Piazza della Rotonda

The other week I spent an hour or so just observing the people and activities occurring in Piazza della Rotonda. This particular piazza is almost always full of eager tourists on their way to the Pantheon or one of the many restaurants that surround the water fountain in the middle.

I sat for twenty minutes on the step of the fountain with the sun beating down on my face as I feverishly observed and wrote about what I saw.

Looking in the direction of the Pantheon my eyes were fixated on the horse and buggy drivers. They, unlike every other person in the piazza trying to make money off of the tourists, were lounging in their buggy without a care in the world. The two rather plump men with cigarettes dangling from their mouths were playing cards on the seats of their buggy.

Not once did I see them run up to a tourist or shout for them to come close to hear about their buggy ride. They seemed content just playing cards with each other, not making any money. After a few hands of their game of choice, both men hopped into their respective buggies and trotted off out of the piazza.

I guess they are either used to not being well received by tourists at that time of day in Piazza della Rotonda or they just didn't need to make a lot of money that day. Either way I was surprised by their lax behavior.