When in Rome...

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Four days in Rome, and one day in Naples to visit Pompeii.

Rome is one of our favorites, probably Dan's very fav. The city's blend of ancient Roman buildings and history with modern times--shopping, restaurants, and more--gives it a unique feel. We walked miles and miles around, and we only captured a glimpse of everything on offer. We hit the tourist hot-spots--St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican, the Colosseum, the Forum, the Pantheon, plus several churches, too many to keep track of! Add the AMAZING shopping (I bought a pair of shoes 😊, wine, and buzz of the city with the quaint back streets, piazzos, and cafes...one of those places that everyone should visit if they get the chance.

We had one night in Naples so we could visit Pompeii. It was neat to visit, but to anyone planning to go, be sure to organize a tour guide because there are no signs, not even a brochure to give you any info once you get there...welcome to Italy! Naples is home of the original pizza and it is delic! We had one in a little local place, with a huge man tossing the dough into the air and cooking it over a wood-fire oven.

Overall, about two weeks in this fabulous country.

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Photos

The ancient Roman Forum
Once the civic, commercial, and religious hub of the Roman Empire; we enjoyed wandering around, though the extremely hot day and pelting sun kept us seeking shade all the time!

Vittorio Emanuele Monument: aka, the Wedding Cake
This huge thing celebrates the first king of unified Italy, as well as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Castel Sant'Angelo
Crossing the Sant'Angelo Bridge, over the Tiber River, and passing ten anvget sculptures by Bernini, this 139AD building served as a hideout for popes in times of danger a few hundred years ago.

Michelangelo's, "Piet'a"
Mary holding the dead Jesus in her lap, the most treasured work in St. Peter's Basilica. It is surrounded by bullet-proof glass after someone attacked it with a hammmer in the 70's.

Gathering for the Pope
We just happened to be in St. Peters Square on a Wednesday morning when the Pope was making an appearance

The Man Himself
The Pope drove a little motorized scooter around the square, waving to everyone. Pretty cool to be so close to him!

A hallway inside the Vatican
So many museums and the Sistine Chapel, of course. We took in so much history and beautiful artwork, spending a while in the crammed Sistine Chapel to admire the ceiling with a thousand other people.

One of these things does not belong here...
In one of the Vatican Museums.

St. Peter's Square
After touring the inside of the Basilica (which is AMAZING) we climbed the tower and hundreds of steps to the top, views of the entire city all around. If you can't tell by now, going up towers is one of our favorite things to do in each city!

Going into the Pantheon
The best-preserved monument of ancient Rome, the "Temple of all the Gods" contains the tombs of masters including Raphael. The dome ceiling inside has a big hole in the top that is always open; when it rains the floor inside is actually slightly slanted to allow drainage. (just an interesting fact!)

The Colosseum
We did an audio-guided tour, learning about the gladiator's and grueling history of this place. In old times, it's marble walls were taken to build churches and palaces in the city...and now they are trying to preserve it all.

Inside the Colosseum
The floor is no longer there, revealing the maze of passageways where the gladiators and animals once prepared for the battles.

Heidi at Trevi Fountain
The myth says to throw two coins over your shoulder (we never could figure out if it was supposed to be your right or left), The 1st is for a wish, the 2nd to ensure your return someday. Lots of people, lots of coins, and a few bums with metal detectors!?!

The Spanish Steps
The hang-out for locals and tourists alike, these massive steps were the place to be see and be seen.

Mt. Vesuvius outside of Pompei
The volcano erupted in 79AD, destroying the ancient town of Pompei that was discovered under 7 meters of ash in 1594.

A street in Pompeii
We wandered around the old ruins, the stone streets, walls of buildings. A few homes had pieces of beautiful intricate mosaic designs that have survived for hundreds of years.

Preserved in Ash
The ash preserved several bodies as it swept in and quickly hardened. Kind of creepy.