June 5th: Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, a cooking class, and Cute Waiters

What a great way to spend my last day in Italy.  I really could fall in love with Italy . . . and Rome.  Vaughn and I started the day with Piazza Navona where the fountain of the four rivers is located.  LOTS of "painters" set up shop in the square hoping for tourists to buy their paintings.  I think I could spend all day there.  We met up with a tour group there and started a 1 hour walking tour which included Tartufo (Ice Cream made into large balls and covered with chocolate shavings and such.  There is also a cherry, piece of chocolate biscotti inside.  I had the almond-flavored one.  After that treat, we explored the Pantheon (one of the only free historical buildings in Rome) and Trevi Fountain.  The story with Trevi Fountain is if you throw 1 coin in the fountain, you will return to Rome.  If you throw 2 in, you will find love in Rome; and if you throw 3 in, your divorce will be short.  The trick is to put the coins in your right hand and throw them in over your left shoulder.  Any guesses on how many coins I threw? ;)

This is where the walking tour ended, however Vaughn and mine adventure did not end quite yet.  Our tour also included a cooking class.  We arrived at That's Amore! and met with Manuel (I think).  We made two different pastas:  ravoli with ricotta and spinach) and Cavatelli (small shells).  We had so much fun!  The cavatelli can be made in any kitchen . . . you need a pasta roller machine for the ravoli, though.  After making the pasta, we enjoyed Prosecco (sparking white wine) and bread while waiting for a pasta to cook.  First, we had the cavatelli with tomato sauce and eggplant; then the ravoli.  It was amazing!  We thought we were done, but to our pleasant surprise, dessert was included.  Tiramisu was on the menu and I hestitated in ordering it.  I never enjoyed this dessert in America, but felt that I needed to try it in Italy.  I'm so glad I did.  This was THE BEST tiramisu ever!  It came in a bowl with the lady fingers at the bottom and covered with custard.  Enough said.

After lunch, we walked to the Spanish Steps and then walked by the Villa Borghese.  This led to the Piazza del Popolo, Square of the People.  We then decided to try to find the markets places for Italian leather stores, but to no luck.  We did find the gelato place our friend, Danielle, recommended:  Gelataria Giolitti.  This did NOT disappoint.  I had orange and chocolate and it was amazing.

We ended the evening with dinner at the restaurant close to our hotel . . . the one where the waiter told us on the first day:  drop of your luggage, come back and you eat.  Eventually, we came back to eat.  We ended up sitting by a lovely lady from Alberta, Canada who decided to extend her trip to Rome by a week.  It was a great conversation with food and wine.  The waiters were wonderful and entertaining . . . and I got pictures to prove it. :)

After dinner, the mission was to pack all of my stuff into 1 suitcase and 1 carry-on.  My suitcase was .9kg over the limit, but no charge for me!  Whew . . . My carry-on, though is another story.  I'm about done with carrying this.  Just one more leg and then I will be able to have 2 carry-ons when I return to the States.  Only 2.5 hours until I'm in Germany!