Started the day early by going to a local hotel to catch a transfer van taking us to the tour bus for a tour of classical Rome. Started with Trevi Fountain and then the Pantheon. A little different than our first, spontaneous visit. This time it was early. Trevi Fountain was actually closed while they cleaned out all the money. There is a saying/thought/superstition thingy that if you throw a coins into the fountain, back facing the fountain using your right hand over your left shoulder, you'll return to Rome. We're having such a good time, what could it hurt, we're tourists, we did it! Anyhow, there were a lot less people and once they opened it back up, we easily got to the fountain edge.

The Pantheon was similar, not the same crush of crowds. Very nice to have a little more elbow room.

Then it was on to Piazza Navona, an ancient stadium is underneath what is there now. The piazza is shaped like a stadium, oval. Has fountains in it, really interesting.

Then across the river to St. Peter's square in the Vatican. We thought the places we had been before were crowded, holy (Vatican pun) cow was this place packed. We went inside St. Peter's Basilica, the largest church in the world. Has the highest dome which was built by Michelangelo (his last art work before his death) done over 400 years ago. This place is huge and the crowds were near rock concert level. The line to get in was obscene but we went right around because we were part of a tour group :)

After the tour, Mom and I stayed in the Basilica because we could, we were going to go up inside the dome but our feet were hurtin' by that time, we had already walked a bit and stood a bit too. So we walked back to the apartment instead!! The trip from hell. Check out some of the pics, we walked and walked up and up and we turned a corner… more up. Finally we got to… a park, one of the largest parks in Rome. Well heck the park is only north of our neighborhood, can't be too bad to walk through it, we got GPS! We walked and walked and walked and walked through the park, went to the perceived exit and was called after by an Italian gardener dude, no exit! Turned back, walked some more, down a hill on a dirt trail, my feet did not like this. Finally, were out… of the park. Now we have to hike from the north end of the Trastevere to the south. We stopped for some yummy food, Excellent Rotini (pasta, rice shaped) with sauce, prawns, and artichokes, but had to finish our way home. This day took its toll on us.