arne rated: The Springtime Sundays of Rome by Andrea Ravieli

There is something special about a Roman Sunday. Especially when the first Spring sunshine floods the streets with light in the morning, and in the little squares you can hear the echoes of musicians that are performing in front of the already crowded bars.

Rione Monti, near Via Cavour, close to the Colosseum, gets so romantic in the Spring. The bells of the churches scattered across the neighbourhood are ringing to celebrate noon, and it?s an orchestra to my ears, harmonizing with people?s laughs and voices, sitting around the fountain or simply lounging in a bar.

Rione Monti is like home to DolceVita?s young men. I could go out just to have a walk and be sure to run into a friendly face with who I would get entangled in conversation, have a coffee or a glass of wine with or do some shopping in the lively streets peppered with young designers? shop windows.

Usually I always make sure to stop by at my favourite vintage shop, Pifebo, where I always find something to buy in the end, or at least to ask to put it aside for me for the next time I visit. It?s just like a family here because we all know each other. There is a waving hand every shop window.

All of a sudden a big, fat, cloud darkens out the sky, throwing shades of grey everywhere. It looks like it?s going to pour, but the atmosphere is so vibrant and happy that it somehow seem to fight the bad weather, trying to push it away. Actually, despite catastrophic forecasts, it rains just a little ? but intensely ? over the sampietrini (the small stones the streets of Rome are made of) and the marbles, darkening the whole surroundings by more than one shade.

Although it rained only a little, the warmth of the sunshine is now gone, replaced by the fresh and perfumed air of a dreary evening, already here as the streets are again filling up with people, lightened up by the street lamps. We are on the way to our favourite bar, the Clementine House, in via Clementina, a side street of Via Urbana.

Up to a steep slope we face, on the right, a small entrance to what is a real, proper house, with its kitchen, the living room and the bedroom. A warm, homely atmosphere, that sometimes can get a bit crowded, although still pleasant, due to the welcome afforded loyal visitors.

The time is flying: some chats, interrupted only by some glasses of Traminer, a delicious white wine, and some snacks and it?s time to go home, everyone needs to recharge so to start again a non-stop party the next weekend.

Someone comes up with an idea: ?Let?s go to the seaside for Easter!?

There is an Italian saying: ?Stay with the relatives during Christmas, enjoy the company of who you like most during Easter??

Just an idea that will maybe turn out to be the next story?