Castello St Angelo, Pranzo, Caravaggio

After breakfast we ventured out on the tram and then bus to the Castel Saint Angelo. This ominous structure has been many things such as a tomb, a papal safe house, and a prison. We have seen it from afar many times during our adventures in Rome, so it was neat to see up close.

Next, we wanted to go to a church that housed three Caravaggio paintings, but it was closed for a few hours (this happens a lot here) so we decided to go for pranzo (lunch) and then go back to the church afterwards. We had enjoyed our octopus salad at Fish Market so much the other day that we decided to return there.

This time they gave us the Italian menu, so I used my limited Italian to try and figure the menu out. In the end we ordered fried calamari; a tuna burger (which Evan loved!); a salad of shrimp, burrata and tomato on a toasty bun; a salad of fennel, oranges, olives and raw tuna; and the octopus salad. Everything was so delicious! I'm not a big fennel fan, but the fennel salad was delightful! Needless to say, we were very full!

Since it was our last day in Rome, and Baladin was halfway between Fish Market and the church, we just had to pop in for a "quick pint." Evan coined this term when we were in London three years ago, although he uses it facetiously because he feels that these stops are never quick!

After our pints, we made it to the church to see the Caravaggio paintings. You had to pay a machine to see them illuminated (brilliant scheme) but it was worth the few coins.

We left the church and headed towards home. The boys wanted to get one more gelato at Fatamorgana, so we ducked in there quickly. Evan had straticalla (he says it never disappoints) and strawberry, while Brad had blackberry and pear. We will miss this gelateria when we leave tomorrow!Read more