I have a lot of receipts from my trip to Italy (and in fact,
the guidebooks advise you to get receipts to ensure taxes are paid by the
natives as tax evasion is rampant in Italy), but I especially like these two
receipts because they are a reminder of two unexpected pauses in our trip.
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| Bar 3 Porte, simply marked Caffee, Testaccio neighborhood |
The receipt on the left is from the quiet working-class
neighborhood of Testaccio. My DK
guidebook only mentions that Testaccio has a large open air market. My Moon guidebook tells me the area has no
tourist attractions, but that is an attraction itself. (As you enter the tourist areas of Rome, you
are surrounded by migrants selling selfie sticks and scarfs, and clumps of
visitors following a multilingual guide with a tall umbrella. It can be overwhelming. Testaccio has none of
that.) We found our way to Testaccio by
way of the Roman Forum, the Jewish Ghetto, and Travestere, in that order. Along the way we saw tree lined streets along
the Tiber river and the quieter side of Rome.
We stopped in Bar 3 Porte (simply marked Caffe) while we
were waiting for the local pizzeria (Remo) to open across the street in Piazza
Liberatrice. We were across the street
from a busy playground and I heard not a whiff of English. We ordered a cappuccino and espresso from the
bar, and admired the vaulted ceiling and inlaid marble floors. It was if we’d stepped inside a Roman
ruin. Locals stopped by, bellied up to
the bar, and chatted with the barista.
It was all very congenial.
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| Steven doesn't need that map. He's in St. Peter's Square |
The receipt on the right is from the little cafeteria tucked
away near the cupola of the largest church in the world, St. Peter’s Basilica
in Vatican City. For 6 Euros (8 Euros if
you take the elevator), you can ascend to both the interior of the cupola and
the exterior balcony. The elevator saves
you some exertion, but there is still a twisting, claustrophobic and steep
ascent to the top of the cupola. At one point you must lean right to pass.
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| Climbing to the top of St. Peter's Cupola - a narrow, slanted passage |
The
cupola was designed by Michelangelo himself, and required the effort of 600
workers over many years. From the
interior of the dome, we could observe Mass being conducted under a magnificent
sunburst, rendered in stained glass. A
choir in purple accompanied the priest.
(We knew it wasn’t Pope Francis, as 1) the place would have been mobbed
and 2) he conducts Mass under the “Baldachinno,” a magnificent bronze canopy
sculpted by Bernini. Only the pope can
use the Baldachinno.)
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| On the way to the top of the cupola, it's best to pause and |
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| Mass at St. Peter's, viewed from the cupola |
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| Only the Pope can conduct services under the Baldachinno |
But back to the cafeteria.
This was tucked in next to a souvenir shop, staffed by nuns, and a
Vatican postal box. A slightly bored
Roman served us cappuccino, creamed coffee (think chilled whipped
coffee) and
lemon pastries. Scrumptious of course,
this being Italy.
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| A snack at the world's holiest cafeteria |
Our seat was next to the open door, looking out
on the rooftop. From here you can see a
series of saints that line St. Peter’s Square, perched on top of St. Peter’s
Basilica and a colonnade designed by Bernini.
Beneath the statue of Jesus is the balcony from which Pope Francis
blesses the crowd every Sunday.
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| Top of St. Peter's |
