After leaving Santa Cecilia, we decided to spend some more time walking around Trastevere – including doing a rough version of Rick Steves’ Trastevere Walk.

So interesting to just be walking through these back alleys, artsy neighborhoods and shops. We frequently had very little idea where we were, but easily made our way around.

From Rick Steves:

Trastevere – the colorful neighborhood across the river from downtown – is the place to immerse yourself in the crustier side of Rome.

Because of its vicinity to the river, Trastevere was always a commercial neighborhood, and many if its alleys were named after businesses based here. The streets – rarely paved – were clogged by shop stalls.

From Rick Steves:

Notice the many rooftop terraces – the Roman equivalent of a leafy backyard. An attico con terrazzo (penthouse with a terrace) is every Roman’s dream.

From Rick Steves:

Apartments in Rome tend to be quite small, and electricity is more expensive than in the US, so few have clothes dryers.

Strolling here, you’ll understand why the Italian language has no word for ‘privacy’ (they’ll use our word and roll the r). Reading a letter on the Metro attracts a crowd.

As part of the “crusty” part of the city, we saw graffiti everywhere … here’s just a small sample of the art work we saw around town.

[View with PicLens]

From Rick Steves:

Rome got its start 3,000 years ago along the Tiber River at this point. This was as far upstream as big boats could sail and the first place the river could be crossed by bridge. As a center of river trade, Rome connected the interior of the Italian peninsula with the Mediterranean. The area below you would be bustling in ancient times. Look down (or the image above) and imagine small ports, water mills, ramshackle boats, and platforms for fishing.

The high point of the bridge (image below) is an ancient stone with a faded inscription dating from about A.D. 370, when this then-400-year-old bridge was rebuilt. The eroding plaque is stapled into the balustrade like a piece of recycled scrap.

In the 1870s, the Romans removed the threat of flooding by practically walling off the Tiber, building the tall anonymous embankments that continue to isolate the river from the city today.

Also on our first morning in Trastevere?

We came across this demonstration (in the images below) a couple times. I thought I heard on the radio in the taxi that it was a demonstration protesting accidents and traffic collisions in Rome (one of the taxi drivers told us there is an accident every 15 min in the city). But I couldn’t find any follow-up articles or other indications online.

You’ll see in the first 3 pics, we came across the back of the procession – with the tubas and old men in uniforms. We heard them before we saw them.

In the last 3 pics, we came across the front of the procession – with the incense and the float (or whatever it is).

Really, no idea. But so interesting to just come upon.

[View with PicLens]

By this time in our journey it’s only 11a or so on the first day – much more to come!