Rome 2002 Capitoline Museums

 [March 28 2002, Rome, Italy]

Leisurely morning. Breakfast at the hotel and then walked over to the Tiber (Tevere), then along the river to the Teatro di Marcello (Theater of Marcellus) and to the Vittorio Emannule II monument at the Piazza Venezia. Then to the Capitoline museums to the Palatine hill. After touring one of the larger wings of the museum complex we had lunch (great panini misto and a bottle of prosecco) at the Caffee Capitolino sitting outside with gorgeous views. 

(The Capitoline Museums contain a vast selection of wonderful sculpture from ancient Rome and I was particularly struck by the large collection of busts representing real Romans. OK, Oceanus wasn't real, at least not anymore. . . )

entrance to the Palazzo Nuovo

statue of Oceanus, courtyard of Palazzo Nuovo

Triton or sea centaur

Elagabulus

Caracalla

Valens or Honorius

bust of a woman

Constantine, bronze

Constantine

the Dying Gaul

Cupid and Psyche

Commodus as Hercules

Bernini's Medusa

the Capitoline Venus

After leaving the Capitoline we strolled the shops up the Via Corso.

 Dinner at Vecchia Locanda in the vicinity of Largo Argentina. The maitre’d seemed a very tense sort, not at all friendly and appeared eager to move us along in our dinner, although business was slow that evening. (In any case we took our time and enjoyed the meal.) Wine list was excellent: we had a Modus 1997 from Tenuta Ruffino. And the food was very good: Steve had tonnarelli con tonno, olive nero capperi & pachino, followed by tagliate di manzo con rosmarino e porcino. Sue had gnocchi al limone e parmegiana followed by filetto di manzo con barolo.

On our way out of the restaurant while the fellow was ushering us out the door Steve (taking a suggestion from our concierge at the hotel to tweak the nerves of testy restauranteurs) said to the maitre’d: “Io sono un giornalist con Bon Appetit. Buona fortuna/ I am a journalist  with Bon Appetit. Good luck.” The look of amazement and shock on the man’s face was worth the white lie.