Wow, we are really stringing together some lovely Autumn days weather wise, and we are grateful.

We took off for the Spanish steps stopping for coffee at the same bar as the day before, which I am beginnning to recognize as a typical Trastevere spot:

Does anyone know who this is?  We have seen her all over Italy.

We stopped on the Ponte Sisto to look at the amazing, massive mural by South African artist, William Kentrigdge.  The images, entitled Triumphs and Laments, were formed using a pressure washer on the normally black walls (from mold, soot, pollution etc.) along the Tiber.  The artist expected the images to last for about 5 years, but it seems they are fading faster. 

Rome is so stimulating to us; we love just passing by significant buildings and ruins and investigating.  

We walked on via Corso and via Condotti where I got my Rodeo Drive level window shopping fix.  

We made it the top of the Spanish Steps.  I think it’s nice that people may not sit on them now, you can actually move up and down quite easily. We saw the police warning a couple who were sitting on the steps eating their gelato that they had to move.

At the top, we had a long conversation with a sweet honeymoon couple from New York, Kay and Kevin. I think we will remember them always.

Our 1:00 lunch reservation at Armando al Pantheon awaited.  The food was totally up to par, meaning great.  We started with a glass of prosecco and an off menu appetizer of soft, chopped broccoli, on olive oil rich bread topped with pecorino.  It tasted way better than it sounds.  For pasta I had to have my favorite, all Gricia and Ken the Amatriciana. Then we shared duck with prunes, a perfect combination, and glasses of Montefalco Rosso. Absolutely no room for dessert! I had a coffee and we left but not before reserving again for Tuesday.

We visited the Pantheon. Still amazing, even after many visits. There was no line, but it was fairly full of people.  I guess there is no “off season” for these super special  and sacred places.  I like this shot, looking out onto the Piazza Rotunda.

We took some time admiring the exterior of the building and the ruins around it before visiting the lovely Bernini elephant obelisk.  The Sopra Minerva church was closed though.

The walk back to Trastevere is becoming much more familiar to us and we are able to lose the phone which is great.  We both had good naps and never went out again.  Still full from lunch, we only ate cookies and taralli for dinner.

Not only our stomachs were full from this delicious Roma day.