Roma a Sconto

When thou art at Rome, do as they do at Rome.

– Miguel de Cervantes

Rosa Maria, host for our stay in Rome, graciously awaits our hired car in front of 19 Viale delle Mura Aurelie. For the next 4 days we have rented a sunny, comfortable apartment with classic appointments of marble and dark wood, walls tinted in traditional Italian blond. We are thrilled residing in the San Pietro district – within a pilgrim’s crawl to the Vatican.

Rosa Maria is cheerful, given our late arrival – efficient, modern systems have transported us across continents and oceans without a hitch, then we are snagged back in time by the predicable maddening hour-long delay – offloading luggage at Fiumicino Airport: Benvenuti in Italia!

Our time spent in Rome are day-long strolls among the vias, largos, plazas, piazzas, campos, bridges, churches, cafes, shops, and curving banks of the Tevere. Few destinations in mind, we suffer little sorrow if they are not reached. Each day offers sun and showers, and seems perfectly synchronized with the pace and sartorial elegance of the citizenry and polyglot procession of visitors.

We are reminded that travel, aside from promoted glamour and opened perspectives, is early on – at least, an exercise to maintain, or regain homeostasis: violated sleeping patterns, confused body functions, deregulated appetites, muscles strained and stiff, wild mood swings abound.

In this regard we are comforted knowing that, six years returning to this Eternal City has schooled us in familiar and comforting institutions: the best hotel lobbies and toilettes, welcoming cafes for caffeine restoration, cool, meditative medieval tabernacles where a few minutes reflective silence recasts body and spirit.

This year it rained on our parade. We put on a good face, and extra layers of light down as we brave the befouled climate. We stiffen through wind and water, over slick glistening cobblestones, dodge Lancias and BMW’s throwing up splashes of Pellegrino (just a joke), and skip over currents draining into ancient gutters.

Alas, it is time to retreat to the delights of a proper Sunday luncheon at Ristorante Vecchia Roma hidden among Roman ruins and the city’s historic Jewish Ghetto.

There is an almost forgotten dignity, amid our current lifestyle, in the noble pleasures celebrating Sunday afternoon with famiglie in classic settings, enjoying stylish Roman cuisine. The spectacular table offering antipasti and dolces, attendant chefs and waiters who authentically appear graced by our presence, transform us above the inclemency in the street.

Other lunches are lighter affairs featuring al fresco seating with cozy burners turned up. Magnolia Cafe faces the lively farmers market stalls of Campo de’ Fiori. Fresh produce converts within meters to satisfying salads, dressed at the table with olio et aceto.

The standard for café nesting is, of course Café Canova, opening to the Piazza del Popolo and the astounding parade of stylish locals and tourists that satisfies the eyes, warms the stomach, and panders to our weakness for international gossip. Six Euros exchanged for a caffe latte now seems like a reasonable tariff given the entertainment value.

Rome is on sale (Roma a Sconto), as is all of Europe! The dollar regains its self-esteem – dinners are reasonable, heck downright cheap, if you consider tax and service (often) included. Great evening meals are plentiful in our ‘hood, just steps away from our place – simple food, well prepared – our favorite restaurant, Perdincibacco, features understated cacio e pepe, spaghetti carbonara, exquisite Mediterranean sea bream, and apple torte, all prepared by a Bangladeshi chef!

Alas, I must confess I couldn’t resist this year’s “must have” tourist item – expandable Selfie Stick with remote shutter control. These are relentlessly hawked by legions of Indian vendors the instant the spot-market for umbrellas dries up. The passion of negotiating was most of the sport, as our contract moved down from €15 to €6 – I just kept walking away and allowed my sidewalk salesman to negotiate with himself. After the deal was struck, Lisa and I took a group Selfie with him to test the technology and restore the dignity of commerce. Some things are indeed eternal.

All images taken with iPhone 6+

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