I Want to Ride My Bicycle

Day 72

Despite my best efforts, I am in Rome this weekend.  (Apparently all my friends are all traveled out for now because that had very active spring breaks.  I told them they should have come to Malta with me.)  However, so far it is turning out well.

After lunch today, some girls and I decided to brave the dubious weather and head toward the Spanish Steps.  Once there, we remembered that one of our program directors said the best tiramisu she had ever had in Rome was in a shop nearby.  So there we headed, and it did not disappoint.  That treat alone was worth staying in Rome for the weekend.  Yet the day did not end there!

One of the girls had not been to the Piazza del Popolo yet so that was our next stop.  Though the square itself is only somewhat interesting, and that mostly from a historical point of view, the church at the back of it has yet another incredible Caravaggio that I hadn't seen before today.  Since we were there, we decided to walk up to the neighboring Borghese gardens.  After walking around for an hour or so we were at the point of heading home when two things happened that changed our plans:  the sun came out and we came upon bikes for rent.  How could we say no?

We each hopped on a bike and spent the next hour seeing more of the villa than we could in 3 hours on foot and having way more fun in the process.  I've been to the gardens several times before, but this time was undoubtedly the best because of the bikes.  The sun has made such a rare appearance in the Roman skies in the last month that it was impossible not to find everything extra beautiful while riding down the avenues.

I've got high hopes for the rest of the weekend now.

Ciao,
J