On the top of the list was to visit the Castel Sant'Angelo, which we read only takes cash for entry. Because we had depleted our initial outlay of cash, we embarked on what turned out to be a wild goose chase to get some cash money (bitches!)(that's a joke that I'm probably too old to be telling).
I'm just going to tell you that getting cash in Rome is terrible. Who knew that this task could be so difficult.
BNL is the local bank that has an ATM partnership with Bank of America, so we googled the local BNL locations - seems easy enough, right?
Many of these locations are ghosts. If you go to the address, there is nothing there, or it is in an area where you simply cannot gain access, such as a military base. We decided to use any bank's ATM to get some cash money. A search brought up a bunch of ATM's that are sketchy looking with outrageous fees - that didn't seem like a good move, so we passed on the opportunity to get ripped. I'll bet we walked to 5 different sketchy spots before we finally found a legitimate bank to pull out some cash. Whew.
The castle is quite a distance away, so we decided to take an Uber to the other side of the city. The only option in Rome is Uber Black. We got a sweet Mercedes E Class. We popped Jules in the back with the tiny Mifold booster seat. He was so excited to be sitting "like an adult." He thought this was the coolest thing in the world - ever. "My first taxi ride is in a Mercedes!" He was so giggly about all of this, it was hilarious!
We hopped out of the Benz-o right by the St. Angelo bridge that crosses the Tiber River to the castle. As we walked across the bridge, Jules looked down at the river and thought that it was a moat. This was a big deal to him. It really legitimized this castle in his mind. This is the real deal. The closer we got, the more Jules was jazzed to go inside "a real castle." His own skin could barely contain his excitement.
Jules showed us every nook and cranny in the castle while he told us his fictional story of living there (in a previous life, I presume).
He then went on to say that he was going to live there again with Bowie, his friend from school, who he says is a princess. He even made her a crown a couple of weeks ago. Jules and Bowie and our families are all going to live there together. It's very sweet, really.
Up on the 3rd level of the castle is a cafe/bar. We all sat down to rest our feet with a snack and a beer. Jules downed a glass of milk in about 14 seconds, ready to keep exploring the castle. After we looked at everything they would let us see, we left the castle.
Then we were off to the Piazza Navona. There were lots of kids running around playing in the water and chasing each other. Jules was right in the mix.
Although this place probably gets completely packed with tourists in peak season, Piazza Navona is a must-see. Since we are here a bit early in the season, it wasn't too bad.
After Piazza Navona we headed over to see the Pantheon for our last big tourist attraction in Rome. I think the Pantheon is the best preserved ancient site in Rome, and still does not charge a fee to enter. Inside is a huge, perfectly round dome with a big hole in the top. I am sure most learned people would call it an oculus. I usually do, too, but it is fun to call it "a big hole in the roof."
Jules astutely asked what happens when it rains. He was really curious how it was not damaged inside from the rain. We showed him the drain holes in the floor and after noting that everything was made of stone, he was quite satisfied with the solution.
We debated taking an Uber back to our apartment or walking one last time through our favorite streets all the way back. Ultimately we decided to walk. Our feet were tired, but it was a very memorable walk back together.
Jules remembered a spot that we passed a few days before and warned him not to step in dog poop. He got a kick out of that and kept reminding us every time he saw some dog crap. Trust me, there is no shortage in Rome. That joke got old quickly.
Here's a new adage: "When in Rome, watch out for dog shit."
It's good advice. Really.
On to more appealing subjects:
For our last dinner in Rome, we stopped at a restaurant that we ate at earlier in the week, Uban 47. We love it. They use all local, handmade, organic ingredients and the food feels like it is made with love. That sounds so "Portland."
They remembered us from a few nights before and the owner gave us a couple of complimentary glasses of prosecco. Yum. I think the waitress fell in love with Jules. She kept coming back to talk to him all evening.
After dinner it was an early night, for we had to catch an 8:20am flight out of Ciampino airport, headed to our next destination, Sardegna..
Arrivederci, Roma!
We threw coins over our left shoulder into Trevi Fountain, so the myth says we will return to Rome again one day...
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