Monday, June 2, 2008

Festa della Repubblica

Today is the Festa della Repubblica. It is the anniversary of June 2nd, 1946--the day that Italy became a republic (just thought I'd spell it out for you). Streaming into the open windows of our apartment last night, we could hear the sounds of the extended celebrations--including fireworks and late night/early morning conversations--that were taking place on Via Ginori and beyond.

This morning, the streets of Testaccio were eerily bare by contrast. Only the dog-owners were out and about for their morning walks, and the shutters were pulled on nearly every business. We were happy to find that the buses were running on normal schedules, and the 95 was forced only slightly off course in order to accommodate a parade route. Although Rome looked a bit like a ghost town in some spots, the presence of Carabinieri and Polizia was almost overwhelming. Check out Allison Columbus' blog for more information on the different types of police in Rome.

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