Today was a much better day. There weren’t as many tears. There weren’t as many fits. There were still some hangry outbursts, but overall, it was much more copacetic. Everyone slept past 6 AM. No one missed their nap. The workday wasn’t as demanding. And we didn’t have a bunch of preset expectations of what we needed to see.
In the morning we went back and forth on what to do with the day. Ultimately we decided we didn’t want the commitment of something we needed a ticket for or needed to arrive for at a set time, so we chose to go back up to the Piazza Navona area and wander around.
Rather than rushing to the bus, we stopped in a cafe and enjoyed some breakfast while we talked together. Then we rode the bus on what has become a familiar route, zooming up the Tiber and through the touristy quarter of the city.
Arriving at Piazza Navona, we walked to the piazza and gained our bearings before hitting our first stop, the Basilica di Sant’Agostino. Looking out onto the piazza, there were many more people around than when we were there two weeks ago. I have noticed how the crowds are starting to grow in these more touristy parts of town and it makes me glad we hit some of these sights early in our trip. I’m not sure if it’s a function of COVID restrictions loosening up or because we are moving away from winter and into spring. Maybe it’s a combination of both. Regardless, I think it kind of spoiled me because as we return to these areas and walk around now, I’m thinking, “What are all these people doing here.” However, I think how it is becoming now is more “normal” and before we were simply receiving the privilege of opportune timing.
The nice thing about many of these churches, however, is that, compared to the big attractions, they are off the beaten path, yet hold so many wonders to see for free. The Basilica di Sant’Agostino is a stone’s throw from the piazza and contains another work by Caravaggio along with a fresco if the Prophet Isaiah by Raphael. Additionally, it is home the the grave of St. Augustine’s mother. On top of all that it is packed with a number of other artworks and statues, and is grand and ornately beautiful.
We walked around and the boys were generally well behaved, marveling at many of the same beauty we marveled at. We’ve seen a lot of churches so far and it is always interesting how certain ones capture their attention, even though they often don’t understand what they’re looking at. To be fair, neither do I.
After the church we meandered back to the Piazza Navona area. I had read on a blog about things to do in Rome with kids about a famous toy store right off of the piazza. Based on how the article described it, I was expecting and FAO Schwarz sort of thing like in New York and was thinking this may be a fun place to take the boys and for them to pick out a souvenir of sorts.
We found the toy store and went in. I don’t know if I’ve ever been in a place like this and I don’t necessarily mean that in a good way. This wasn’t a toy store for kids, but rather seemed to sell the types of toys adult collectors would be interested in. It’s always weird to see what kinds of “toys” fall into that category. The room we entered into was filled with glass cases of creepy dolls, weird troll-like statues, and animal figurines dressed in sophisticated people clothes. Needless to say, we were caught off guard and Beren was very confused.
We explored other rooms and there were locked glass cases of collector matchbox sized Ferraris, antique aluminum toys, and replica swords and daggers. Then upstairs I noticed there were stuffed animals. Finally, something normal the boys can relate to and enjoy, but when we got upstairs, they were disappointed once again. The shelves were lined with cute little animals of a surprisingly wide variety, but the shelves were also lined with signs saying “DO NOT TOUCH.” What kind of sadistic toy store allows you to look, but not touch, any of the toys?! It was like some sort of cruel and unusual punishment for children.
The boys were bummed and confused, but were able to move on with the promise we wouldn’t forget about them getting a souvenir at some point. We began walking again to another church we had on our radar.
One of the other game changing things about today was Silas decided to end his strike of refusing to let daddy hold his hand or carry him. After all this time I was able to help share the load without screaming and squirming, and relieve the never ending clinginess he’s had to Allison. It was a huge relief. On our way to the next church, he was excited to ride on my shoulders, pretending I was his horse. He would demand that I gallop and would yell, “Giddyup!”, as he relentlessly smacked the sides of my head. He then, for whatever reason, decided to start biting my hair and licking the top of my head. I’m not sure which I preferred more, the feeling the degradation of being a horse or getting my hair licked.
This next church was a little busier and less intimate than the first, but was still interesting. The Jesuit Church of Saint Ignacio wanted to have a dome when it was built, but apparently ran out of money and was built with a flat roof instead. However, not to be deterred, the ceiling was instead painted using forced perspective to create the illusion of a vaulted ceiling and a dome. That is, if you stand in the right spot.
The ceiling is pretty remarkable and the vaulted part is a colorful, intricate masterpiece. The dome illusion is also pretty cool, but felt more like a novelty. When you looked from the correct angle it did look legitimate, but it loses its luster when you see it from another. I would compare it to being a little like the feeling when you learn how a magician does a trick.
We thought about trying to get lunch, but rather than be sucked into a more touristy stop, we decided to head back home before the boys were too tired and may fall asleep on the bus. We made it back and I grabbed meatball sandwiches and suppli from our neighborhood favorite, Il Trappezino.
After lunch, the ultimate goal was achieved and both boys napped. Allison and I enjoyed a few minutes together chatting about the day before I started work.
I had a decent gap for dinner, so once the boys were up again, we all went for a stroll outside with the rest of the local community to grab our nightly gelato. We couldn’t decide what to do for dinner, but we needed some food resupply anyway, so I stopped in the supermarket while Allison and the boys went to the playground.
At the playground, it was an encouraging evening. Allison made acquaintances with another parent and the boys played well with some of the other kids zooming around and racing their toys.
After a bit, we came back and were unsure on what to do for dinner. Since I just went to the store, we decided to eat in. I made a quick breading and fried the remaining calamari from the night before and then steamed some green beans and made a quick white wine butter sauce for some fresh pasta I had bought. It turned out pretty well.
Coincidentally, in the weeks before coming to Italy, I watched a Master Class on intuitive cooking. The teacher of the class focused on more Asian and Latin American food, but started out in food trucks and talked a lot about working within constraints and by feel. Watching that class when I did was fortuitous because while our apartment is well equipped, there are some significant limitations to what pots and utensils I have. I only have a stove and a microwave and no formal tools to measure with. Despite all that, I’ve felt a resurgence since we’ve been here in my desire and enjoyment to cook. The class put me in a good headspace to accept these limitations and I feel like it has been much more fun and pure to cook by feel and figure out how to make it work. It also helps that the ingredients at our disposal have been of phenomenal quality.
I ate quickly and headed back to work while Allison showered the kids and put them down for bed.
Finally it’s the weekend. We don’t have to hurry up and get back to go to work. We can use naptime and bedtimes as time for Allison and I to spend together and recuperate. We are looking forward to that and all else the weekend has in store.