When In Rome Do As The Romans

Piazza Navona located just a few blocks from our apartment

Rome like any diamond is multi-faceted. There is so much to see and do. Last time we saw a lot of the high-lights and walked our legs off. This time, staying in the heart and belly of the city...we lived more like the Romans. We were so taken with their traditions and their life style and their community. Each little neighborhood almost seems self-contained, self-supporting and interdependent. This is something so lacking in our country.

In Italy it is all about the neighborhood, the camaraderie and being outside on foot or public transportation. People know each other and they stop and chat when they see their friends and family. Looking out our window early in the morning the tiny piazza was filled with the hustle and bustle of everyday living and a lovely, fresh, vegetable market is set up each morning at dawn. Rain or shine people are out getting their fresh veggies for the day.


At about 1:00 pm everything closes down for 'riposo' and everyone takes a 2-3 hour break before they continue on for the day. This is a tradition throughout Italy. In the square below our apartment the market is replaced by an outdoor cafe, covered with heavy plastic during the rainy season being readied for the remainder of the day and evening. In the city there are several more hours of work for everyone and then dinner hour and night life starts at about 8 pm. In our little neighborhood the tiny roads are filled with shops and street vendors every night. It is really delightful and the locals all come out for their evening stroll and social hour.

This is what they do instead of shutting out the world and hunkering down with the TV like so many do in America. You can tell it is good for the soul and at that time of day they share the events of their day and they look happy. You see old folks, women with baby carriages and everything in between. Most are dressed very nicely for the big nightly block party. We enjoyed this and loved strolling through the tiny cobblestone alleys, hearing the chatter and ogling the beautiful jewels, leather, scarves and other wares for sale.

Everyone should buy a handbag, purse or something like that in Italy. The selection is phenomenal. So far I have gotten a fantastic new bag and a few bracelets. Laura also bought a gorgeous, alligator, patient leather, red bag. Here is the one I found in Rome!

This is a large, soft, suede bag with alligator straps~it is very scrumptious and something I would never buy in the US. In Rome it was affordable. The competition between street merchants and shop keepers help to keep the prices down. Lucky us! It's more a camel color, definitely not yellow.

Is it not the weirdest thing that we found this bag for me? Laura and I are a deadly combination in the market place she insisted it had to be mine and my arm was easily twisted.

We enjoyed visiting Piazza Navona at night and also the next morning. The three fountains are amazing and immense. It was cold and just right for getting into the Christmas spirit, someone was even roasting chestnuts on an open fire!

One of the fountains

The merchants are everywhere and the spirit
is a festive one enjoyed by all.

Laura took the boys back home
and Jim and Gloria and I had a
lovely dinner in the neighborhood.

Merry Go Round in the Piazza
the next morning on the way to the
bus to tour around the city.

Our boys having a fun time on the tea cup
portion of the Merry Go Round!

The kids have been amazing and fun and are the light of our lives! They have been to Rome many times but indulged us in this pleasure, yet another time, with no complaints after the initial..."Mom....Rome again?"