Roma - Ciao!

The drive from Florence to Rome was beautiful. We saw many fortress cities - perched on the top of a hill, surrounded by a wall. It gave a new meaning to the verse about being like a city on a hill. You can't see much of anything but hills all around, and there is this city sitting like a crown on top of the hill. Quite impressive. There were also fields of sunflowers and mountains and many other beautiful things to see.

Rome had crazy traffic, like nothing I've ever experienced. Not in Costa Rica or Jamaica or Paris. Sometimes there were no dividing lines for lanes, so the cars just filled all the space possible, bottlenecking, until it broke out into two lanes, with lines. Then all five former lanes jam into that space. And if there isn't enough space on your side of the road, and no one is coming on the other side too soon, just drive over there. No big deal. And all the scooters and motorcycles weave between the cars. It was stressful. So after finally finding the airport (signs were not very helpful) we dropped off the car and took the train back into the city. Unfortunately, we didn't remember where our hotel was. So we had to ask a lady at a tourist information booth. We only knew the name of the hotel. She helped us and we got back safely.

The next day we took a bus tour of the city and saw many sights: Circo Massimo, the oldest standing theater, the Jewish Synagogue, Saint Peter's, Vatican City, the biggest dog ever (or small horse, if you prefer), the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon. We also happened upon the changing of the guard at Parliament. (?) We were just walking down the street, heard a band playing, and followed the music. There were lots of soldiers with guns.

The next day it was our mission to see the Coliseum and the Sistine Chapel. The Coliseum was very interesting, and of course, huge. Looking out of it and watching the cars whiz by, I wondered what it would be like to drive by the Coliseum on your way to work every day. It was just mind boggling. There are ruins that were buildings before Christ walked on earth. It was amazing. Because of a bus strike in the city that day we had to wait a long, long time for our tour bus, but finally we found one and went over to Vatican City and made the hike to the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel. We really just wanted to see the Sistine Chapel, but they don't let you do that. We went through dozens of rooms filled with sculptures, tapestries, paintings and other priceless works of art. Almost every ceiling was covered with paintings or frescoes. The amount of art was stunning. I couldn't even take it all in. Finally we got to the Sistine Chapel, where there was a guard yelling, "Please be quiet! No pictures!" Most people ignored him and talked as loud as they pleased and snapped pictures (some with the flash on). I'll admit that I held my camera down by my waist, pointed up and took a couple shots. But I turned my flash off. It was amazing and beautiful. Go see it for yourself. There are no words.

So after the Sistine Chapel we ate at a creperie, had some more gelato and headed back to our hotel. We had our very best gelato that night when we were out searching for food around 9:00 near our hotel. I had ciocolato and frute de bosco (chocolate and berry). We were tempted to go back as soon as we finished. We should have.

The next day we flew back to New York.

All in all our trip was amazing. We saw amazing things and walked a lot and ate a whole lot of gelato. I recommend the limone. Yum. We got really tired of pizza and pasta. We planned the whole trip on our own, and I think it was a smashing success, if I do say so myself. And now, the final pictures from our amazing European adventure!

A city on a hill



On our bus tour


Castle San Angelo - the Papal fortress


The changing of the guard


Inside the Pantheon


Us outside the Pantheon


Some nuns outside the Piazza Venezia - there were nuns all over the place in Rome


The entrance to the largest park in Rome


Some ruins


Us at St. Peter's


St. Peter's


The Trevi Fountain


Inside the Vatican Museum


Also inside the Vatican Museum


The Sistine Ceiling


Leaving the Sistine Chapel/Vatican Museum


The Coliseum


Us inside the Coliseum


Inside the Coliseum


Piazza Venezia - where Mussolini used to give his speeches. Impressive, no?