That's a Wrap!

I never thought I'd say this... but I might have to come back to Iowa to get some warmth!  It's been a chilly trip! 

We leave tomorrow, and I think I'm ready to come home.  That being said -- I could handle another two weeks of vacation at home.  :)  Nick's not sure he's ready yet.  But that's usually how it goes. :)

It's been an amazing trip with a lot to process in just two weeks!  It's a great country!

Nick eating his favorite gelato -- coconut!

Building in the Jewish Ghetto

Nick at the Pantheon

We rented these two person pedal machines -- that was interesting.  Neither of us believe the other knows how to drive -- so that was pretty much confirmed.  lol.

 

The Borghese Gallery-- no pictures were allowed -- but some amazing works.  We woke up to a transportation strike, which started our morning out with an hour walk and then searching for a taxi to try and make our appointment there.

 

Love the European bridges!  So awesome.  Nick's always trying to keep me moving, I could take pictures at them all day.

The next day we went to Pompeii.  We met a couple couples along the way which was fun to sit and talk with them.  A couple in their 60's from Canada that have been everywhere!  It was fun to hear their stories.  And a British couple closer to our age that we discussed all of life with and that was a lot of fun as well.

General housing around the outskirts...  You can see Vesuvius-- a still active valcano that errupted killing everyone and perserving everything.  The interesting thing, is they know the exact date it happened.  The things I read didn't say how -- if there was some sort of account or if they had another way of figuring that out.

The theater area.

Some of the art that remains.

The mountains/hills surrounding the area are beautiful!

 

You're "invited" not to touch the stray dogs.  They were so cute tho... :(  The seemed to love the theater area because there was sunshine and tourists with food.

 

 

Ok Kids!  See you soon!  xoxo

Just Another Day in Paradise -- as Phil Colins Would Say

Ok -- I have to tell you a few things about Italians.  They are NEVER far from their phones.  Their phones are out and on in some form at all times.  Also, there is graffiti everywhere in Italy -- not just Rome -- just everywhere.  It's unbelievable.  I'm not even sure how they get it in some places, but they do!

Also, when I think of Italy I think of wine and olive oil, which is true.  They have been and as far as I know continue to be common exports, but lemons are something you see everywhere, especially included in their art.  There are shops that seem to work as families to produce porcelain and they paint different things -- there are about 4 common themes, but the lemon is the very pervasive and just beautiful. 

Also, there are paper shops in abundance, which is like emotional whiplash for me every 5 feet. :)  There were actually more in Florence and Venice, but they're very common in Rome as well.  Paper shops are a weakness of mine -- I get it from my mother.  They're a special treat in the USA -- not nearly as easy to come by -- so it's very fun to see them so frequently here.  Although, I will say -- the contents of the stores are very similar. 

We miss Jack!  There are dogs everywhere and we try to pet as many as we can appropriately pet!  We're definitely looking forward to seeing buddy.  My sweet brother-in-law is taking care of him -- so he's in good hands.  Did I say this already?

When I get out of bed in the morning -- my feet are sore to the touch from all the walking we've been doing!  They get over it after about 30 seconds, but that first step out of bed onto the floor is the worst!

Also!  I'm learning the fine art of cappuccino!  This is my drink!  I love it!  Italians usually just drink it for breakfast, but I don't care, I like it and I don't like that other stuff.  Yikes.  Way too strong.  This drink is perfect!!  I always think of cappuccino like in the gas stations in America -- disgusting.  This is so good -- and not sweet at all, interestingly.

ok -- Enough blah blah blah -- We hit the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, Capitoline Museum, Trevi Fountain (again), Victor Emmanuel monument (up close this time -- didn't do the tour), Piazza del Popolo. I think I sat a total of 15 min today.  :)

 

Today was our first guided tour.  It was the right amount of time -- 70 min.  Nick does not like to get trapped and I have ADD, so.... that's always something to consider for us. :)

 

The tour we had got us access to the lowest level of the Colosseum as well as the very top of the Colosseum, which was a great view of the city and of the entire Colosseum.  This is a view taken from the very top. 

 

Us at mid-level.

 

View from the lowest level.  This is where the gladiators would have been.  Apparently they lived there as well... which I guess makes sense... they were prisoners until they had their freedom.  Our guide talked about how the gladiators made a deal with the government to fight in order to go free after 3 - 5 years.  This was their only chance to live, so they didn't fight to win or for the crowd, they fought for their lives. 

 

Between the fall of Rome and the revival of Rome sometime I can't remember, all the iron was taken from the Colosseum structure and reused for other things.  Those are what all the noticeable holes in everything are from.

 

The platform partially covering the floor is a modern construction to give you some idea of what it would have looked like with a floor.  I have NEVER been able to get over the fact that they would flood the arena and bring battleships into the arena and have mock battles?? The guide explained today how they did it and we got to see where the water came in down below.

 

 

 

It was an interesting place and definitely had a sad feel to it.  There weren't many people I didn't feel sorry for after the guide got done talking.  The gladiators who were fighting for their lives, the animals that were fighting people, the persecuted -- Christians, people the emperor didn't like, slaves, military abondoners... the list goes on and on --- and also the people poor to rich that came to watch the spectacle and quite frankly be controlled by the government's slight of hand using the recreation of the exotic and emotional.  It was definitely a somber place in many regards.

 

 

The Roman Forum

 

Roman life happened here.  Pretty awesome to roam (no pun intended ;) around the ruins of this place where so many people used to gather.

 

 

Look -- there are so many columns and pieces of building laying around, people just sit around on them.  :)

 

Capitole Line Museum

 

Trevi fountain and me looking rather normal for a photo and not wearing a coat!!! YAY!!! 

 

Victor Emmanuel (Mussolini had this built)

 

 

Capitoline Museum -- look at this thing!  It's hugenormous!

 

Nick giving this man a high-five.  He wasn't all that amused by my instructions to give him a high-five tho. lol.  Thanks for being a good sport and making me laugh at lame things, hon!  :)

 

You can see the lion attacking the horse -- you can see the folds of his skin in the lions mouth.  Crazy good job on sculpting this.

 

View of Rome from the top of the Capitoline Museum

 

TA DA!

 

Entrance to the Capital Line Museum -- but more importantly... BLUE SKIES!!

 

Adios, muchachos!!

I'm not even sure where to start today!  Rome is definitely exceeding my expectations.  It reminds me of Paris in that there are so many people and the traffic is chaos and it's all set to an old back drop, but it's definitely got its own vibe.  I love it here!

We started out the day hearing the Pope speak.  There were soooo many people there!  The morning was warm -- so you had to see around umbrellas.  People from all over the world were there.  They had a special prayer for the people in Oklahoma, especially those who have lost children.

 

 

The back drop for the service was St. Peter's Basilica, which we explored later.  It was pretty mind blowing. 

 

 

 

We didn't stay to see the Pope in the Pope mobile.  He circles the area there after the service.  We headed off to the Vatican Museum and beat the crowds by a bit -- which was good -- because they got out of control!  At one point there were so many people crammed in a spot it was like being caught in a current. 

 

Nick said he had read the museum was 7 miles of museum -- something like that.  There were people everywhere!  7 miles of people everywhere.  There were tour groups in abundance.  They follow these sticks with any number of things taped to the end thru the crowd so they can identify their groups.  You could not take a picture without getting a person in it. :)

 

Awesome art in a garden/open area

One of the first ancient sculptures of a person. 

 

 

School of Athens by Raphael!!!  Awesome!!

 

The map room!  OMG -- so cool.  and LOOK AT THE CEILING!!!

 

Another Courtyard

 

 

A leaf fell in a very strategic place...

 

Stairs out of the museum.

 

 

 

 

We saw the Sistine Chapel -- Michelangelo's work.  It was so much art in once place -- it was a lot to take in.  You couldn't take pictures there.  There were guards who walked around telling people to be quite, cover there arms, quit taking pictures, etc.  The guards there were no nonsense!  You did what they said and when they said it -- you believed them.   

 

Then it was back to St. Peter's Basilica.  The largest church in the world, I do believe.  Nick and I had downloaded a Rick Steve's audio tour of that and it was pretty good.  Peter (of the Apostles) is as the Vatican says, "Definitely, maybe buried there".  :)  ALSO -- Michelangelo's Peita is there!!  That was awesome to see in person.  So many of these pieces I've had in art classes!  So cool to see them in person!

 

Michelangelo's pieta -- some guy came into the Basilica w/ a hammer and managed to do some damage to it a few years back -- so it is now behind bullet proof glass.  They were able to repair the sculpture, but sad that someone would do that.  It's Michelangelo's only signed work.

 

 

The ceiling -- or part of it.  I think the Rick Steve's audio said the building is maybe a 400 feet high.  It's hugenormous -- so this is one tiny part of a ceiling of a huge building.

 

Look at the chairs and the people relative to this gazebo!  It's HUGE!

 

 

Building from outside.

 



 

 

From there we were out and about!  As Francesca (our B&B lady) said -- it's all worth seeing.  And that is the truth!  Everywhere you walk is awesome.

 

 

Bridge near Castle Sant' Angelo

 







 

THEN when we walked to the Pantheon!  I don't know why, but when I walked thru the door it just choked me up!  I loved this building in art class and when I walked thru the door -- it was amazing!  AMAZING!!  We sat there for an hour soaking it in.  So much to say about this building -- Rafael is buried here, amongst 100 other interesting things.  We sat there and as rain came thru the middle and bounced off the floor.  Too look up and see rain coming thru the ceiling ~60 feet above you... it was surreal.  My camera had died by then -- I had pretty much had it on all day. :)  So -- it was point and shoot time!

 

 

 

I'm having a hard time editing!  :)  Anyway!  I'm going to end here.  :)  Hope everyone had a good day! 

 

Love to all!

~m