Oct 14 - Rome

Oct 14 - Rome

Last night we walked back to the Spanish Steps (20 minutes) for dinner at a resturant that was recommend to Myrna. The name is Number 34 and I think over all we enjoyed the food, the service was a little iffy, but a good experience. The place was very busy and the seemed reasonable. With tip it was 120 euros for the four of us.

We took a taxi back to the hotel, I wasn't about to climb those steps again. We took a little walk around the Via Veneto to settle dinner and the went to the roof bar of our hotel for a drink.

This morning it was hard to get up (7am) must still be a little jet lagged. We are taking a walking food tour and Don and Myrna are going to the Vatican.

We left the hotel about 9:15am and caught a taxi to Piazza Testaccio were we were to meet for our food tour (www.eatingitalyfoodtours.com) - $120 for the both of us. The taxi ride was about 12 euros. Our guide, Kenny, was from the USA, Philly to be exact,and has been living in Rome for about four years. We made seven stops and tasted fresh mozzarella de bufala, a tomato selection, culatello and pecorino with truffles, tiramisu, a sit down pasta tasting ( three pastas, with wine), a "suppli alla genovese" (like a croquette) and then finished off with really good old school gelato. We also visited the non-catholic cemetery, the first grave was in 14bc. Both Keats and Shelly are buried here, and the old slaughter house. This was a great tour.

Tonight we had dinner at Nino by the Spanish Steps. This Resturant came highly recommended. Much more expensive then last night. The food was ok, I didn't order right.

I had the bean soup, a specialty, which was good, and a lamb stew which while tasty wasn't for me. Everyone else enjoyed their meal, but we agreed that we would not return. The cost with wine and service was 154 euros, but no desert or coffee. Frankly it's interesting how you order, what you are familiar with and what you expect can influence you judgement about a meal.
This particular establishment was highly recommended and thinking about the meal and the food tour earlier in the day. I found the pasta that was part of the tour to be a small piece of heaven.

Next trip to Rome will include some of the food tours recommendations, they are local, long standing and off the tourist path.

We walked to get gelato on the Via Veneto.

Tomorrow we board our ship. We have a car picking us up at 11am to take us to Civitavecchia.

Haven't really done any shopping although we did pick up a couple of bottles of good Italian red's to take on the ship.

P.S. The weather reports are no more accurate than at home. Today was supposed to be cloudy with showers. It was beautiful, blue and in the mid seventies. Goes to show you.

Sent from my iPad

Hal