The owner named the restaurant Cecio, a nickname for his wife, the chef. He manages the cashier and the desserts. Two sons, tall and patient, wait the tables. This small restaurant was 70% full at 9:30pm. Their private-labeled house red is good after the second glass. Rombo in Crusta di Patate (Turbot fish in potato crust) was delicious and just enough for two of us. This is, I guess, part of Rome’s charm.
Romans were largely pagans until late 4th century when Emperor Constantine converted the whole country to Chistianality; Rome was the empire then, ruling pretty much the whole Europe. I expected to see Christian arts everywhere. I did, yet much more on old mythological figures; they are actually more interesting and diverse.
I found myself thinking of the fiction Dune at Piazza di St. Pietro (St. Peter’s Square). The empire enforced church’s doctrines, spread gospels, and made sure people worship properly. The church worried about spiritual matters, ruled on doctrines, and communicated with God. Emperor Constantine was brilliant. He designed a structure suitable for world domination, as long as the powerful can resist corruption. Frank Herbert’s scheme lasted thousands of years and extended beyond galaxies — he had a God Emperor that cannot corrupt.
Why do people come to Rome? Three reasons: the ruins, the Vatican, and Audrey Hepburn. All three require extensive amount of walking and smart crowd management. Absolutely try to arrive the Colosseum and Vatican Museum 10 minutes before the opening time (9am and 8:45am). Do not miss Galleria Borghese (Borghese Museum). You must reserve tickets in advanced and it is worth the trouble.
