Ruth and I had a fairly smooth trip to Rome from Barcelona and met up with the family at the baggage claim belt, which could not have worked out better. We are staying in a nice apartment close to the Vatican; it is nice to be able to cook some of our own meals for a change of pace.
On Sunday we had the grand tour of Rome. We got a guided tour around the Spanish steps, the Via Corso, the Trevi fountain, the Piazza Nouvona, the Pantheon, and lots of other piazzas and monuments. It was surreal to see random Roman columns on back streets next to medieval buildings. The Pantheon was also amazing, especially when one considers that it was built almost 2000 years ago and is still intact and lovely. It is very hot here, so we are also very thankful for the many fountains around the city that we can drink out of.After our first real Italian meal at a little cafe on a backstreet, we toured Trajan's Forum, the Colosseum, the Forum, and the Mammertine Prison where supposedly Paul and Peter were jailed. The Colosseum was amazing, but also sobering. To think that this huge structure was built by the government to distract and amuse the public by making killing a spectator sport is quite horrifying.
Today we took it easy to help those suffering with jet lag, as well as to avoid heat stroke, since it was so hot. We toured St. Peters Basilica, which was stunning in all of its vast expanse and rich decorations. We overheard a mass while there, and the music followed us as we took an elevator up to the base of the dome, and then climbed the 320 steps to the top of the dome. The view of Rome was gorgeous, and worth the many stairs and small, winding passages that we took to get there.
Rome is as beautiful as I thought it would be, but hotter than I thought. It is a great city, and hopefully I will have more later. Ciao!
