The Colosseum and Ruins
After arriving in Rome, we checked into our hotel and headed out. In Rome, I was most looking forward to the Colosseum. Imagine my surprise when we hopped on the trains and departed from underground only to come face to face with the Colosseum! Wow! It was so amazing to see such an amazing piece of history, right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Rome! And Rome was all hustle and bustle! The streets were crowded and the city was full of people! By the time we hit Rome the temperature was over 100 (or should I say, 40?)! The humidity was right there too! As we toured the Colosseum and ruins, we crowded into any piece of shade we could find! I don't think I've ever sweated so much or changed clothes so many times in a day! Unfortuantely, because of the heat, I don't think I enjoyed Rome as much as I anticipated. Perhaps a return trip in cooler temperatures is in order. However, despite the heat, the Colosseum and ruins delivered the wow factor! As I stood there looking at the Colosseum I was speechless. Of all the sites we had planned, this was the one I was most looking forward to- and there it was. I felt like I had stepped back into my history books. Simply amazing.
The Vatican/St. Peters Basilica
We got to tour the Vatican, St. Peters Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. I would have given anything to take pictures of the chapel ceiling- so amazing. Sometimes it seemed surreal to be looking at something you've heard about most of your life, yet is half a world away and hundreds of years old! This was my favorite painting of the entire tour! The Vatican was very different than I was expecting, but then again, I didn't know what to expect. The buildings were large and grand. Everything from the floor to the ceilings was ornate and beautiful. The art and sculptures in the Vatican were beautiful and rivaled those seen in the the Louvre.
Rome at Night
We took an evening stroll through the streets of Rome. Stopping of course, at the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain. After crowding our way to the front, we tossed our coin into the fountain, assuring that we will be back! We came across a very pretty Piazza full of cafes, people, street vendors and fountains. During our walk, we also saw some fireworks over the Vatican to celebrate St. Peter and St. Pauls day! By taking some smaller side streets I was able to get a few pictures of some buildings and unique cars too! The cooler temperatures made the walk much more enjoyable!