ajcastleman84 | Joyce, Aaron and Beth Footsteps of Paul Journey

Page 2 of ajcastleman84 Travel Blog Posts

Europe » Italy » Tuscany » Pisa July 1st 2013

Aaron has renamed our hotel room the sick bay. I started off the day by leaving part of my big toe in Pisa, & Beth twisted her ankle getting off the bus at the vineyard (she claims that a rock jumped in her path). Her injury is worse than mine, but we have matching Japanese cartoon character bandaids thanks to a fellow travelor! With our feet propped up on pillows & ice bags reducing the swelling, we laugh about the day. We "held up" the Leaning Tower of Pisa, wandered around the Plazza dei Miracoli, & visited the the Cathedral. The Leaning Tower was the backdrop for our picnic lunch - not too many times that you can say that! We drove by the Carrara Marble Quarries on our way to a family run winery for ... read more

Florence

Europe June 30th 2013

ajcastleman84

On the road again...today we are headed to Florence - the home of Michaelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Dante, Galileo, the Medici family (just to name a few!). After a quick bite, we visited the Accademia to see Michaelangelo's David & other priceless treasures. Our walking tour of Florence included the Duomo & Baptistry of Saint Giovanni, the Medici Chapels, Palazzo Vecchio, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the home of Leonardo da Vinci, & more. Too any things to see & take in! We found a traditional Florentine restaurant for dinner, & we were not disappointed! La Carbaccia treated us to Tuscan delicacies. I would gain weight if we were not walking so much! Joyce ... read more

Rome Day 4

Europe » Italy June 29th 2013

ajcastleman84

Ahh...what a relief. We got to sleep in a bit before heading to the Colosseum & Saint Peter's Basilica. It is St. Peter & St. Paul Day (a VERY special Roman holiday)! So our visit to the Vatican & Sistine Chapel will happen at the end of our tour. The streets are light because everyone is at St. Peter's Square! We drove by the Circus Maximus on our way to the Colosseum. What can I say...it's huge...it's impressive...and it is humbling to think of the Christians who died here. Each year on Good Friday, the Pope visits the archway into to the Colosseum to offer prayers for the martyrs. From a distance we saw the Roman Forum before heading to St. Peter's Basilica. We were fortunate to enter this magnificent church on this special day. We ... read more

Rome Day 3

Europe » Italy June 28th 2013

ajcastleman84

Like pilgrims through the centuries, we journeyed to the Basilicas. First we went to the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano (Church of St. John a.k.a. the Cathedral of Rome). It is the seat of papal authority - "the mother of all churches". Beth went photo crazy (she especially loved the statues of the apostles). I loved the peaceful atmosphere of the place. Then we climbed the Scala Santa on our knees. Tradition says that these are the steps that led to the praetorium (judgment hall) of Pontius Pilate's palace in Jerualem. They were brought to Rome by Helena (Constantine's mother) in 326 AD. We paused to pray on each of the 28 steps. It is here that Martin Luther was so outraged by the selling of indulgences that he was prompted to nail his 95 ... read more

Rome Day 2

Europe » Italy June 27th 2013

Pantheon

ajcastleman84

What a day! I can't believe all the sites that we took in...riding the Metro to the Piazza di Spagna to see the Spanish Steps...the Trevi Fountain....praying at the Church of Santa Maria in Trivio...the Pantheon designed by Hadrian (by the way it was preserved by a church)...and then the Catacombs! Our guide for the Roman Catacombs & Crypts tour was fantastic! We wound our way through the ancient Christian burial ground known today as the Domitilia Catacombs. We saw niches, frescos, Christian symbols & the earliest known depiction of Jesus Christ - all from the 1st Century! Because we were a small group (12), Georgia (our guide) even took us to recently excavated areas not on the normal tour! From here we went to the Church of San Clemente which is built over an ancient ... read more

Rome Day 1

Europe » Italy June 26th 2013

ajcastleman84

We concluded our time in Athens by watching the changing of the guard at the Palace. Beth relunctantly got her picture taken with the handsome guard. (Apparently they only choose the most handsome & robust soldiers for this duty!) Goodbye Greece....now to Rome! My brother John greeted us at the airport. It was great to see him. Aaron, Beth, & I got the surprise of our lives when we walked into our hotel room at the Leonardo di Vinci Hotel - we are in a huge suite (3 balconys!) with a stunning view of the Vatican! Whether I sit at the desk or lay in bed, I can see the magnifient dome! We walked through the streets of Rome - exploring its nooks & crannies before retiring for the night. I must say that I prefer ... read more

Next stop Rome

Europe » Greece » Attica » Athens June 26th 2013

ajcastleman84

Heading to Athens airport for our flght to Rome. We made it to Rome and have a view of the top of the Vatican from our room. Aaron ... read more

Athens

Europe » Greece » Attica » Athens June 25th 2013

ajcastleman84

We met our tour group near the Syntagma Square (the central square of the city). Becausee 4 cruise ships just came into port & it was going to be hot, our guide decided to start with the Acropolis - hoping to beat the crowds. Big mistake! There we so many people on the Acropolis that they closed the entrance 10 minutes after we got our tickets! It was UNBELIEVABLY HOT & CROWDED! I think I lost 10 lbs. just by sweating! Despite the heat, the ruins of the Acropolis & Parthenon are impressive & the view is spectacular! Then we saw the Temple of Zeus & the Panthenian Stadium (the site of the 1st Modern Olympic Games in 1896. It is not a big as I expected. We learned that it holds more people than you ... read more

Athens

Europe » Greece » Attica » Athens June 25th 2013

ajcastleman84

Ancient Corinth & Athens

Europe » Greece » West Greece June 24th 2013

ajcastleman84

On the road again....now it was my turn to hunt for lost luggage. 1,500 passengers luggage was deposited at the port. We quickly found 3 of our suitcases, but mine wanted to be with passengers on another floor! After a few anxious moments, we boarded a bus for Ancient Corinth. Aaron can relax because the bus driver gets to maneuver through the narrow streets (plus he KNOWS where he is going!). On the way we see the Bema of St. Paul on the beach. All this time I thought that a Bema was a church - no...it is the landing spot. So somewhere on this beach Paul landed as he entered Corinth. Paul spent 18 months with the tent makers Aquila & Priscilla. Check out Acts 18:1-18. He also wrote at least 2 letters to the ... read more

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