Wednesday morning meant only three more days in Rome! Dan & I continued our morning tradition at Good and went off in search of modern art. We'd wanted a change to view some Italian contemporary work after seeing so much classical, medieval and Renaissance art, and the MACRO had just opened. After our walk to the Museo d'Arte Contemporanea di Roma we made our way past some installation construction and workmen erecting a large net and tube sculpture, over a see-through lucite walkway and into the exhibit area where we found the museum's single exhibit. One room contained work by Israeli artist Nahum Tevet entitled "Untitled 1995-96", a study in contemporary plywood that Dan & I immediately renamed "IKEA Reject Showrom." I leave the design to your imagination (something Tevet had clearly done without in the creation of this work), which was described in museum handouts as "set apart by the use of wood." Well, at least MACRO did have an excellent bathroom.
After our 10 minutes in MACRO we decided to set out for the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish steps. The closer you get to approaching the Trevi the braver the pickpockets get and the cheesier the souvenirs become. To reach the Trevi you tunnel down Rome's cobblestone streets until you emerge into an open space filled with noise and sparkling water. While I'm certain my experience was that of the besotted tourist, the afternoon Dan and I spent at the Trevi Fountain was one of the best parts of my trip. Everywhere people were laughing and taking pictures and having a blast. This largest of Rome's fountains is just gorgeous and the splashing water fills the air with moisture. It is with the greatest resolve that you manage not to scramble right into the laughing water, but the presence of the nearby polizia who would haul you right out keeps this urge at bay. They spend their days blowing their whistles at the kids and tourists that get too rowdy near the Trevi, and there are plenty. The whole mood near the Trevi is of a good-natured circus, with the entire circumference of the fountain lined with people elbowing each other to throw coins over their shoulders into the water. Dan tells me the money is collected weekly. If you sit still more more than a few moments you can expect someone, in some language, to request that you photograph them. I believe I could spend days sitting at the Trevi, even though it is quite crowded.
From the Trevi we roamed off towards the Spanish Steps where we found an Indian film crew cutting a commercial.
Arch of Janus
Theater of Marcellus
Temple of Hercules Victor
Spanish Steps
McDonald's
Forum Boarium & Mouth of Truth
Sandwiches and McDonald's for lunch, gelato, Indian food for dinner lamb tikka masala and lamb keer kebab, prosecco
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