A Walk in Borghese Park

A Walk in Borghese Park - Saturday May 10/08

Sunglasses tucked into my shirt we grabbed the metro/bus to the Piazza del Popolo. This has to be my favorite Piazza. The name is modern Italian literally means Piazza for the People. Even if you’re not a Dan Brown fan you should see Santa Maria Del Popolo. The twin churches may be less flamboyant, but well worth a peek. There is even a museum dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci.

The Piazza lies inside the northern gate in the Aurelian Walls, on the other side of Porta del Popolo you can see a portion of the old wall. Leaving the piazza, we headed up the staircase to admire the views from Pincian Hill, and then into the Park.

Villa Borghese Park is massive, with separate pathways for bikers and walkers. I had hoped to enjoy a leisurely stroll to the lake, snap some evocative photos and relax on a nearby bench, but no such luck. We couldn’t find a map of the park, and missed our turn-off because of construction. Oddly enough, we enjoyed our best lunch of the trip, at Café del Parco in the Zoo. Hope renewed we finally picked up a map, found the lake and eventually grabbed the metro back to the apartment, in time to pick up Alan’s parents.

We shared the pleasures of ‘our evening passeggiata’ with family, and snapped a photo of my mother-in-law throwing a coin in Trevi Fountain. Settled in for coffee at a gelato joint across front of the famous fountain, and headed back to the Pantheon for our birthday celebration.

L'Eau Vive, a French restaurant, is situated halfway between the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. The restaurant is run by a lay sisterhood of missionary Christians, from five continents.

I ordered Steak marinated in Cognac and puffed potatoes that melted in your mouth. The nuns have been impressively trained. Diners have the luxury of eating under the impressive ceiling frescoes on the 2nd floor of this palazzo. After 10:00pm the nuns lay down their serving gear and sing for the guests. The proceeds of your dinner go to charity; with food so delicious it is easy to be charitable.
On the outside, the restaurant looks like a hundred others, but inside the experience is well worth the effort it takes to find it. Enjoy.