Drifting....through Trastevere

I never realized that this quaint little neighborhood was in such close proximity of the touristy/historical district of Rome (close to the "Wedding Cake," Ruins, Colosseum). Residing across from the oldest bridge in Rome situated at the edge of Campo De Fiori, which leads up to the Tiber River, Trastevere embodies so much character within its borders. In thinking back to our class discussion about how much of our private space has been transformed into the public domain, I tuned into all of the familiar sounds that exist in a community. I overheard the sound of a baby crying. As I passed by an entry way I could make out the sounds of pots and pans raddling inferring that it was a kitchen. A window was open and as I walked by I caught myself eavesdropping into someone's conversation, much of which I couldn't make out because I'm still working on my Italian comprehension skills. I took a deep breathe as I drifted and I could smell the familiar scent of cologne that apparently is popular here because I've smelled that same fragrance (that of which I have no name for) on many different occasions in Rome. The aroma of a freshly prepared meal drifted my way as I passed by several restaurants. The pictures above sum up what I took away from my experience in Trastevere as I walked along Vicolo Del Buco, Via Della Lungaretta, and Piazza Della Gensola.The gold emblem on the door intrigued me because it illustrates how much religion/faith is an important component of these people's lives. It is ingrained in their culture and way of life. As I was crossing the bridge into Trastevere I came across a man sitting on the side of the road jamming away on his saxophone. For me, the music completed this picturesque scene...it was enchanting. So many hidden treasures lie buried within the alleyways of Trestevere, which tell us so much about the lifestyle/ and mentality of this community...paintings (like the abstract image above), children playing, advertisements, the ringing of the church bell, a homeless woman cleansing her clothes in the drinking fountain, draping laundry, blooming flowers, old newspapers dropped in the street... During my walk through the streets of Trestevere I looked for artifacts to help document this area. My collection included newspaper clippings (interestingly enough the page was folded to the puzzle game section...I noticed while in Capri this weekend a woman lying on the beach also invested in the puzzles in the newspaper paying no mind to her boyfriend lying next to her who was trying to distrat her by stroking her leg), reminents of the buildings, cigarette boxes (I concluded that pretty much everyone smokes here in Italy, making me a minority), and flyers/dvertisements.