More Bernini Angels

This particular Bernini angel reminds me of my nephew Bean.
This is funny, because I never noticed a resemblance before.
The angel is quite famous.
He is prominent in the composition of the Cornaro chapel-
the famous St. Teresa in ecstasy-
about to penetrate the saint with his fiery arrow.

The Vatican Version of a CTR Ring

The ring has the Lord's Prayer in Latin.
All of it.
(It's the 'short version' that ends with 'deliver us from evil'.)
I love it!!
It is sterling with gold plate so it wasn't cheap,
but this is going to be a beautiful reminder.

Bernini Angels

These fabulous angels glow in the afternoon light
as they line the bridge to the Castel Sant'Angelo.

High Tea at Babington's

There is a famous 'British' style tea room in Rome,
next to the Spanish steps,
opposite the Keats-Shelley house.
It was founded in the late 1800s by two English ladies
who wished to make a living providing proper tea
to their compatriots on the Grand Tour.
I went and had High Tea there one afternoon,
with a lemon verbena tisane substituted for actual tea.
I got little teeny sandwiches with the crusts off--
the fillings were great, but the bread was a bit dry.
The tea was also not made with boiling water
(which for a British tea room I found inexcusable!!)
but the cakes were absolutely top notch.
All in all, it was fun to do once,
but it was very expensive,
and I'm not going to make a habit out of it!

More Rome Zoo

From camels to scarlet ibis,
giraffes to giant tortoises
(and keepers who pet them!)
the Rome zoo makes for a fun afternoon.

The Rome Zoo

Rome's zoo isn't large,
but it has a nice selection of animals--
including a terrific reptile house,
and a gorgeous rococo entrance.

Today's Food Finds

Today I visited an artisan bakery on the Via Merulana--
my eye was caught by the bread crocodiles in the window!

I also had dinner at a place near San Clemente--
tortellini with ham and an absolutely amazing cream sauce.