Second to the last day in Roma....

---

Geo: 41.8955, 12.4823

Woke up today at about 7 ish... did more research on the iPad problems, thank you, Kathy, for your messages, I tried to respond at the time but it didn't go through. So I have downloaded DropBox again, had deleted it trying to get more space. It allowed me to do so and it literally has been downloading my photos since this morning, it is now 9:36 pm, I have NO IDEA how large the photo files are, I think they are something like 6.2 Mb each?? does that make sense? anyway by the morning, I should have some memory back after I delete the photos from my iPad... if you have ideas on how to do that so I"m not doing it one by one, I'm all ears! so not sure if I'll be posting any photos tonight, it may be tomorrow. I was able to add some photos to some of my other days as I was able to use my phone photos from the days my camera battery died. So if anyone wants to see some dog photos you'll have to go back to Firenze to check them out.

We got out of here at the crack of 12 or so, went to the butcher shop, Karen may be posting photos of it, it's been in the Campo di'Fiore since 1800 something, very nice, they had yummy salami samples out (our pepperoni). Bought some lemon jelly or curd of some sort, back to the apt to drop off the food and then made our way to Palazzo Altemps, it's part of the National Museum so we were abe to use our tickets from yesterday. Another fantastic museum, it is set in an actual Palazzo, it has an amazing courtyard where we ate our lunch after we finished touring. Lots of beautiful statues, wonderful frescos out on the loggia/veranda, some of the ceilings still had the paint on them from 500 years ago! huge beams, an actual small church inside as well as a small family chapel. Lots of coats of arms, love looking at those, especially when two families were joined in marriage and then you see them blend them. Very interesting to me, saw the Medici coat of arms up on the ceiling of one of the rooms.

After this is was getting cooler so we decided we must get gelato at Giolitti before heading to the apt for a warmer coat for me! I know you see the logic there! I had the same as last night, Fondante Ciocolato and Nutella with some panna, so amazingly good.... will have to repeat tomorrow. I have to really hit the gym hard and get back on my eating regimen when I get home, I do know that! ;-)

Got back to the apt, got the coat, decided to go tour the Jewish Ghetto, it's not too far from where we are staying, got to walk along the river, see a bridge from the 400 AD era and walk around an ancient theatre (Teatro Marcellus). The Jewish Ghetto has a very interesting history, not a fun one for the Jews that lived there though, but that was true where ever they lived throughout Europe all up until WWII... they were either corralled, kicked out of a country, asked back into a country, segregated, etc... may it never happen again. Look the history up, it's interesting... we followed some small side streets and got some wonderful photos, hopefully, Karen will upload them, if she doesn't, when I am able to, I will post them.

We then went back to the apt, after getting some rolls and pizza bianca from a famous place in Campo di'Fiore for our lunches tomorrow. Am going to make my lunch now as we have to leave in the morning at 8:15 to make our 9 am Vatican reserved ticket entry time. It will be a long day as we will tour the Vatican and St. Peters, I anticipate lots of Fitbit steps! We will need to pack up tomorrow also as we will be leaving for our next adventure bright and early Saturday morning, will have the taxi take us to the Station for our 9 am train to Salerno.

As always I enjoyed our trips through Piazza Navona and the Pantheon as we were going other places, never tire of seeing either of them, they're so beautiful!!

Well, I'll leave off here for now and turn it over to Karen for her take on the day.

Fit Bit: 13,614 steps which are 5.86 miles, we're slowing down.... ;-)

A Domani!
Wendy


The butcher shop we went to this morning was fascinating. It was like stepping back in time several hundred years. They had uncovered cured meats hanging all over the ceiling and walls--legs of pork(?) with a hard, greenish surface ready to be carved on (ack!!), every variation of sausage imaginable (until today, I could only imagine 3 or 4, now I'm up to 25 or 30!), and lovely fresh loins of pork from which the butcher carved 2 scrumptious pork chops for tonight's dinner. He sprinkled them with fennel. Oh my, a new favorite spice for me!

On our way to the museum, we popped into a beautiful "little" church, as we often do, just to take a peek. All the churches we have seen are beautiful, but this one left me almost breathless. I took a photo of the ceiling that we are going to try to upload, but if it doesn't work, it will be on my facebook page.

I really enjoyed our museum today. It was a much simpler place. And they did a spectacular job of placing the statues so that they were framed by the doorways as you walked into each room. It added a lot to the "awe factor". This museum also displayed a lot of the smaller objects from everyday life, like glassware. Roman glass is stunning. Some of their pieces were so old but in amazing condition.

One of the things that intrigue me most about this part of the world is the way people have recycled spaces and building materials through the millennia. An object used for one purpose will be repurposed into something new--a sarcophagus will become a garden fountain for example. Or one building will be built upon the ruins of another. Our museum today is an example of that. On the ground floor, they had a room where they had excavated down through the floor and revealed 2 more layers of buildings beneath the one we were standing in. Very cool!

It's time to go check on the laundry. I really don't understand European logic when it comes to laundry. They make the machines super tiny so they won't use much water, but then make them run 2+ hours so they'll get clean. A couple gallons more water versus hours of electricity...hmmm...it makes my brain hurt if I think about it too much!

Arivederci!
Karen

---

Photos

Jewish quarter
A very old and very picturesque home in the Jewish quarter

the butcher shop
This is where Dr. Seuss got the idea for green ham!

Gorgeous church ceiling!
Stunning!

Ruins under the museum floor
How amazing is that?

Comments

[Jim]

Hi Honey. Sounds like you had a good anniversary. I think you know what mine was like )-: However the SeaHawks won so the day was salvaged! Glad you had a relaxed day because the Vatican and St. Peters won't be. I wish I were going to
St. Peter's with you. Enjoy the view from the basilica/dome/cupola...what's it called anyway? You are going to have an amazing day, actually it's already started I think. Have fun and be safe. XXOO

[Jim]

Hi Karen. I finished my note to Wendy and then felt compelled to shoot you a note. I hope you are having an amazing time. Isn't it wonderful! I've enjoyed your additions to the blog too. I'm enjoying vicariously living your diet. You
will probably be able to enjoy more adventurous eating down south with all the seafood. Surely you will find some strange sea creature to eat. I look forward to hearing about it. Don't let me down.