It's night in Rome. The Via Belsiana is a street below the Spanish steps, near the Via Condotti, a street with stylish and famous shops.

The sun has set, and the cobblestones of the street have been freshly washed by a passing shower. The light from an overhead lantern is reflected in a puddle formed in a gap between the stones.

Many of the streets in Rome still have cobblestones like these, and it makes them, at times, difficult to navigate. The stones by the Coliseum and the Forum are particularly large and difficult to traverse.

There is a very nice little restaurant on the Via Belsiana. We found it quite by accident, and made a reservation for later that evening. It was an interesting restaurant, with a menu with a number of French dishes, including the ever popular steak tartare.

We filled the time until dinner by visiting the boutiques in the neighborhood. The Hobbitt has always liked finding unusual places. Why go all the way to Italy to buy something you can get in New York? We found one store with clothes by a local designer. The Hobbitt fell in love with an interesting jacket with wraparound straps to fasten it.

And then it was off to dinner.