Green kiosks, glass-fronted, packed with prints and spines gone soft at the edges — parked against pink and ochre façades like they've always been there, because they mostly have. A woman crosses in front, dress moving, and for a second the whole frame is just weather and motion. RR
Della Palma says it has 150 flavors. I can only vouch for the chocolate section, which takes up half the counter: Nutella, Rocher, orange, strawberry, and a Dubai chocolate, because the internet got in here too. Choosing takes longer than eating. RR
Leila has wheels, a pink nameplate and two escorts. Nobody is in a hurry; the dog sets the pace. Rome treats its dogs the way it treats its children: waved through, fussed over, and handed the whole street. Hers is the only vehicle on this road with its name on
The Swiss Guard arrived in 1506: 150 mercenaries hired by Pope Julius II because Swiss soldiers were considered among the best in Europe. The striped uniform is often credited to Michelangelo, but that's a myth. It dates to the early 1900s, in the colors of the Della Rovere
Rome has been Italy's capital only since 1871, after Turin and then Florence had a turn. The city's official name now carries the job title: Roma Capitale, stenciled onto a crowd barrier. Behind it, S.P.Q.R. — Senatus Populusque Romanus, "the Senate and People