A Perfect Day

Saturday morning was warm and sunny and in a burst of ambition I announced to my husband that we were getting off our asses and going on an excursion. In full cicerone mode, I led him to the station in Testaccio and, after a half hour train ride, to Ostia Antica, the ancient seaport of Rome. It was the perfect day to be there--not too hot and not too crowded. We spent three hours wandering around the ruins from one end to the other with my trusty Michelin green guide providing essential commentary. Our only regret was that we didn't stop beforehand at Volpetti, the fabulous food store in Testaccio, to buy provisions for a picnic lunch. Oh well, next time.

When we got back to our apartment in the late afternoon, it was still warm enough to sit outside. We climbed up to the the terrace with a bottle of wine and watched the sky slowly change color with the setting sun--from pale blue to pink and rose and then back again to a deeper blue.