Last day

Thursday 14 Sept

For old times' sake, and for a change of scenery, I took Niah to Trastevere. Down via Marmorata (I'd like to know how many times I have been down this street!!) and along the riverside path of Porto di Ripa Grande with lovely views to the Ponte Palatino.

A quick cappuccino in Piazza dei Ponziani and then a lovely stroll through Trastevere: quiet, with few people around at this time, and cooler part of the day too. I had forgotten how pretty this charming, medieval neighbourhood is: shops and cafes, cobblestoned streets lined with crumbling buildings with faded paintwork.

We stopped to marvel at the emptiness of Piazza di Santa Cecilia and paused a while in front of the fountain in the garden of the Basilica di Santa Cecilia which was built on top of the saint's house; in the year 230 she supposedly survived decapitation for three days and when her tomb was opened in 1599 her body was incorrupt.

Some more wandering - Niah was awake having had only a micro-sleep of half an hour leading up to my coffee stop, so we needed to start heading home.

Back over Ponte Fabricio and along the river the same way we'd come. I had considered going back via Circo Massimo for something different to do but figured on the riverside walk having fewer people and therefore easier to navigate with the stroller. It had been a lovely morning (but it was only 11 a.m.!!) and Niah was due for a feed; she got cracky so I had to papoose her and push the stroller.

Parking - how and wherever you can!!

These guys do a good job: immigranti I presume; they set themselves a section of street and sweep up the rubbish. They have a box at the start and end of their section with a little container to collect donations. I don't mind giving them some money.

Back at the apartment, Niah and I played, she drank lots of milk, etc etc and she was very tired. She went off to sleep in the papoose and I transferred her to the stroller so I could have a quick shower and then she woke! She was very cranky but I managed to get her to sleep again in the papoose; I didn't dare risk transferring her again so I was 'trapped' on the lounge with her 'connected' to me like a baby koala to its mother but I managed to get my airline check-in done (!); lunch would have to wait - she had a very deep sleep (waking a few times but dropping off again even when Regis rang to say hello to her; I had to give him the shoosh-shoosh).

Kathryn arrives late afternoon with Tania and Katuschia but thankfully they work for only a short time and then it is time to pack and get Niah settled and have dinner with our home-made pasta from the market. I have to say, the Ciambellone (the ring-cake) was not really to our liking. Finish packing.

Alarm set for 3:45 a.m. - argh! Kathryn has a 6 a.m. flight.