Rome is magnificent and whacky all rolled into one. Cacophony of horns, squealing brakes and the roar of motorbikes careening down and 
around corners fills the air day and night. Rome is the political capital of Italy, capital of Catholicism and the center of the ancient world.
We arrived late afternoon by train and got situated in Hotel Borromeo. We arranged a night walking tour and planned to meet our guide at Piazza Vittorio Emanuele ll. We received directions from the hotel front desk and walked to the Piazza. We waited but the guide did not show up. We had started back to the hotel when the guide called saying he was waiting for us at Piazza Venezia – Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele ll. We were at the wrong Piazza!
On our stroll back to the hotel we passed the Santa Maria Maggiore Cathedral and wandered inside. It was built in 352 A.D. and has gold leafed paneled ceiling and a massive mosaic floor. The gold gild on the ceiling was brought back from the new world by Columbus. We ate a late supper at a restorante next to the hotel and enjoyed their house wine.
The next morning, we arranged with the same tour group to meet at St. Peters Basilica to tour the greatest church on earth and tour the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel.
We met Jared - the guide - and two other people in the tour and waited for Gilbert, a third member scheduled for our tour. Our guide, Jared, started telling of the columns that ring the square which were designed by the baroque architect Bernini. A gentleman joined our group and quickly three more men arrived to talk to our guide. They were the Vatican police! Apparently Jared was not a licensed guide with the city of Vatican. After much “discussion,” we noticed Jared fading into the crowd and we were left to join the thousands in line to enter the Basilica.
The impressive St. Peters Basilica and Michelangelo’s Pieta and the fam
ed Basilica’s dome will be remembered forever. The Vatican museum has four miles of western civilization art, ending and peaking, with Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel.
It was an exhausting day but one filled with memories to last a lifetime. Good wine, bruschetta, gnnoche (dumplings) and steak, helped to heal the sore feet and back.
Last day in Italy we opted to take a hop-on, hop-off tour bus to get an overview of ancient Rome, trevi fountain and the Spanish steps. Early flights forced us to the airport by late afternoon in a taxi ride that did not live up to the harrowing stories I had heard about. We walked several blocks to an Enoteca and bought wine and went to bed early.
We’ve seen, experienced and tasted so much these two weeks and know in our hearts we’ve barely scratched the surface of Italy. We will return!!
around corners fills the air day and night. Rome is the political capital of Italy, capital of Catholicism and the center of the ancient world.We arrived late afternoon by train and got situated in Hotel Borromeo. We arranged a night walking tour and planned to meet our guide at Piazza Vittorio Emanuele ll. We received directions from the hotel front desk and walked to the Piazza. We waited but the guide did not show up. We had started back to the hotel when the guide called saying he was waiting for us at Piazza Venezia – Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele ll. We were at the wrong Piazza!
On our stroll back to the hotel we passed the Santa Maria Maggiore Cathedral and wandered inside. It was built in 352 A.D. and has gold leafed paneled ceiling and a massive mosaic floor. The gold gild on the ceiling was brought back from the new world by Columbus. We ate a late supper at a restorante next to the hotel and enjoyed their house wine.
The next morning, we arranged with the same tour group to meet at St. Peters Basilica to tour the greatest church on earth and tour the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel.
We met Jared - the guide - and two other people in the tour and waited for Gilbert, a third member scheduled for our tour. Our guide, Jared, started telling of the columns that ring the square which were designed by the baroque architect Bernini. A gentleman joined our group and quickly three more men arrived to talk to our guide. They were the Vatican police! Apparently Jared was not a licensed guide with the city of Vatican. After much “discussion,” we noticed Jared fading into the crowd and we were left to join the thousands in line to enter the Basilica.
The impressive St. Peters Basilica and Michelangelo’s Pieta and the fam
ed Basilica’s dome will be remembered forever. The Vatican museum has four miles of western civilization art, ending and peaking, with Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel.It was an exhausting day but one filled with memories to last a lifetime. Good wine, bruschetta, gnnoche (dumplings) and steak, helped to heal the sore feet and back.
Last day in Italy we opted to take a hop-on, hop-off tour bus to get an overview of ancient Rome, trevi fountain and the Spanish steps. Early flights forced us to the airport by late afternoon in a taxi ride that did not live up to the harrowing stories I had heard about. We walked several blocks to an Enoteca and bought wine and went to bed early.
We’ve seen, experienced and tasted so much these two weeks and know in our hearts we’ve barely scratched the surface of Italy. We will return!!
1 comment:
Sounds like a wonderful trip. I've always wanted to go there myself. Maybe someday....
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