Sights of Rome

After saying our goodbyes to Carmelo and Nella, Kurt and Agata (Gabriel was sleeping) at Catania airport, we boarded plane for Rome.  Sally and I were anxious to see how we would get along without Kurt and Agata to translate. 

Agata had said not to pay more than 60 Euros for the taxi to downtown hotel(forty minute ride) and tips are always built into price so no tipping is necessary.  I found a cabbie with a car big enough for all our luggage and we settled on a price of 48 Euros to deliver us and our mound of luggage to the Palace Boscolo Roma which is downtown in the heart of tourist area.  The hotel receptionist spoke English which made check-in easy for us.  Up at the room, we were like country hicks gone to the big city... Look at this! Look at this! We got such a kick out of the display of twenty or so choices of lotions, shampoos, conditioners, mouthwashes in the bathroom. Then there was white marble rectangle on the wall of the bathroom that was warm.  What in the world is that?  Turns out that it is heat for bathroom and you can hang a towel over it to warm for your pleasure. The room was very nicely furnished. It was 10:30 (past our Geronimo bedtime) so we decided to wait for tomorrow to see the sites. 

Like lovers of all ages, we couldn't wait to see Trevi Fountain

Found a nice guy to take our photo. He spoke English well since he was from South Carolina. He gave us some great advice on tour at Colesseum

 

Temple of Hadrian was built in 145 A.D. to honor Emperor Hadrian - Only one wall of columns survives 

 

Roman Pantheon was a temple dedicated to all the pagan gods of Rome. Pantheon has been in use since it was built. It has been used as a church since 608 A.D.

 

Roman Pantheon was built between 118-125 A.D.  -most well preserved building of ancient Rome

Built was a dome in the ceiling...floor is slightly convex draining all rain water towards the walls where there are drains.  The light thru the hole in the dome makes a circle of light on the wall which moves as the sun moves..no doubt this mystified the worshippers

 

Beautiful marble floors and walls and the resting place of two Kings and a Queen and the artist Rapheal Santi and his fiancee

 

This caught my eye as exceptionally beautiful

                                     Street Musician in front of Pantheon

Ruins of Trajan's forum - built in 112 A.D. to honor Emperor Trajan's conquest of  Dacia(the last great conquest of the Roman Empire) 

                Trajan's Forum was the last forum built by the Roman Empire

The real name of  what we call the Colosseum was Flavian Amphitheater- built from 69 A.D. to 79 A.D.

We connected up with the tour that had been recommended by the guy we had met at Trevi Fountain and so glad that we did... Our leader was very informative and entertaining. Only 7 euros more for the tour guide and you get to skip the lines.  Notice Sally and her shopping bags

 

Our tour guide was exceptional...our group was two retired couples from Manchester, England, couple from New Zealand, 4 college girls from Boston, mother and daughter from Wales, young couple from California, and several Italians

Wow! My first look inside and I just wanted to stand there and feel the history. This is where gladitors met in mortal combat and condemned prisoners faced wild beasts in front of bloodthirsty crowds.

Every year on Good Friday , the Pope visits this cross for a blessing

50000 people could be seated in this theater...  The Colosseum was inaugurated in 80 A.D. with games that lasted 100 days... 5000 animals were slaughtered. Later at this same site, Emperor Trajan held an even bigger games for 117 days with 10000 animals slaughtered and 9000 gladiators killed.  

 

 

Palatine Hill - oldest part of Rome -

Palatine Hill - oldest part of Rome - believed to be where Romulus killed his brother, Remus and founded Rome in 753 B.C

 

Our new friends from Manchester, England

 

Vatican Museums - Following Kurt's advice, we had purchased tickets on-line and we were able to skip the long line.

The museums are connected and go on and on. There is no way that I can remember details about what I saw..it is just so overwhelming...just got to let the details go and soak up the majesty and beauty

 

The map room has a series of maps commissioned by the Pope in 1572.  This map shows Butera, Sicily(Agata's hometown). I am still wondering why the map is oriented

with south to the top. 

 

 

 

This richly decorated cross contains wood from cross of the crucification of Christ

 

After finishing our visit to the Sistine Chapel(no photos allowed), we exited by way of this spiral staircase

 

 

Fountain in St Peter's Square

 

St Peter's Basilica

 

 

St Peter's Basilica 

St Peter's Square

 

 

St Peter's Basilica - most renowned work of Renaissance Architecture in the World

 

There was earlier church built on this site between 319 and 333 A.D.

The present St Peter's was consecrated in 1626

 

Marble and Gold from many early Roman sites were repurposed here at the Basilica

Many types of marble including some of the rarest in the world were used in the Basilica

 

 Michelangelo's Pieta completed in 1499. Moved to this location during the 18th century

 

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St Sebastian chapel in St Peter's  

 

The tomb of Saint Peter is under the floor below the balachino

 

Public Drinking Water Fountains - supposedly safe to drink.

 

Street Musician playing mostly Beatles songs at the Spanish Steps

Trevi Fountain at night

Trevi Fountain

One more glass of wine- our last night in Rome

 

 

We walked or rode the subway wherever we wanted to go. The subway was cheap and easy to use.  We ate breakfast on the street- usually a croissant and juice. Lunch was  panini or pizza.  Gelato was the usual afternoon snack.  For dinner, we would have a restaurant meal and wine.  We ate roasted hazelnuts(didn't like them) from a street vendor. Learned to jaywalk like a local.  Our Italian vocabulary about doubled. We learned that Italians don't understand  the word "restroom" but they know the word "toilet".