After lunch we wanted to visit the bank to exchange some Czech currency and get some cash as well. Of course, the banks are generally closed from 1:30 to 3:30pm for the "lunch hour," so Josh volunteered to go later in the afternoon. As it turns out, he discovered the banks have changed their hours so now they close for the day at 3:50pm! This was communicated by way of a hand-written note on the door. Josh thought perhaps it was just "our" bank so he tried another branch of Unicredito, and then another. Alas, all the banks have changed their hours and now close daily at 3:50pm. However, the "lunch hour" closure has been shortened and is now only from 1:30pm to 2:50pm. This country certainly keeps you on your toes.
Similarly, we discovered a hand-written note on the door of our local supermarket recently stating that they will now be open for limited hours on Sunday. In a subsequent conversation during pick-up at RIS one day, another parent informed me that the note at that supermarket comes and goes. Sometimes they decide to open on Sundays and sometimes not...so don't count on it.
Tonight the adults were going out to dinner and we thought the kids might be ready for an Italian babysitter. So we asked Maria, our cleaning lady who loves kids, if she would babysit and she agreed. It is a great opportunity for our kids to have to speak Italian, or use a lot of sign language!
We decided to go for a drink at the Hotel Eden which was our home in Rome for a few days during our honeymoon in October of 1996. My parents had also stayed there once upon a time so it was a trip down memory lane for all of us. The restaurant and bar is on the top floor of the hotel with a wonderful view of the Roman skyline. I am happy to report that they serve many hors d'ouevres along with the 18 euro cocktails. Then we went to dinner near Piazza Navona at a restaurant called Osteria al Vecchio Pegno. It was delightful, authentic and delicious. We all shared a flavorful Pasta Carbonara in addition to having roasted pig, chicken and a Spigola (fish). Al fino, we enjoyed the BEST tiramisu we've had so far in Rome! Definitely worthy of a return visit, or two, or three. Best of all, it was inexpensive. Dinner for four including wine for 80 euros!!
Afterwards, with the balmy temperature, we walked over to Piazza Navona to take a stroll. However, it looked completely different than it had two nights earlier. The whole of the Piazza was filled with stalls selling various sundry items (read: crap) including Disney toys. Apparently, the holiday shopping season starts the day after Thanksgiving here in Rome also, even though they don't celebrate Thanksgiving. The stalls, we were told, would be here until the Christmas holiday!
Instead of lingering with the vendors in Piazza Navona, we walked over to the Pantheon. Worth visiting even when the Basilica is closed because the facade, with it's massive columns, is beautiful and impressive. In this Piazza, you feel like you are living in the midst of the Roman Empire. We were particularly lucky in that there were no crowds, no hoards of tourists. It was a truly beautiful night.
We returned to our car, which had been parked illegally all of these past few hours, with no repercussions. I love living in Rome!
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