Day 2 was spent getting into the groove with the timezone, having some pastries, coffee, pastries and coffee. First stop was the little spot around the corner from our apartment, second spot (once AWG had been energised by a breakfast custard croissant) was a caffe that is the inspiration behind our beloved Sicilian Chinese doctor’s (that’s you, Marcello D’Intini) coffee roasting company, Ricci Method. The Sant’Eustacio Caffè sits in a cute piazza in the centre of Rome, not too far from us. A beefier crema AW had never seen. Uffa! We picked up a little tin of beans for Marcello and a couple of espresso cups for home. Looking to replicate aforementioned crema on the Breville.

Of course AW then had to go grab his ritual requisite tin of Castroni beans. Mm. Castroni. We didn’t stop for coffee. Two espressi before 10:00 a.m. is sufficient. So that’s the a.m. – what of the p.m.?

In keeping with our anti-tourist itinerary, we scuttled past the Colosseum and the Vatican, not pausing to soak up the grandeur, not a sideways glance.  Instead, JM found some quirky gardens for us to explore. The grandeur was beyond faded, it had been overgrown, left for ruin. Apart from the odd jogger and rambling lunatic, we had the place to ourselves…most peculiar in the heart of Rome. The maze itself was well-kept, but still without patronage, adding to the curiosity of the place.

We cruised back to the apartment, whereupon return AW learned that his old school chum Kellie Mullane (née Grice) and old uni chum Scott Mullane were in town, mere metres from ours. Seemed mad not to take the time to say hello after 25 years. While AW caught up with this and that JM and AWG purchased tickets to Bologna in readiness for our return to Il Rosso, Il Grasso…