Initial Walking Tour

       I have decided that I prefer the first glance of sights rather than having them spoiled by looking photos up on the internet. Yesterday, we ventured into Rome and walked from the Spanish steps to Vatican City. This area of Rome is not only known for its high fashion but also the passieggiato, the famed walk before dinner or after. We stopped into this little pizza shop right next to the stairs a practiced ordering pizza. The most popular pizza in this shop seemed to be the potato pizza. Vorre un pezzo di pizza. Di meno, lo stesso, di pui. You actually are not supposed to eat on the steps but no one was stopping us. While we were sitting there we noticed that the Africans were selling all of the illegal products all along the stairs. When the police came close they would pick up the goods in this ingenious way and run off. If the police did not see the products on them than they could not be stopped for questioning. The Africans would lay out their purses on this little blanket. Attached to every corner of the blanket were strings that the person would hold in their hands. When the police were near, they would pull the strings and throw the "stachel" over their back and walk on.

      Dr. Dubs just had to stop in front of the Louis Vuitton store and have a photo. She is such a fan. Walking in and out of the famous clothing stores took my breath away. I am such a clutz and was afraid that if I came too close to an expensive item I would ruin it just by glancing to hard at the price tag. I am such a fan of the Coppola family and inside the Louis Vuitton store were the latest from the Sophia Coppola collection. They were the most beautiful high heels. However, the price tag was $1,000 dollars. Welp, a girl can only dream. I never realized how much of a girlie girl I am until I stepped into these shops. I much rather preferred to put on my soccer boots and bend the ball just like Beckham.  With the first caress of the Gucci name tag or Louis Vuitton suitcase would change any girl. haha. We even stopped in to have an espresso at the famed Cafe Grecco. This is the cafe that President Kennedy would stop into when he was in Rome. Besides an espresso I had in Naples, this espresso by far is the best one I have had to date.
    We continued on along the Tiber River and up past Castel Sant'angelo. As a newly baptized Catholic, I was so excited to see Vatican City for the first time. I have had a great desire to see the home of my church now for years. We all walked around a bit and then had gelato at Blue Ice. What a delight of a day. We all jumped back on the subway and headed to Termini Station to catch our train home to Castel Gandolfo.