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Return to Rome (Day Three)
Now over jet lag I there was something I really wanted to do this morning and that was to get up super early and see Rome before the city really woke up — and it was Sunday which made it even extra quiet. At 6:15 am I was the first one in the hotel breakfast bar with the daily cornetto e caffe’ and the morning paper. I had time to think about where I wanted to go first and decided to get over to the Castello Sant’Angelo when it first opened.
On the way over there by foot you get to pass all the cafes that are starting to open up and you only hear the church bells overhead, the hushed voices from the street and the sound of all of the cucchiaini (little espresso spoons) stirring the shots in the tazzine. I had a few hours before the Castello even opened so I walked down passed Piazza Cavour, crossed the Tiber and made my way down Via di Panico toward the Pantheon. I wanted to go back and check out the famous Cafe di San Eustachio. I practically had Rome to myself for two hours that morning — when I arrived to the Piazza del Pantheon was completely empty except for a couple of pigeons and some garbage men. It must be odd to be a garbage man in Rome because it’s like working in a living museum — I bet they don’t even look twice anymore. I hope I’m wrong because these garbage men have the best route in the world if you think about it.
