Technically first full day.. but whos counting? Today, has to have been the most amazing time ever.

Coldiretti at Circus Maximus
Per Jady’s suggestion and also Caterina’s (although I technically saw her recommendation after the fact) my first destination was Coldiretti for the farmers market.

Typically there is a farmers market in Circo Massimo but this one was special! The following translated from Il Farmer’s Market della Capitale:

Campagna Amica Foundation, with the event “Best of Italy” wants to open the doors of our agriculture, therefore the real made ​​in Italy, all Italy from the City of Roma.In a unique historical context, the valley of Circus Maximus, we tell consumers the true value of agricultural production Italian, through their stages. The food, territory, know-how, local traditions, in other words, “Campagna Amica” is an answer to the food and cultural globalization imposes.

I seriously was in heaven. The farmers market was segmented off by region and each booth was putting out samples for passer bys to try.

Here we have a guy cutting chunks of parmesan raggiano:

I finally dragged myself away from the farmers market around 11am after I had been there for 2 hours straight! I aimlessly wandered west on Via dei Circo Massimo then headed north on Via dei di Marcello. I saw some random ruins here and there and thats when I was starting to feel immersed in the architecture of roman times. It really is something to see all buildings still intact. We are talking centuries and centuries here.

Once I hit Via dei Teatro di Marcello I decided that it was a good time to go ahead and visit the Capitoline Museum. European heritage days were September 29 and 30, so a lot of the museums had free visitation.

It wasnt until I came upon the steps towards the Capitoline that I realized – wow they really do it up big in Roma. Then the second thought was, “Damnit theres a #$&*$*#@ ton of tourists here”. Then third thought, wait, I’m a tourist too….” UGH! My whole reason for going in Sept/Oct was to avoid the tourists… what the heck guys!

It was funny watching this bride. She kept watching me because I wanted to snap a picture and my camera was bigger than her photographer’s (:) LOL).

Okay okay I admit even though I really wasnt caring to go to a museum. I am really glad I went to the Capitoline Museum. It was fun.

When I came out of the museum I found that it had rained… it became much much cooler. Although today and yesterday (day of these pictures) it has been insanely muggy. My clothes are gross.

I wandered aimlessly after the museum and stumbled across a really big building behind the Capitoline museum. Apparently it’s Capitol Square. I went to the top of the building for 7 euros and shot a few panoramas. It was strange because one of their staff came up to me and said NO TRIPOD NO TRIPOD… why?

Because i love me some tripod:

After seeing the Colloseum from up at the top of Capitol Hill I had to walk over there to see how busy it was. Remember it was free to get in… I wasnt planning on waiting.

I love the way the water makes the cobble stones reflect.

As I walked away from the Colloseum, I stumble across Coldiretti again! So of course I had to stop in again! This time I tried some trufata! Yum!

Part 2 of my first full day in Roma later!