Day 6
We attempt to undo Mayta damage (which actually began on the night before, with a very delicious dinner in Campo de Fiori) by seeing lots and lots of stuff. We stop in S. Ignazio on the way to the Forum, where we rent audioguides and learn learn learn. We also wait in line for a bathroom with a bunch of people on a day-trip from their cruise, and their tourguide is pushy and attempts to get his ladies in the bathroom before everyone else in the line, even though we all waited a really long time and they were behind us. He asked me if one of his woman could go in front of me, and I said no. I'd already waited a good 10 minutes for that damn one stall (a hover-pee, as it were), and I really really really had to go. And I didn't feel guilty about it at all, because what a pushy jerk.
It was really hot at the forum, in the beating sun, with nary a breeze, and so after we were done, we walked down the shady street towards Circus Maximus and into the Jewish ghetto. We popped into a restaurant with no wait, instead of hanging around Da Gigetto, and that ended up being a mistake, because that meal ended up being subpar. After that, we went to S. Maria Sopra Minerva and Il Gesu (my first visit to Il Gesu, because the hours are rather restrictive), and then I think we might have had some gelato. Surprised? We ate dinner at 9 and then ate more gelato and then went to bed.
Day 7
We had Borghese reservations for 9, but unfortunately for all of us, we didn't quite understand how the reservation system worked, so ended up getting there at 10, which only left us an hour in the gallery. It was fine though; we saw the Berninis and Caravaggios, which was S and my primary aim anyway. And I get sick of museums and art galleries really quickly these days, apparently. Because I was ready to leave. Don't get me wrong, the Borghese is great--awesome setting, nice pieces--but it's weird. You can't bring any bags in, so you have to check EVERYTHING. Which is fine, until you have to go collect all those bags at 11 along with every single other person who was in the museum from 9-11. It was not cool, that part of it. Worth it, ultimately, though, just to see Bernini's Hades and Prosperina. Look it up, and then if you can find a picture of his hand on her thigh, examine. Amazing. I don't feel like doing the work right now to post that here. Sorry.
Right, so then we walked through the park down towards the Spanish Steps, and then walked down the Spanish Steps. Incredibly half-hearted shoe shopping was attempted, and then lunch was procured. Next....we went to St. Peter's again, because M wanted another go. It was at this point that I decided if I never go in St. Peter's again, that would be a-okay. M and my dad then left to get the rental car, S and I attempted to procure sandwiches, and much later, we reconvened for an earlier dinner at La Sagrestia, a place just off the Pantheon with great pizza but questionable service. It happens to be right next door to a jewelry store I frequented often when I lived in Rome, and I never ate there once. Just goes to show you that something new will always turn up. Or rather, something old will always turn up new? Either way.
Day 8
We get up at 5:15 am for a 6 o'clock on-the-road time. We're on our way to Pompeii for a 9 am tour (which we make perfectly on time, even though we ended up taking the long way), which is lovely. Our tour guide, Agostino, is clearly passionate about Pompeii, and it's enjoyable to listen to his take on Pompeii. It was a little disappointing that the House of the Vetii was closed, but how many times do you really need to see a statue of a man holding his penis on a hanging scale? Hang it all, you're right, you can never see that enough times. Oh well.
After that, we drove along the coast to Sorrento, ate lunch and shopped a bit there, and then drove down to Positano. When we arrived, we all slept a bit. This was the day that both S and my Dad got colds, so they were a bit miserable. S and I procured some Italian cold meds, and then we all walked down to the beach for dinner at Chez Black, a restaurant my family had eaten at twice in our three nights in Positano on their trip to Italy in 1999. It was as good as we remembered it, and then we ate gelato, and then we had to climb back up to the hotel, which anyone will tell you is the absolute worst part of Positano, the climb back up to your bed. It's steep, and frankly, it's pretty darn miserable. It's a lot to put up with for a freaking view. But totally worth it, in the final accounting.
Tomorrow: days 9, 10 and 11, which brings us right up to the end of the trip.
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