We begin our day with eggs and bacon on the terrace. Not any old eggs but those of Paolo Parisi and the bacon is from Norcineria Viola on Campo de Fiori.
Today we are visiting the Military Cemetery in Testaccio for two reasons. First we know that there is a piece of Hadrian's wall there and as we live 'On the edge of Empire' it is significant to us
... and, secondly, we feel we should remember those who died for our freedom both in Italy & the UK.
It is a sobering experience to see the grave stones, especially of the young soldiers, but hopefully their families gain some consolation that their resting place is in such a peaceful corner of Rome.
The entrance cupola refers to the friendship between Britain and Italy.
On to Testaccio market where we enjoy browsing. We buy some dried lavender to mix with the rose petals from the Pantheon ( we dried them on the terrace) as gifts to take home.
Lunch today consists of leftovers - caponata from yesterday, rocket & red onions. It tastes delicious, especially as it is accompanied by a bottle of Frascati. Dessert is the last of the cherries.
We have a relaxing afternoon on the terrace before venturing out to Cola di Rienzo in Prati for shopping. The Coin department store has an amazing household section including a Nespresso area!
The number 19 tram takes us all the way from Prati to Pigneto and CoSo. This cocktail bar was opened by two friends,Massimo & Giorgia who worked together at the Stravinsky Bar in the De Russe Hotel. From the cocktail shaker door handle to the bubble wrap coasters, this bar has a quirky vibe. The menus arrive in a jiffy bag. All very light hearted but the cocktails themselves are serious - beautifully crafted using premium ingredients. As if that wasn't enough the food that is provided is top notch. Beautiful green olives are followed by a freshly made caponata, then bruschetta. Tortilla chips with guacamole, salsa and cheese are next and finally (for us but I think if we had stayed more would have followed), mini crudités.
We had planned on eating in Pigneto but ,not surprisingly, we were not ready for dinner yet. We made our way back to Monti by tram then metro and headed to Barrique where we enjoyed a bottle of local cesanese with our food.
The full moon hung over Monti like a silver orb - a perfect end to the day.
