All roads lead to Piazza Navona

I don't know why everybody goes to Piazza Navona - perhaps because it is free.

We walked through it on the way home. There were we tourists, buskers, painters, people dressed as ancient Roman soldiers, people touting restaurants, restaurants ... the only Rome regulars missing were the beggars. Perhaps the beggars have learned that hanging out around churches and trains is better for business. It makes sense. Churches put some people into a more generous state of mind if they haven't blown their change on candles. On trains people can't get away! 

In contrast the other places we visited were very quiet. First we went to Ara Pacis, the reconstruction of Augustus' Altar of Peace. The main attraction there was a temporary exhibition on food supply in Ancient Rome that I was keen to see. (Yes ... I know what you are thinking ... travel with Leon is just full of thrills.) The cost of entry would have fed every beggar in the district. The only others there were German school groups listening attentively. 

Then we walked to the Palazzo Altemps which is a major sculpture museum. It was beautiful and even quieter - it mustn't be on the German curriculum.

Of course a major reason for keeping sculpture inside is the pigeons.

Almost every day we walk past the local secondary school. It always sounds like the inmates are rioting. At first we said, "It must be recess". Then we realised that recess appears to be permanent.

We leave for the airport late tomorrow afternoon. The bad news is that we won't be back home till late Sunday night. I am hanging out for a meat pie.