Aqueducts! And a Sweltering Walk in an Archeological Park

Ciao!
It was a relief to get home and out of the heat.  I have had two glasses of water, and now I am ready to enjoy my aperitivo and talk to you.
While doing some research this morning I happened upon information on the Park of the Aqueduct.  Although this is not on the normal tourist radar it is easily accessible by metro and even on my own Line A.  I've seen plenty of ruins--but the remains of an aqueduct?  Well, it sounded good to me.
Having consulted google maps, I set off and alighted at the proper stop.  Now my instincts were correct, and I set off in the right direction.  But google maps, as sometimes happens, screwed up.  I was given to understand that the park was two minutes walk away and would be right there in front of me.  When this did not occur, I turned around and tried other directions.  Nada.  Although I noticed that a lot of businesses were open out there in the suburbs.  I went back to the metro stop hoping for a a sign or map or something.  I did find a map, so I set out again.  I was about to give up when I spotted--an aqueduct!  Yay!  And it's amazing to find so much open space in Rome.  The park is quite large with a lot of paths, and today I shared it with bikers, picnickers, and joggers as well as folks walking their dogs.  I was able to get pretty close to one of the sections of aqueduct, so that was cool. The Romans were first rate engineers, and their water delivery system still amazes.  They brought water down from higher elevations--usually a lake at a steady downward gradient, and if the stream had to go through a mountain or cross a valley or river, the Romans would excavate and also build the spectacular arcaded platforms to carry water.  Some of the aqueducts--although much restored and repaired--are still in use!
Then I took the metro back a few stops to explore another archeological park, the Caffarella.  This time I found it easily, but also by this time the afternoon had turned very hot and humid.  Once again this is a huge open space nearish the city center and is part of the Via Appia Antica complex.  The old Via Latina runs alongside it, and there are many ruins, but they are spread out.  I came upon only one.  There are lakes, too, but I didn't get that far.  Once again this green space is used and appreciated by the Roman public.  There were a fair number of people there, but as far as I could tell, I was the only foreign tourist.  A lot of paths run here and there.  A fence is supposed to keep people out of unsafe places, but the Romans have torn holes in it.  I did not venture through them although I might have done for the sake of a tasty ruin.
I got to see a couple of nice "real people" neighborhoods in Rome and see weekend life going on as well as experiencing some history, so it was a pleasant, balanced day.
I have left over gnocchi I need to use up, so even though it's not Thursday that's what I'm having--with pesto--so good!  And of course extra parmesan.  Shall we have a bite of a tiny, tender potato dumpling enriched with pesto sauce and parm?  It's fast, easy, and one of my favorite dishes I've had here.  And let's not forget a sip of chilled Orvieto Classico.  I think it's my favorite of the local wines I've tried, and I'm pretty sure I've seen it in the USA should you decide to test my taste.