Nonna and Poppa in Rome

Yes, it's nice to be in Rome. There is a giddy sort of frisson being here (I nearly said "frizzante" but that is the bottled water)!

It's a bit cooler than Sicily - a welcome relief really. But by lunchtime I was incorrectly dressed and wished I had worn a t-shirt.

We walked to La Bucatino a restaurant in Testaccio where Kathryn used to live and is just a short distance away from where we are staying in Aventine.

We had a lovely lunch sitting outside at a table on the pavement in the shade. We started with a delicious couple of plates of carciofi alla romana ("Roman-style artichokes") which is a typical local dish and which I've had before but this was by far the nicest. 

Then Kathryn had rabbit (coniglio), I had pasta with truffles (tartufi) and My Friend had bucatini all'amatriciana.

Some kids inside the restaurant having lunch with their parents, kept Sophie amused for a time.

We passed by a largish supermarket in the Piazza di San Maria Liberatrice and got some more supplies to supplement what we had already bought at the tiny "mart" which is just around the corner from where we are staying.

My Friend needed to pack for his flight home at 9:45 p.m. and just after 5:30 p.m. we walked to Ostiense station for his train trip out to the airport and said our goodbyes.

Walking back, the sun was starting to set and Kathryn and I had a leisurely walk and a gelato each at a wonderful (and apparently excellent) place just across the Viale Aventino - almost opposite our place. Mine was lemon and ginger (zenzero) - yum.

And so, yes! There are lots of Sophie photos!