, just to say I had.  Here's the view from the top:

The street above leads to the Borghese Gardens, a lovely treed park which was full of people enjoying the summer afternoon, which I discovered as I walked along.  There were amazing views of the city of Rome from this vantage point, including several domes and church spires, all the more enjoyable when the church bells all began to ring at once to mark the hour.

After enjoying time in the park, including sitting on a bench listening to a woman playing classical music on an portable electric organ, near to this statue upon which someone had bestowed a token of their affection:

I made my way down to the Piazza del Popolo ("People's Square")

for a look around and then travelled back to the apartment via subway (the coolness of the tunnel such a welcome relief after the heat of the late afternoon!).  I had dinner at a little bistro down the street, a delicious mushroom risotto, and then tucked myself into bed.  It had been a tiring day, between the jetlag and all that walking (about 12,500 steps worth), but quite a lovely one!