Rome

Thanks to our travel agent, Ken, we had a complimentary tour yesterday in Rome: Roman Holiday, a tour which ook us to the places in the movie. We sat at the Spanish Steps, tossed a coin in the Trevi Fountain, toured the Palazzo Brancaccio, drove by the Coliseum, and had tiramisu gelato at La Plama Gelateria. Lunch was at Cecilla Metella, the restaurant where the Hepburn and Peck characters hid away trying to avoid photographers. I have to admit that I do not remember the movie “Roman Holiday” at all, but it will be shown onboard soon to the group of 40 who shared the tour.

Since we have been to Rome several times, we did not feel the need to visit the usual tourist places and were delighted to be on the tour. The sites of Rome were interesting, what a history! The highlight of the day, and probably of the cruise, was the lunch at Cecilla Metella. First, both the setting and weather were perfect. We ate outdoors on a patio under vine-covered trellises at tables covered with bottles of red and white wines, still and fizzy water, and baskets of fresh bread.

Waiters delivered plates of sliced prosciutto and other meats to most people. We vegetarians were asked to go inside to fill our own plates from a large selection of grilled vegetables, olives, artichoke hearts, eggplant parmesan, and more. We all thought that was to be our meal, but the waiter, looking at our very full plates, explained it was only antipasto. We looked like a bunch of gluttons and then we behaved like gluttons too.

After the antipasto, the table was served an incredible pasta dish made with green linguini in a very rich cream sauce. For vegans, they served pasta with marinara sauce, which I could not eat because I was already so full. Then the entrée was served. I couldn’t tell if it was veal or pork with sliced roasted potatoes, but everyone said it was outstanding. We had sliced tomatoes. By then, the eight at our table had become the rowdy bunch, drinking wine and laughing so much that other people told us we were having too much fun.

Then dessert was served. Not vegan, but when in Rome, do as the Romans do. It might be the best dessert of my life. On the plate was a cream puff filled with gelato and covered with a lighter lemon cream sauce, a bit like a sauce Anglaise. Words cannot begin to describe the tastes and mouth feel of this dessert. I wanted to eat two or three of them!

The owner of the travel company in Rome also owns the Vespa used in the movie, so we all had our photos taken on the scooter before heading to the “Mouth of Truth” for photos with a hand inside the mouth. Legend says if you lie, it will bite your hand off. Fortunately no one lost any appendages and we snoozed our way back to the port of Civitaveccia to the ship.