Monday Rome

We had a slow start this morning – we had the beginnings of a plan, but deciding what else to do from the long list ( many places are closed on Mondays) took time, working out which button to press on the washing machine took time, waiting for it to finish took time ( the button that I thought was a quick 30 minute cycle wasnot), etc. We took a bus ( first we had to find the bus stop for the right route) and then walked ( first we had to find a way under the road and the wall) to the Gallery Borghese. It was closed, we knew, but Helen has arranged tickets for Tuesday which have to be picked up ½ hour before the allotted ticket time. The gallery opens at 9am and our allocated time is 9am. It is fairly critical that we get there in good time tomorrow so we thought a trip there today was in order – e.g. to find the bus route and the underground passageway . We wandered back though the very pleasant gardens to a church - Santa Maria del Popolo.

I have been reading about the painter Caravaggio for a while – M by Peter Robb. It is full of interesting details of his life and his paintings. I have a list of what paintings of his to see in what museums and churches. There are 2 in this church, but it was closed for lunch. Tourist literature publishes opening hours of museums and galleries, but it is harder to find church opening times - but I did forgot to look on the internet. Nevermind. Today was a no stress day.

We wandered down one of the main shopping streets to the Gallery Doria Pamphilj. This is an old Palazzo filled with paintings and different sorts of richly decorated rooms – ball rooms to dressing rooms – in different styles. We saw 3 Caravaggios, and some other paintings that we liked, then went to the supermarket, bought some dinner and came home. In the evenings before dinner we have become accustomed to having a spritz – a mixture of white wine ( sometimes prosecco), soda water and aperol ( sometimes campari). We found some little bottles of premixed spritz in the supermarket. By the time we got home it was 5.45. We dumped our stuff , put a bottle into the freezer, got into our comfortable clothes (i.e pj’s for me and nightie for Helen) and had a spritz with biscuits and cheese lolling on the lounge. Very decadent. It is now dinner time.