Sophie and Nonna do the Colosseo

Woke early but tired. Kathryn and I took turns minding Sophie (still asleep - on Kathryn's bed) and taking showers. I think Kathryn is starting the day better today: she has had more sleep (albeit broken), washed her hair, had a shower without interruption and had some breakfast - everything a working mum needs; but she won't make the 8:30 briefing with her staff as Sophie slept in and fed late.

Sophie and I had a so-so morning: she played a little then got very stroppy then finally I decided to take her out - I have to carry the stroller up a flight of stairs, unlock the front door (it's like ‘fort knox’ at this house) and set it up, all quickly as I have to leave Sophie sitting on the floor (in this instance, screaming!), go back down, get the bag of stuff (nappies, bibs, toys, stuff, stuff, stuff) and today she was more than happy to get in the stroller (she generally doesn't like going in) and we set off walking towards Parco di Porta Capena which is behind the FAO and she is asleep in 10 minutes. 

The neighbourhood around via Rosa and Piazza Remuria has several churches and was pleasant with a fruit market and restaurants that look more local (authentic?).

I managed a coffee before she woke and then we navigated our way back through the FAO which takes at least 10 to 15 minutes to get to the 2nd floor: via security, via a tiny lift adjacent to the non-negotiable (with a stroller) stairs, through several sets of sliding doors and up an interminably slow lift to another set of corridors where I need to remember to go first to the Malaysia Room, turn right, go to the Ethiopia Room ahead, turn right, then left - and this brings me (all going well) to the Nigeria Room where the workshop is being held. Puff.

After fortifying herself with mother's milk and I had been despatched through the "rabbit warren" to locate a cafe to buy sandwiches for lunch (having to remember a different route this time, via the King Faisal Room I told myself as I found the stairs, the lift being too slow to wait for) & I couldn't find the stairs on the return trip but some hasty Italian to a passerby got me back on track - Sophie and I went to the Colosseum which I had noticed on the map was not too far away.

It was a hot afternoon and the cobblestones made a built-in stroller vibrater so she fell asleep in about 10 minutes so I had the Colosseum to myself - plus thousands of tourists. I got us a photo for posterity, then walked back via a rotten Roman road with enormous cobbles which was tough going with the stroller and then had to come all the way back because it took us to the exit out of the damn Roman Forum.

Past the tourist buses and tourists standing all over the pavement. Past the Parco del Celio area we'd seen yesterday, stroller pulled in reverse to keep the sun off Sophie. Crossing roads where even on pedestrian crossings you have to see the whites of the drivers' eyes or get run over. Down along via delle Cerchi (past Circo Massimo), over to Piazzale Ugo la Malfa which was a relief from the noise of the traffic (even though its roseti - rose gardens - were closed) and up the steep Clivio dei Publici to Santa Prisca church (4th or 5th century) in the Ripa area. There was apparently a Jewish cemetery here; this Aventine hill area has churches, lovely palazzos and gardens but Sophie was starting to wake so we made our way back to FAO.

We are starting to be known to security now and heaven knows what the staff in the offices along the corridors of floors 1 and 2 think as I make our way along with Sophie wailing. 

Anyway, it was a short wail this afternoon and afternoon tea was in progress at the workshop so good timing - sort of; boy, was she irritable today. If was an overly long session, the workshop not over until 6'ish and I was well over it.

Kathryn, Sophie and I retraced some of what I had walked earlier, heading up into the Ripa area. I got some lovely sunset views over the Monte Palatino site across from Circo Massimo and up on Monte Aventino, where Kathryn showed me the lovely Parco Savello (known to Romans as the Orange Garden) with gorgeous views out to the Vatican in the setting sun.

A further sight on Aventine Hill is the keyhole on the gate to the headquarters of the Knights of Malta designed by Piranesi in 1765; peeking through, you see a garden path that ends with bushes perfectly framing the dome of St. Peter's in the distance.


We grabbed some groceries then headed in for bath time, a late meal of pasta for mummy and Nonna, a load of washing, and bed.