The other week I stopped in Piazza Navona, and the square was bustling with street performers. It seemed every direction I turned, someone was doing something to draw a crowd. Here are a few of the acts that caught my attention …
These guys drew quite a crowd. Everyone stood in fascination as they tried to figure out just how this guy seemed to sit effortlessly in mid air.
The balloon-making clown was popular with the younger crowd.
I’ve seen this guy before and he always draws a crowd with his comic routine. He’s big on audience participation, and always receives a lot of laughs.
We first saw this little man back in August. He completely brightened my day with his dancing and lip singing to Elvis Presley songs. He brightened my day again, but this time he had classic Italian songs playing. He always makes me reach for my change purse. 🙂
Pizza, pasta, gelato … I bet these are some of the things you plan (and dream) on eating when you visit Italy. I bet you’ve even gone so far as to dream (and plan) on grabbing a gelato and eating savoring it while you take in the sights of the fabulous Piazza Navona … the Spanish Steps … the Coliseum … or any other famous landmark in Rome. Hold that thought though. Don’t think you’re going to transport yourself onto a movie screen when you visit Rome and eat your heart out around the city, like so many countless films you’ve seen before.
Why you ask? Well, because as absolutely absurd as it may sound, it is now a crime to eat on or around any public monument or landmark (which is every place you turn in Rome’s city center). It is a crime that can be fined from 25 – 500 Euros (about $32 – $650 USD).
No more stopping at my favorite gelateria and walking to Piazza Navona while I sit and enjoy my cool treat and take in the energy of the piazza … ancient fountains, street performers, artwork, people watching … it has all come to an end. That is, unless I want to pay a hefty fine for enjoying my gelato in that picturesque setting. And I can tell you, I do not.
This crazy rule is not only for gelato. It also applies to eating a panino (sandwich), a slice of pizza, a bag of chips, or any other snack food or dessert.
As NBC News noted on their website, after receiving fines and learning about the new law, several tourists pointed out the fact that there are no signs in the vicinity alerting people that they are no longer allowed to partake in any food or drink while near the various monuments. NBC News reports that police in the area were asked about the complaint and said there was no need for signs. A local policeman patrolling the area is reported as saying, “It’s common sense. You can’t dirty such a beautiful and historical monument with ice cream and bread crumbs just because you can sit on it.” You know, dirtying and vandalizing a historical monument is one thing, but trying to control the free world is entirely something else.
Another thing that makes the matter even worse, is that many eating establishments have very limited or no seating available, forcing patrons to take their food to go. Where exactly are people supposed to eat? This I would like to know.
I would also like to know why the city can’t put those same policemen in place to prohibit the horrid men who force roses into your hand then try to get money from you by chasing you down, or the men who shine the damn toy lasers that they are trying to sell directly into your eye (pet peeve of mine, can you tell?), or the men who sell illegal goods displayed on a bed sheet along the sidewalks who speak ugly words to you if you gaze an extra second at their merchandise and then not stop to by something. To me, these are a few of the things that are ruining and dirtying those beautiful and historical monuments. Nothing is being done to address those matters.
So … if you’re planning to visit Rome, don’t plan on eating your Italian treats outside while enjoying the fresh air and taking in the amazing scenery the city has to offer. You’ll have to savor your morsels inside.
We spotted this extremely talented guy along Via del Corso, a street famous for shopping. His talent blew us away with his re-creation of Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, the Mona Lisa.
(We were fortunate enough to view the real Mona Lisa last year in Paris at the Louvre Museum. You can see the original here.)
For some reason this guy painted in green made me laugh. He was in Piazza Navona, all set to go with his suitcase, bottle of wine and cat on a leash.
This little man completely brightened my day. He had a CD of Elvis Presley songs playing, and he was doing his best to dance and lip sing along with the songs. Talented, no. Original, yes. He was effective enough to have me pulling money out of my purse. 🙂
This girl performing in Trastevere was quite entertaining with her fire juggling tricks. We were coming from dinner when we spotted the crowd around her, and then we noticed the fire magically lighting the piazza. The photo is a little blurry because she is moving, but the people in the background reminded me of an old painting and made me imagine that the piazza probably looked nearly the same several hundred years ago.
Although the design is fun, the gelato is the real star of the show. Vice uses all natural ingredients without adding hydrogenated fats, coloring or preservatives. In addition to leaving out “the bad stuff” and using organic milk and fresh eggs, Vice also uses some of the finest ingredients around, using lemons from Amalfi, pistachios from Brante, Sicily, and walnuts from Sorrento, just to name a few.
I had a sample of the lemon (limone), and it was quite good! I was in the mood for something creamier though, and went with pistachio (it’s my go to flavor, and I usually judge a gelateria based on the taste of their pistachio) and cheesecake. The pistachio was good (it passed the test), but the cheesecake was really delicious. The unique flavor of the cheesecake won me over.
If you’re looking for a fun gelateria using fresh, natural ingredients, I definitely recommend making a visit to Vice.
