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Europe » Italy » Lazio » Rome February 11th 2017

Geo: 41.8955, 12.4823So, it is really down to the wire now and I am trying to make the most of the last two days in Rome. Today I headed out to do a walk around to some of the more well-known sites that I never tire of seeing. I started out at St. Peter's Square. Busy there today. The line was very long to get in. It went almost all the way around the perimeter of the square. Still fewer people than in peak season but the longest I have seen so far on this stay. The fountains were running today which made my day as I have been here many times when there weren't. I then moved on to Campo di Fiori. I just love to wander around and look at all the fresh fruits ... read more
Clever artwork
Fountains are running
Some of the line

Europe » Italy » Lazio » Rome February 9th 2017

Geo: 41.8955, 12.4823I am down to the last few days of my 6 week stay in Rome. I am so grateful that I have had the chance to live this dream and I am very sad that it is coming to an end. When I initially set out to stay for an extended period of time I did wonder if I would end up being done with this city but I was willing to take the chance to really understand if my fascination was passing because I only spend a few days here each year or if it was more enduring. It has turned out to be enduring. I am not done with this place!I always make lists of things I want to see and do when I travel. I have lists for many cities and ... read more
Top of  the Spanish Steps
Santa Maria degli Angeli
Trajan's market

Europe » Italy » Lazio » Rome February 7th 2017

Geo: 41.8955, 12.4823Rome is chock full of churches and basilicas and there are two things that make this great regardless of your religious persuasions. 1. They are free to enter and open most days except between about 12:30-3pm. 2. They have incredible works of art by both famous and not so well known artists from over the centuries complete with information in English about the chapels and the art.Much of the art was commissioned by wealthy families for their private alters and tombs. Here is a list some of the churches and what you can see and it is by no means complete. Each of these also have incredible ceilings, floors and altars all worth spending a bit of time to explore.St. Peters Basilica – Bernini sculptures, Bernini and Michelangelo architectural designs, frescos and paintings by ... read more
Floor monument - Del Popolo
Del Popolo
Caravaggio - Del Popolo

Europe » Italy » Lazio » Rome February 2nd 2017

Geo: 41.8955, 12.4823From Wikipedia: The site had formerly been occupied by a garden-vineyard of the Sforza family, in which a palazzetto had been built in 1549. It has passed from one cardinal to another during the sixteenth century, with no project fully getting off the ground.When Cardinal Alessandro Sforza met financial hardships, the still semi-urban site was purchased in 1625 by Maffeo Barberini, of the Barberini family, who became Pope Urban VIII.Three great architects worked to create the Palazzo, each contributing his own style and character to the building. Carlo Maderno, who at the time was working on extending the nave of St Peter's, was commissioned to enclose the Villa Sforza within a vast Renaissance block along the lines of Palazzo Farnese; however, the design quickly evolved into a precedent-setting combin... read more
One of the ceiling frescos
Barberini Coat of Arms - Bees
Bust of Bernini

Europe » Italy » Lazio » Rome January 22nd 2017

Geo: 41.8955, 12.4823I am a big fan of Dan Brown's books and my favorite is Angels and Demons because it is set in Rome, of course!!! The movie does a great job of showing off some key sites in the city.A few years ago I walked the complete path followed by Robert Langdon to track down the assassin hired to kidnap four Preferati, Cardinals most likely to be voted the next Pope, and subsequent kill three of them. Following is a very much abbreviated version of the steps taken to track down the assassin and solve the mystery of why he was hired in the first place.In a race to stop these murders, Robert follows the path of the Illuminati which is a secret path through Rome created by the original members, Bernini and Gallileo, so ... read more
West Wind at St. Peters Square
Fountain at the Pantheon
Santa Maria Del Popolo

Europe » Italy » Lazio » Rome January 21st 2017

Geo: 41.8955, 12.4823The next few days:The weather has been "iffy" – rain, intermittent rain, etc., etc., so I have used the time to plan some things. I went to the Termini Station and bought my tickets for Florence and figured out the best way to access Vatican City for my tour of the Scavi – the tombs below St. Peters. I also booked a ticket to hear “The Three Tenors” at All Saints Anglican Cathedral – not sure which three tenors will be there but I don't really care. So, I have some things planned. Sat., Jan 14, I headed over to the Vatican. There is new security, not surprising, and it is actually quite well thought out. One way in, one way out. Much easier to manage for the military and Polizia vs. the way ... read more
Baths of Diocletan
Exterior of the baths
Here he is!

Europe » Italy » Lazio » Rome January 6th 2017

Geo: 41.8955, 12.4823I have been here for 7 days now and am starting to get into the swing of being here for more than a few days. First, I realize that I don't have to cram a lot into a single day so have gotten into easing into the day with coffee and a stroll into my neighborhood and then decide where to go. I like this area more each day that I am out and about. Some people are starting to recognize me – the lady at the market and the nice man in Carrefour, a lovely store that carries all kinds of yummy things and has a coffee bar. In Rome you drop in for a quick espresso or cappuccino and stand at the bar to drink it. No lolly-gagging over a gigantic coffee ... read more
Trevi Fountain
Piazza Minerva
One of the many, many obelisks in Rome

Europe » Italy » Lazio » Rome January 5th 2017

Geo: 41.8955, 12.4823I have arrived at Rome's FCO many times but this time I am staying for 6 weeks and I am super excited to get to my apartment and explore my new neighborhood. I have a small, one bedroom apartment in the Aurelio neighborhood. It is about 3.5KM east of Vatican City. All of Rome's historic center is very walkable but, this trip, I plan to also learn my way around on the subway. It will be colder than what I am used to with temperatures in the low 60's during the day. Still lovely for walking but I want to go further afield and do more exploring of areas I haven't yet been to. I have a very long list of things I want to see and do plus many sites I love to ... read more

Europe » Italy » Lazio » Rome November 13th 2016

Geo: 41.8955, 12.4823Veni, vedi, vici. We came, we saw, we conquered. And I think the food conquered us as well. More on that later.The morning was spent walking around Rome. It is really a beautiful city. It's like stepping back in time with all the ancient buildings still standing and the cobblestones pavements. I felt like I was in one of Asterix's books, especially the one titled "Asterix and the Laurel Wreath". It depicted public fountains and we saw them. We walked through these little alleys and just when we think there'll be nothing there, out came a spectacular square and its significant buildings.Our local guide took us to some of these and the first building we visited was the Pantheon. This was magnificent. It was so grand inside that it did not feet in one ... read more
At Spanish steps
Rome walk
The Pantheon

Europe » Italy » Lazio » Rome November 12th 2016

Geo: 41.8955, 12.4823Good bye Venice, city of canals and off we went to Rome. It was quite a long trip. In all, we left Venice around 8am and got to Rome at around 3.15pm. Would love to say what happened on the bus...but bus rides are long and boring...and nothing much happened. There was some great scenery though, including a few villages on top of hills or mountains.During the evening, we were taken to see the Campidoglio. Basically that is Capital Hill for Rome. It was designed by Michelangelo and I was impressed going walking in there. As we entered up the steps, we were greeted by these two magnificent statues on either side at the top. Once past those statues, the square opened up to three magnificent buildings on either side of us and in ... read more
She-wolf suckles Romulus and Remus
One of the statues greeting us
View of campidoglio




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