Using my trusty guide book Ross and I chose two restaurants on the same street near the Egyptian Museum that we wanted to see before the end of the day. Of course, due to the time of year, one was closed, but the other 'Dual' was open. We consulted the pizza menu and stepped inside the almost full restaurant. There seemed to be only two open tables, one almost behind the door at which the waitress tried to seat us, and another in the craziness between the door, the bar, and a table of 6. We seated ourselves at the second option and ordered delicious pizzas. The interior was decorated in a sleek modern style in the colors grey, white, and purple. Tin Cambell's tomato soup cans hung from the ceiling, converted into lights. The restaurant was full of locals and must have been a favorite because it remained full and bustling throughout our meal.
Next we hit the plaza San Carlo in search of some gelatto. Ross prefered this plaza although I prefered the plaza Vittorio next to our hotel. While searching for gelattocame across a chocolate/candy shop called Stratta. Ross saw me drooling over the window display and graciously paid for a visit inside. Although the jelly beans and fruit squares caught my eye with their bright colors I simply had to buy chocolate and introduce Ross to the concept of a truffle (the chocolate kind, no the mushroom kind). One of the women who spoke english helped us pick out three chocolates each. By now, the balls of my feet were starting to ache, but the chocolates made me forget about it. Failing at finding gelatto, despite a place labeled 'gelatteria', we decided we'd find some on Po after a visit to the Egyptian museum. I wanted to see some mummies!!
The Egyptian Museum was packed with people and with artifacts. I'd read in the guidebook that it housed the biggest collection outside of Cairo but seeing all of it seemed more daunting than reading about it. Lining walls and shelves, Ross and I saw hieroglyphics, mummies, amulets, etc. Both of us were surprised as we noticed more and more people bumping into us and children running free. Others talked on cell phones or took up the entire space in front of an explanation card on a display case. Remaining calm, although aware of such oblivious rudeness, we explored the museum with enthusiasm. In lower levels we got to see stone statues and sphinxes in a black, mirrored, spotlit room (quite the setting indeed for such beauty). Ross was interested in the pharoh from Moses' time and I in finding the copy of the rosetta stone. By the end of hours exploring the museum, our feet were killing us, although I was the weakling who needed to sit down a couple of times, and our heads were full of egyptian visions. We left the museum needed to rest up before dinner.
As we walked down Po I simply couldn't handle my boots anymore. They were still quite comfy but being on the balls of my feet for the previous three days had taken its toll. Each step felt like a stab. Ross kindly entered a shoe store with me without "I told you so" but it was so crowded that my patience couldn't stand it. Thankfully for my mood and Ross' feet as well, we found a gelatteria on the way back toward the hotel. Enjoying every taste of our tiny spoonfuls of yumminess we just rested in the feeling of not moving for the moment. While eating I convinced Ross to head back to the hotel by himself. I needed to be a complete diva and shop for some other warm boots and having Ross with me was not going to work. I was aware of how his feet must be feeling and thought some time checking sports and internet at the hotel would do him some good. Reluctantly he left me to my mission.
I found a shop, got some grey boots which Ross later named 'elf boots', and was back at the hotel within the hour. After resting our feet, and more surfing the internet, we consulted the same helpful guy at the front desk for a dinner spot. He picked out a place close to the hotel named 'Porto di Savona', a place also in my guide book. Although a little disappointed from viewing the outside because the place didn't look that nice I was too tired from our full day to walk anywhere else. In we went and found ourselves in a homey restaurant with lots of charm and plenty of wine. I looked around the room appreciating the old clock and the gigantic jug of wine corks; the faded wall paper and the wooden beams actually complimented each other in an old world sort of way. It was definitely a place where you were going to get good food in heaping portions and no one would care what fork you used or your dinner etiquette.
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