Sunday - Blogabond

Although it's Sunday we get up early and head for the local flea market at Porta Portese. It's only a 15 minute walk along the bank of the Tiber. The river itself is pretty murky-looking with loads of debris floating about. The walkways are strewn with litter, including large numbers of discarded bottles and cans. So we immediately feel at home. Actually it's worse than Glasgow. Everything is covered in grafitti, some of the Banksy variety but mainly gang slogans and symbols. It all looks fairly shabby and run down. We're on the south side of the river and we wonder if things will be different on the north side of the river where the historical centre of Rome is.

Nasty debris in the Tiber

..but it can also look beautiful...

Porta Portese market was disappointing - very extensive but mainly cheap clothes, fake perfumes, trainers, dvds and cds etc.

Porta Portese market

Strange-looking furs for sale in the market

After a quick breakfast in the market we retraced our steps and crossed the Tiber. As we suspected things looked a lot smarter as soon as we reached the other side. We headed for the Foro Romano which is an amazing site (and sight). When I studied Roman Law at University I learned a little bit about the Roman Empire but when I finally retire I want to spend more time studying it.

Part of the Foro Romano

Temple of Saturn

Although the transport system in Rome is pretty shambolic it's not difficult to see why. The whole of Central Rome is an archaelogist's dream. At present the Roman underground system has only 2 lines. They've been constructing a third line for ever but historical sites keep getting in the way. I love the way that buildings from 2 millennia sit cheek by jowl. The Teatro di Marcello for example which started life as a smaller version of the Collosseum became a ruin but a Renaissance palazzo was simply built on top of the original columns.

Teatro di Marcello

We strolled about for ages before drifting back to the apartment.

In the evening we ate locally again. Il conto was down to about 90 euros but still too much. Must do better tomorrow.

written by

Fred Shedden on May 3, 2009 from Rome, Italy

from the travel blog: Roman holiday

Send a Compliment

comment on this...