Our second day in Rome was a bit of a washout, and a nightmare.  First of all, it rained profusely all day long.  That was when we discovered a leak in the ceiling, over the swimming pool.  Secondly, we kept going back and forth with the rental agency, as to what the best thing to do would be, regarding our apartment situation.  Eventually, already frustrated, and after getting a headache from the chlorine and other smelly chemicals coming from the scummy pool, we booked ourselves into a nearby hotel for the night.  The next morning, during an early call with the agency, they agreed to move us to another rental.  While we waited for the keys to the new apartment, we did a little exploring of the immediate vicinity.  The Casa Procura, which was founded in 1878, served as a refuge for unemployed service women, who were given training in Christian principles, as well as in domestic service.  The location, near the apartment, dated from 1881.  It would later become a women’s boarding house, as well as a novitiate for the religious order.  Today, it continues to function as a novitiate, as well as a guest house for women.

In an alcove, along a side street, there stands a bust of “Mamma Roma,” Anna Magnani.

As we walked, we passed a church, and decided to go in, for a quick prayer.  Hopefully, our living situation would be resolved soon, and we could enjoy the rest of our stay in Rome!

We heard from the representative of the agency, who gave us the address of the new apartment, where we would be given the new keys.  Then, we grabbed our bags, and hopped into a taxi, which the agency said they would reimburse us for.  The new place, while not as nice as the one we had just left, would have to do.  It was relatively clean (after we made a call to the agency complaining about dirt everywhere, they sent someone to clean the apartment), and the location was not horrible.  It was about a thirty-minute walk to Trastevere, and had access to plenty of shops and restaurants.  It would be fine, even if it was not a place we would have normally chosen to stay in.

Even though we were both exhausted, from all the problems we had been dealing with, we had promised our friend, Giulia, that we were going see her for dinner.  So, we headed back down to Trastevere, where we had another wonderful meal, and a great evening, at La Botticella.  We dined on bresaola with slices of Parmigiano cheese; steaks with roasted potatoes; salad, olives, and cheese; and Giulia’s famous strawberry tiramisu.  All of that was washed down with a delicious red wine!

Next up: We spend Day 4 getting acquainted with our new neighborhood!

<em>Note: This blog is written in English and Spanish, and the author takes no responsibility for the quality of any other translations that may appear.  If you have enjoyed this post, please, check out our archives for more posts from Rome, as well as other Italian destinations.  Grazie!</em>