Weekday

 I just completed a morning stroll.  Not far from our apartment, in any direction you can turn your head, are lovely neighborhoods, gorgeous buildings, signs of life everywhere.

People on their way to work.  Nonnies walking babies in strollers. Cafes offering the usual morning fare, one more unique than the next. College students (there are a few major universities in the area, St. John's being one of them), scooters scooting. The Lepanto subway station spilling onto the sidewalk of Viale Giulio Cesare. Gentrified. Alive. Filled with energy. What's not to love for a city-person like myself. But this is not a city unto itself. Remember, Prati is only one part (a "rione") of a very, very large and wonderful city, Rome.

The decision to come here for a two-week stay has turned out to have been a wise one. We've visited Rome enough times to say "been-there-done-it" to the major attractions. And, please, do not get me wrong. Rome is home to the world's top attractions and if, especially if, you plan to visit for the "prima volta" (first time), you absolutely must get on those lines. A bit of a hint here.....don't visit between the months of May and November. This, being March, is not yet full tourist season and there are multitudes of people in the center of Rome. It will get unbearable from Easter on through the Fall. And, mornings are best for crowd avoidance.

So, armed with a desire to get a local culture fix, we chose Prati. The home of the real-time Roman people. We came with the promise of a true Roman experience and we have not been disappointed. There are few "memorials", no tourist attractions, but five minutes away, there are bridges that cross the Tiber River and lead to everything one could expect from the Eternal City. And, crossing the bridges in this lovely weather, is a joy.  One of those bridges takes us directly to the Piazza del Popolo (People's Place). 

Tuesday was a special day. It marked the 100th anniversary of the Italian Air Force. Since we arrived, there has been a huge exhibition in honor of the occasion.  Aircraft, set up in the Piazza (it's huge), for the purpose of allowing people to line up and hop on board (grounded) pieces and spectacular specimens. Of course, children of all ages got a thrill and photo-ops were the order of the day. There were flyovers, jets in formations and jet streams that resulted in banners of red, white and green in the sky above. That, against the backdrop of a jewel-blue sky, was something to behold. Generally, it has been a special pleasure observing the pride that is visible everywhere, Refreshing and so, not American. Just saying.