Roma or Morte!

Any direction one turns in Rome there is either a monument, a church or a building older than any Christian god. Even sitting outside at our now favorite caffè joint, Bar Gianicolo, you can't help but notice the thirty-foot tall, still remarkably intact 3rd-century Roman walls that marked the outline of the city. As this was Milty and Bisou's first day wandering Roma with us, we judiciously and respectively kept them from doing their instinctual dog marking thing on the wall. Though I'd wager cash money that in 1800 years I'm sure a few drunken late night pees have been taken on the wall.

Of note, Milty shares my love of a La Bombe con crema di limone for colazione.

Properly çaffeinated and sentirse forte we struck off through the city gates to the top of Gianicolo Hill through the peaceful forest that is a monument to the heroes of Rome who fought off a French siege of the city in a massive battle on this spot on 1849.  Garibaldi and his young heroes sit immortalized atop a piazza on the peak of the hill with a fantastic view of the skyline of Rome.  Put this on your ta-do list for sure when you visit Rome. Being early November, blustery but warm, we had the piazza mostly to ourselves, which is a lovely thing beyond belief.

The walk up the hill is a quiet park with dozens of busts lining the path.  I only took a couple of photos of faces that struck my fancy; the one of  Daverio for the fire in his eyes and cool af beard (a remarkable piece of sculpture),

  and his nearby crypt which honored him for his valiant death as a defender of Rome and for expressing the ideals of all of Italia: Libertà, Indipendenza, Unità.

Medici was next to him, probably for financing the entire affair. He doesn't look like the battle-worn and battered types of the other busts.



We all have to die one day and anyone could do worse than to end up enshrined and admired in a lovely tree-lined park for valiantly defending one's country and people against a foreign invader.

Romo o Morte! 

                                      Saluti




A few steps further and we came upon the main monument, to Garibaldi himself.  A 30 meters high monument to all the defenders with Garabaldi on horseback on top looking out over all of Rome.  Yes, really looking out over Rome as this is the highest hill in Rome and one can see the entire city laid out before one.  This is only day two, and not my first time in Rome, but this view, this serene yet historically ghost-filled hill will be hard to top.  It's right up there with looking down into the  Colosseo for the first time, or the forums.  I kid you not, put this one on your bucket list.

Some photos:

A hero watches over his city...

As we rested and avoided a brief rain squall we got to hear the Gianciolo cannon go off, at close range.  We didn't realize that it was just a few meters away down below some trees and it's roar nearly knocked us off our bench.  Next trip up top at noon and I'll take a video to illustrate just how loud and sharp is the report of a century and a half old cannon.


A good day of exploration with the doggies. Lunch was of our own design back at the house as the rain hit, consisting of crostini con burra ed acciughe,  e alcune mele e formaggio. Unfortunately it's about time to submit to the indignities of work so I couldn't crack open that bottle of prosecco in the fridge.

Walking everywhere and eating light, but with arte and gusto and who the Hell needs a gym membership?

Tired doggums. Poor little ones are still very jet-lagged

A presto!