I Remember ... Rome, On Our Own

We were once again greeted by blue sky and sunshine, energizing us to get out and explore. Our first thought of the day: Happy Birthday, Matte!
Since we would be checking out of our hotel this morning we needed to re-pack and organize our suitcases. We enjoyed another brunch, dropped our luggage at the front desk and set out for another long walking day. Heading over to Via del Corso and winding through narrow streets we passed by some kind of demonstration ... a crowd chanting, media, cameras etc. We were not sure of their cause, however it was very peaceful.
Our mission today: locate and enjoy gelato @ Giolletti's, a place Joelle recommended to us. She studied in Rome and emailed us a list of great touring information. And it was worth the trip ... delicious. I believe I could eat gelato every day! As it appears in the picture, I am not eating two ... one is for Walt!
We continued to explore piazzas, enjoying the quaint residential neighborhoods. I loved how you could hear everyday life ... cooking, quiet conversations etc. We both wondered what it would be like to rent an apartment for a few weeks and make ourselves "at home" here. As we rounded a corner, we could hear a group singing A cappella, which is Italian for "in the manner of the church" or "in the manner of the chapel." It was drifting down from an upstairs room. Not only was it beautiful, but it was familiar to us. It was a worship chorus we've sung in church. As we drew closer, we discovered it was a Baptist church, probably a rarity in a predominately Roman Catholic community.
Our best discovery of the day ... an internet cafe, The Circus Art Cafe, tucked in a quaint little street located just off the Piazza Navona. The decor and art had a flavor of something you would find in the bay area. I ordered Coke and tea for both of us but had a little problem communicating at the cash register. The cashier was having problems understanding English and I didn't know what she was saying in Italian. After several go-arounds a nearby customer lowered his newspaper and told me she was asking for another euro : ) We enjoyed our refreshing beverages while connecting with the world. We checked our email, looked at Facebook, uploaded pictures, and sent birthday greetings to Matt. I wish we had found this place earlier in our stay at Rome.
We returned back to the Cosmopolita and took a taxi to our next destination: The Mediterrano Hotel where we will meet our Trafalgar travel group at a "get acquainted" reception.