Trastevere...

Il 2 novembre

Roma

After breakfast Margie and I went to Trastevere, an old and very quaint area in Roma, away from the rushing crowds of the popular tourist attractions. Walking past the imposing Castel Sant'Angelo and along the river, we managed to get in some “shopping” at the outdoor stalls along the way. Trastevere is one of those neighborhoods that take you back in time and when we got there, the “quiet” reminded me that something had changed in Roma since I was last here. Although there are still lots of people in the streets, lots of people talking on cell phones, and lots of young people smoking, the cacophony of blasting car horns is gone. Yes, there are still horns blowing, but not with the consistency and noise that I remember. Although I haven't checked, my guess is that an ordinance was passed barring the indiscriminate use of “horn honking.” At any rate, whatever the reason, the “relative calm” (and I mean “relative calm”) makes it a lot more enjoyable to explore the city.

We wandered around the neighborhoods until we found a terrific place for lunch-pasta in a light sauce lightly flavored with lemon rind, and then later, it was time for coffee and sharing a piece of ricotta cheese cake. As we weren't far from the Jewish Quarter, we crossed over the river to inquire about the daily evening service at the synagogue. So, a day after sitting in Basilica S. Pietro, I was praying in an Orthodox synagogue, in the company of local residents. I had hoped to be able to follow along, but the Hebrew was chanted so quickly that I couldn't keep up so I just sat/stood and listened; loving the fact that I was far from home and yet, being in a synagogue, I was home.

After the service we had another scrumptious Kosher meal-a pizza with fresh basil and buffalo mozzarella, and white wine. I had a delightful conversation with the waiter after I told him that I wanted to mention the restaurant in my blog. He then told me how expensive it is to live in Roma and that next year he's planning to go to New Jersey (where he has family) to look for a job...

Ristorante BA” GHETTO MILKY www.kosherinrome.com