Three Palazzos

Ciao!
I'm finally getting the hang of Rome. I successfully rode a bus today!  Moreover I stride--not quite fearlessly, but with the appearance of confidence onto the crosswalk in the face of on coming traffic.
It works like zebra crossings in London.  Standing on the curb looking hopeful accomplishes nothing; the pedestrian must step into the street.
I wanted to book a tour for the Palazzo Farnese, but even though I'm here for another two weeks, they were full.  Fortunately the proprietor suggested another palazzo that didn't need a reservation.
So I walked all the way down Via Corso licking windows as I went until I spotted my target.
The Doria-Pamphilj Family still lives in the palace when they are in Rome and the current head of the family Jonathan, who sounds English narrates the audio guide.  Pamphilj is the Roman branch, the one who produced Pope Innocent X.  He's the grim looking guy in that Velasquez portrait, which you can say hi to when you visit.  The palazzo was a gift to his nephew, and it is spectacular!  Doria came when the Pamphiljs allied with the leading Genoese Family through marriage.  The ceiling frescos and art collection (a couple of early Caravaggios for example) are first rate.  I'd put this on a must see for a visitor to Rome.
Next I wound my way through a maze of streets and past the Pantheon again to get to Piazza Navona.  It's large and oblong.  We can pause to admire Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers before making our way to Palazzo Braschi, which is a sort of History of Rome museum.  I was also keen on the special exhibit of Canalettos.  I refuse to apologize for appreciating his paintings.  After that the rest of the collection was a bit of a let down, but the building is fabulous and well worth seeing.
I promised three palazzos, and I am going to deliver!  Just off Piazza Navona is the Palazzo Altemps in a wonderful building dating from the 1400s which holds some of the National Museums' antiquities. There are some superb statues in amazingly excellent condition although clearly some have been repaired and restored but not all.  The exhibits also featured some modern installations based on classical themes and motifs.  Some of these were very clever.
Well, I walked out, but by this time I was also worn out and didn't want to walk back.  Fortunately there are tourist information huts in many parts of the city and there was one across the street from the Altemps.  I knew I needed a bus, but I wasn't going to get on one without advice.
Having received the advice I strolled down to Largo di Argentina and found the correct stop going in the right direction.  I need to learn how to use the busses to see what I want to see.  I got on a very very crowded bus where people kept getting on but didn't get off until we nearly reached Termini.
At Termini I got off, strolled around a  bit--Termini is rather like a Hauptbahnhof.  There's a shopping center. Then I got the metro home.
My aperitivo is Procecco and a crostini with Bresaola, a kind of cured beef I had and really liked in Milan.  It comes from the Swiss border.  It's not like jerky at all. The taste and texture is more like prosciutto but it is different and very yummy on a crostini.
Dinner will be ravioli as I have some left over, and I will dress it with garlic, plenty of olive oil and some parmesan.  The wine is Est Est Est!  I have not ever seen it in the United States, but if you come across it try it.  There's a cute story involved with the name.  A traveling bishop who liked his wine sent a servant ahead to scout the offerings.  If he thought the wine was worthy of the episcopal palate the servant would write the word "Est" (it is) on the door of the taverna.  Coming to Montefiascone the servant found a wine so sublime he wrote "Est! Est!! Est!!!" on the door.  This tale is of dubious historicity.