Chow Roma!

We made our way down to Rome by train. Just like Venice it would better if one didn't get sick, this time it was Jans turn.

Our hotel was again well located in a central area, Trevi Fountain, Collisieum, shopping. The hotel wasn't as nice as Venice but we put up with it. There were tens of thousand of visitors in town for the European Football (soccer) Championship game between United Manchester and Barcelona.

There are areas all over the city still under excavation and more ruins from the old Roman era are still being uncovered. Even in areas you'd expect to be finished like around The Forum. History is everywhere, Julius Caesar, Nero, Gladiators, we walked where they walked, on the same stones they did. Jan said that is what made her sick, all that ancient dust.

We ate at some nice resturants here (read less epensive than Venice). The Italian food is far different than Chef Boyardee. Gelato! What can we say about Italian ice cream? Bellissmo! There were stand everywhere (forgot to mention that about Venice as well) and people were scarffing it up (as were we!)

We went to the Vatican and that was where Jan got hit by her bug and we had to leave. The next day we went back and were wondering why all the people were congregating there. The Pope has an open air audience every Wednesday and we just happened to be there. He rode in and around in his Popemobile and then went up and sat.

After the Pope we walked around to the Sistine Chapel. It isn't where you'd think it is, nor is what we expected. It sits in the back area of Vatican City and to get to it you have to walk through countless corridors of amazing artwork of the Vatican Museum. The Sistine Chapel is just a chapel, very small and Michelangelo's artwork on the ceiling is MUCH smaller than we thought it would be. The art in the corridor by Raphael is much larger. That said it was all VERY GRAND!

Jan threw her coin, actually two, into Trevi Fountain and expects to go back again. Trevi was amazing as well but it didn't look like the one in "Three Coins In A Fountain" (are you old enough to remember it?)

If you want to see more on Rome www.italyguides.it/us/roma/rome_italy_travel.htm and click on photogallery.

For our pics click on our photos and then slideshow.

Arrivederci Roma!

Arrivederci Italia!