Week 4- Piazzas in Rome

What is a Piazza? After looking up the definition on many websites, I can conclude that a Piazza is a public square open for pedestrians usually in an Italian town. Piazzas are very common in Italy. Almost every few streets that cross form a Piazza in the middle. Piazzas are often places I see people relaxing, eating, or shopping. Unfortunately, Piazzas are also a spot where people often beg for money. It is quite amusing the multi-purposes' that a Piazza is used for. Sitting in a Piazza for an hour or so can be very beneficial to developing a personal finding of Italian culture.
Most Piazzas I have seen include a church, and generally a fountain. Generally, the fountain is in the middle of the Piazza. Local people sit around the fountain and chat with a friend or simply people watch. A majority of the fountains date back to before the 18th century. In fact, most of them are historical pieces. The fountains in the middle of Piazzas often provide well water. This is helpful because tourists and even locals can fill up water bottles using the historical fountain and the fresh well water it provides. Piazzas remind me of the center of a little town. For example, Piazza Navouna has a church right beside the fountain, and the Brazilian Embassy. The Brazilian Embassy attracts people as well as the Church does.
I believe the most culture-rich activities can happen in a Piazza. Throughout my time here in Rome so far, I have spent a great deal of time visiting and relaxing in different Piazzas. Frequently, Piazzas offer entertainment such as shopping, bars and restaurants. Eating out with family, getting a coffee or drink with a friend, and shopping are very common activities in Italian culture. I often see friends drinking an espresso together and catching up on each others lives right inside a bar located in a Piazza. Many family restaurants are located in Piazzas. One could assume this is because Piazzas are main attractions and restaurants make more money being in the center. Seeing families eating at a restaurant in a Piazza is another activity I see frequently. Little boutiques along with wine and chocolate shops are a must in Italian culture. Seeing these different sites inside the Piazza opens up the travelers eye to the Italian culture.
Unfortunately, the down side of Italian culture happens frequently inside of Piazzas. The constant roaming of either gypsies, homeless or people just begging for money. This can be uncomfortable and very irritating at times. I personally believe that gypsies, homeless and beggars are in Piazzas frequently because there are normally quite a few people inside Piazzas at a time. Whether Italians are stopping by for a coffee or a quick chat with a friend, crossing through a Piazza is extremely common. Seeing these people beg for money seems to upset some Italians, while others cave in and give them money. Unfortunately, homeless are in every big city so the fact they roam in Rome should be no surprise to someone critiquing the Italian culture.