a long hot day in rome

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We began the morning, a bit in shock over Josh's debacle but have moved on.  We strolled over to Popolo Plaza to have breakfast sitting outside watching the city wake-up.  Then we walked, yes walked, over to the newest addition to Rome, the Maxxi Museum

Camp
The museum is located in a residential area of Rome.  We passed a beautiful tennis club on the water where kids were at camp.  They do camp in Rome too! 

Maxi
The museum is absolutely fantastic.  Designed by Zaha Hadid and recently opened.  The place kind of renders me speechless.  The building is sleek and modern. A mixture of poured concrete, with round steel pillars and glass is so out of context in Rome but completely works. 

Stairs maxi
Inside, the stairs hang from one end to the other.  The sheer volume of the place is awesome.  The Maxxi Museum is Rome's answer to the Pompidou or the MOMA.  It is an incredible place to see art. 

Maxi internal
Large spacious rooms with natural life flowing in.  Each sky light has the ability to open or shut at different degrees to let in just the right amount of light based on the exhibit. 

Suitcases
The permanent collection is a mixture of photos, paintings and a lot of installation type work.  One is more interesting than the next.  I particularly liked a piece by Fabio Mauri.  A square mixture of suitcases and travel items.  This sculpture is a reference to the Western wall in Jerusalem.  The old leather suit cases become a symbol of the Shoah or any exile. 

I can't stop thinking about this museum.  It should be anyone's first stop in Rome. 

Parking lot of motocycles
We went back to the center of Rome and had lunch.  I love how so many people ride scooters and motorcycles here.  You can see this parking lot in one of the plaza's.  I don't see any muni meters here or people giving out tickets.  We can only hope for that in New York.

Parking garage
Each street rambles into the next.  People are just walking everywhere.  The streets are old, the architecture is ancient.  It is really quite the unique city.  Check out someone's garage.  A glimpse into life in Rome.

Lunch
Lunch was at Cul de Sac which we have been to before.  No reservations, a mixture of small plates.  The tuna salad with sliced cherry tomatoes and green beans was perfect.  Full of flavor.  Tasted like Italy.  The burrata was gooey and worked nice with sun dried tomatoes in oil.  A glass of rose for me and a beer for Fred.  The perfect lunch. 

We walked back to the hotel walking through the alley way near the Popolo Plaza that is filled with a handful of modern art galleries.  Nothing really rocked my boat it is always nice to walk through that street.  After seeing Maxxi this morning, it might take a while to be rocked in the art world.  Maxxi is a wonderful addition to Rome, Italy and the art world in general.