Rome|ItalyThe empire city: Sept. 25-27
|
|
|
Tour Day 12A final WC stop for the last leg of our grand European adventure. Of course we had to take a picture with Philippe- the best driver ever. Oh, why hello Rome!
The view from our hotel in Rome
|
Philippe, you were such a friendly and talented driver. There were times we forgot we were on the coach. We hope to cross paths with you one day; maybe share one of those Belgian waffles you told us about. Arrivederci!
|
|
ColosseumGet on your walking shoes and short-sleeved shirts because we are going to ancient Roma! We started at the ginormous colosseum; we felt like ants.
|
ForumUp next was the Roman Forum: the center of the city. The various columns, fragments, and pieces remind you how ancient this city really is. Tom could not believe how we were literally walking on top of thousands of years of history.
|
That's right, that piece used to be up there.
Looks much bigger down here. |
|
PantheonWe turned a corner and there it was: the pantheon. This ancient building was what Tom waited for all day. Inside the pantheon was even more breathtaking. We just stood there, looked straight up at the dome, and wondered how this building was 2000 years old.
Our fantastic local guide showed us how a Roman crosses the busy streets; we just followed her.
|
Such a neat area for people to gather around. Local musicians, kids running, and tourists in awe. Go up any alleyway for gelato and dinner.
A Roman MealTime to eat! With some helpful tips from Dave, Asa, and our lovely local guide, we headed down the street to a small welcoming restaurant for a Roman feast. "When in Rome," there's always room for gelato!
Dave was right, this balsamic spritzer is a great idea!
|
Watching Rome fly by
Tom's face as he waited for my leftovers
|
|
Trevi FountainWe met with our tour friends for a night walk to the Trevi Fountain. The lights, sounds and atmosphere really made us feel that we were at a magical place. Time for a surprise glimpse of Vatican City on our walk back to our hotel.
One, two, three! Toss your coins, make a wish, and seal it with a kiss.
|
Tour Day 13Today was the day to visit Vatican City. A crowded metro ride followed by a few blocks of walking brought us to the "next country." It was a balmy morning and Smalls already had lunch on her mind.
|
We met our local guide and felt like sardines as we entered the museum. So many people! We walked through the museum in awe with one room on our mind. There it was, the Sistine Chapel. Looking up at this beauty, you could see all the details that our guide had talked about. We stared so much that our necks began to hurt. We were surprised by all the art in the Vatican museum and did not know it existed in such magnitude.
|
|
St. Peter's BasilicaIt was surreal to stand on the same grounds as the Pope. We ducked into St. Peter's Basilica and enjoyed the sites while cooling off (one of Rick's tips). Needless to say, this church was HUGE.
Lots of tile mosaic on the ceiling
|
Last lunch in RomeTime to eat at one of Rick's favorite spots (L'Insalata Ricca). We meandered back to the Hotel Selene for a rest before the final dinner with our tour friends.
Mmm yum!
|
|
|
Farewell DinnerTime for dinner and goodbyes. Tom took some final photos as I tried to keep it together. In the span of 2 weeks, we had visited a number of countries with what were once complete strangers. Good thing we had loads of fun, lasting memories, and exchanged emails.
This cool wine cellar used to be a jail
|
Smalls and Tom with our guides Dave and Asa
|
|
|
