Sometimes You Get What You Want Without Trying

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Another full day—mellow, but full. Started off needing to do something, not really expecting anything, and getting a pleasant surprise in the afternoon.

After finishing breakfast, took my laptop back to my room and headed out to the train station to reserve my train ticket to Florence for tomorrow. Got through relatively painlessly (the reservation cost an additional 15 euro), confirmed I got the right ticket, and wandered back outside. It was still only quarter to nine. What to do.

I wandered around aimlessly a bit, just enjoying the relative quiet of the morning, and the cool air. Decided to step into the Chiesa Santa Maria degli Angeli again. Took a few shots inside, sat for a bit. Gave a coin to the woman sitting outside, nursing her daughter and begging for change.
Then went for a walk. Wandered around up & down streets, not really looking for anything, and not really finding anything, either. But it felt good to walk.

Wandered down via Nazionale, with no real destination in mind.

Circled around and back, and went to the National Museum. Used my RomaPass to get in free, checked through security quickly, and started off exploring. Took a bunch of photos of statues, heads, torsos. A sarcophagus or two. Some mosaics and frescoes. (I’m getting museumed out, I think.) Then left.

After lunch, wasn’t sure what to do, but headed out again anyway. Had vague idea that I wanted to buy a bottle of regional wine that I could share with Adam and Jen when I got to Florence. I’d read that the frascati wine, a white, was from the Lazio region around Rome, and was a good, reasonably priced wine. Had wanted to buy a bottle last night, but my nighttime wanderings did not yield any fruit, and I was frustrated. So I didn’t hold out much hope of finding anything today, either.

Wandered down via delle Quattro Fontane, with the intention of heading to the Spanish Steps again, to just hang out with the crowds of tourists in the sunshine. As I passed the cafes and stores and shops—most of which were closed, because it was Sunday—I stumbled across one that was open, and lo! And behold! I saw bottles on wine on the shelf. Right in front of my face.

The shopkeeper was sweeping up outside. I stepped inside, and started examining the wine bottles. I automatically grabbed a random red—the shopkeeper promptly recommended it to me, saying it was a very good wine. I thanked him, and asked him in Italian how much it cost ("quanto costa?"). He told me, by pointing to the price label on the bottle. Ah, grazie. And then I spotted a frascati. Bingo.

After a bit of conversing and small talk—most of it by him, in Italian and some broken English—I bought the wine. I thanked him profusely, and said goodbye. He said, ciao, and “a domani.” I laughed, and repeated my thanks.

Ah, success! Finally! I had a grin on my face all the way down the street.

When I finished loafing around the Spanish Steps and the Trinita dei Monti, I finally wandered back down the street (I had the idea that I would buy another bottle from the same shop), and noticed that the store was closed. A bit of disappointment, but I was glad for the lucky break, for stumbling into it in the first place.

The awning, I noticed, read, “Bar San Carlino”—I made note, so I could visit next time I was in Rome.