So the first chapter of our multi chapter, months long odyssey comes to a close today, as our sons and their schoolmates return home to their final semester of high school.  The past several days have seen them receiving news from colleges and thoughts have begun to turn from ancient civilizations to unfinished homework assignments.  But before flying home we have one last day to explore together.  It is a perfect day in Rome and we plan to take advantage of it.

One of the nice features of our Rome Airport Hilton lodgings is that they run a shuttle bus to central Rome every two hours.  Its cost (free) is a lot less than the €40-€50 cab ride that is the norm.  We pile on the bus at noon and before 1:00 we are dropped off on the Via del Teatro Marcello, a few steps from the stairs leading to the Capitoline Hill.  We wander into the piazza designed by Michaelangelo and enjoy the renaissance architecture and a wedding taking place there.  Gotta love dogs in tuxedos.

It’s a nice day for a mother to spend with her two youngest sons.  Particularly as they are celebrating their 18th birthdays.We spend a short while looking over the Roman Forum from above.  The entrance is all the way on the other side of the Forum and there is not a lot of will to enter today.  We’ve visited countless times before and today it’s nice just to get the birdseye view and to enjoy the clear skies and cool breeze.

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We wander the streets for a while, heading toward the Piazza della Rotonda, where the Pantheon is located.  We have stayed in this neighborhood a number of times and like to get a pizza or light lunch and enjoy the people watching.  Along the way I drag the group into the Church of Saint Ignazio, which is only a couple hundred of meters from the Pantheon.  The church has a “dome” over the crossing that is actually trompe l’oeil painting.  From a particular vantage point it looks like an actual dome but from the side it appears to be collapsing.  The kids thought it was neat.

We found a good table at Di Rienzo’s one of the several touristy restaurants on the piazza. We have camped here many times in the past and the food is surprisingly not bad.  It is artichoke season in Italy and Rome is one of the best places to enjoy them.

Di Rienzo’s is featuring fresh carciofi alla romana which have been steamed and dressed in oil and mint.  They are worth the price of admission.

We enjoy our leisurely lunch for a couple of hours.  There are quite a few interesting people passing by.  It is a very relaxing way to finish up a grueling trip.One of the highlights of lunch is the service.  These are touristy restaurants to be sure, but the staff have a lot of fun and treat you well.  They especially like Americans because, in general, we tip well and appreciate them.  We had a ball with Salvatore, the short waiter with a big sense of humor.After lunch we pose for the obligatory photo in front of the Pantheon.  The kids even went inside.  Talk about adventurous.

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One of my favorite things to do in Rome is to get my hair cut.  By a real Italian barber.  My barber is a gem of a guy named Silvano Rossi.  I happened upon his barber shop, not far from the Piazza Navona six or seven years ago.  The shop has a large window that is visible from the street and the place simply reeks of old school.  Above the door is a sign carved in stone that says, simply, Barbiere.  The first time I saw it I was hooked.  I have been coming back for years and consider Silvano my regular barber.

The only thing better than getting your hair cut in Rome is to go with your sons and their friends and get their haircut.  Coming on the heels of the two hour Pantheon lunch, you can’t really design a more relaxing day.

Although you’d be hard pressed to be able to assemble a proper beard or mustache among the four boys, they had to experience the ultimate indulgence, a barbershop shave.  Needless to say they are hooked.

Silvano has become a bit of a celebrity in the neighborhood.  His barber shop is featured in a scene in Julia Roberts’ movie Eat, Pray, Love and Silvano has a speaking role himself. I like the fact that I got to know him before he became famous.  He is a lovely man.And now the final spritz. . .

Freshly shorn and ready to return to school. 

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We are not experts at Roman dining.  So we were thrilled to get a recommendation for a new restaurant, la Gensola, to celebrate the twins’ birthday.  It turned out to be a great suggestion.  Excellent seafood, including spaghetti in sea urchin sauce.  It is sublime.

The old folks had fish, including a fresh sole and some heavenly grilled gamberi rossi (red shrimp).  The younger generation went the land route.  Everyone raved about their meals.  A return engagement is definitely in order.

But it was a birthday celebration and the three guests of honor (the twins and the mother of  a girlfriend) enjoyed three different, and fantastic, cakes, brought by our friend Frances.

Tanti auguri!

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It will be sad to say goodbye to our sons and the rest of our group tomorrow.  But we have had the chance to share three solid weeks of memories and experiences that will linger on.   It is a priceless gift that we will long treasure.

Ci vediamo!
Bill and Suzy