A Change of Plan

Ciao!
It started to sprinkle as I made my way home, but I always carry an umbrella, so I was good, and after all I did get out and do some Tourist Dharma.
That was by no means certain.  After a few hours of sleep I woke up because my left ankle ached.  I don't know why.  I must have done something objectionable yesterday.  It got worse.  I could walk, but it was painful.  Oh no, I thought.  I won't be able to go anywhere--well definitely not the Vatican Museums, which is standing in line and then a three hour trek.  After about four hours of this, things began to improve.  I am not 100%, but that's mostly jet lag, and I walked around just fine.
Italians eat sugar for breakfast.  This morning so did I because in my jet lagged state yesterday, I did not realize I bought sweet, sugar-coated cornettos (Those are the Italian version of croissants.).  Yuk!  I hate sweet things for breakfast.  I had some nice stracchinio, a sort of creme cheese, to put on it, but I was not pleased.  The tea was good though.  I picked up some Fortnum and Mason Breakfast Blend at Heathrow.  I corrected the situation with a trip to the grocery store, and starting tomorrow I will breakfast in a more wholesome way.
I did not feel up to the Vatican, but feeling pretty reasonable, I made my way to the metro and got a forty-eight hour pass.  My first target was Palazzo Barberini some of which was decorated by Bernini and Borromini, so I was trading the Renaissance for the Baroque.  The building is worth visiting for itself.  Don't forget to look up and admire the lovely ceiling frescos, but there are some nice paintings, too, and even a few gems by Raphael and Caravaggio.
After that I walked up the street to San Carlo di Quatre Fontane designed by Borromini.  It's a small church, but has an exquisite dynamism.  On each corner of the intersection where the church sits are four Roman fountains depicting river gods.  Borromini incorporated one in his design.
I was tired by then, but I had one more stop--Santa Maria della Vittoria.  The church is a Baroque jewel and worth seeing for its own sake, but we were all there for Bernini's St. Theresa in Ecstasy, and it is just as marvelous in person.
Then I caught the metro home.  My place is a fair distance from the city center, but after having experienced the Tourist Zone today, I'm glad I am not staying in it.  The sites are wonderful. Fighting the crowds, school and tour groups and traffic is not.
As the saying goes:  When in Rome, do as the Romans do--as long as the doing is pleasurable without harming oneself or others.  Thus I have prepared a modest aperitivo.  This is the same concept as the French aperitif, and it is considered an art form.  One has a drink.  Aperol Spritz is the trendy one, but I don't like Aperol.  I prefer Campari and soda, but I have none at the moment, so I am making do (poor me) with Prosecco--really very good considering I pulled it off the bottom shelf for its low price.  One does not drink without eating so I have a few plump green olives and a crostini I spread with ricotta and then dressed with some garlic and olive oil.  Sounds appetizing doesn't it?  That's the idea!
Now that our appetites are worked up it's time for another Roman custom--Gnocchi Thursday!  This is akin to Taco Tuesday back home, I'm guessing.  I cooked some delicate potato gnocchi and dressed it with oil, garlic, and parmesan.  I am washing it down with an historic wine called Est Est Est!  Perfecto as we Italians say.