On my way to revisit Sant’Ivo, I took out some garbage from the apartment.

Rome has a variable system of garbage collection. Garbage is separated into compostible, recyclable and non-recyclable garbage but the collection process ranges from leaving all of the various bags or boxes out in the open at a spot on specified streets Monday to Friday from 7 am to 7 pm, to small bins put out Monday to Friday at designated locations to large dumpsters available at all hours.

Leaving garbage bags on the street felt weird to me (don’t the rats and seagulls get into the garbage?) so I have been carrying garbage bags along the crowded streets to spots where there are bins. Apparently some apartment buildings have sorting bins inside, but not this one.

Inside Sant’Ivo, I saw that they have rearranged the chairs and moved some out of the central area, but the chairs were still roped off so you can’t use them.

Also, the priest (the guy in black) was sometimes asking people to move on if they stood too long in the centre right under the dome. And there was classical music playing which wasn’t happening on Tuesday.

I focussed on some of the stucco work.

There are small differences when you look closely.

My sketching efforts were really off. I’m finding standing while sketching is not working well for me. I think I’m not taking enough time.

When I left at noon, there was a queue to get in. It seems people are finally realizing the church is open.

I also noticed people on the first balcony or more accurately, the loggia.

So I went up the stairs for a different view of Sant’Ivo.

When I have been walking to school, I have been avoiding Piazza Rotonda, the piazza in front of the Pantheon because it has been full of the queues for buying tickets and for going in. I thought I would pass through to see if the crowds had reduced.

I think not.

I also stopped to check the tourists in Piazza Navona. It was hard to tell since I was observing from one end and not in the middle but it seemed a little less crowded.

There was a big protest in Rome last weekend and small gatherings criticizing the government have been going on in front of the parliament building which I frequently walk past.

Tomorrow, a general strike has been called for all of Italy, the Friday before the November 1 holiday when many Italians travel. The minister of transport has “postponed” the strike for transportation services but one of the unions has said it won’t obey the ministerial order.

I don’t know what will happen but guess I will find out.