One Year Away

Joe

We have added a few new pics to the Italy album.  Enjoy!

We stopped in Rome for one day on our way to Sorrento and then for two days on our way back.  It was an
unusual city for me because although it was overrun with tourists, hot and expensive it still created a good impression. 

The city that was the capital of the western world for so long has an impressive collection of ruins and other sites that are on the “must do” list for tourists.  We hit the main ones like the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps and the Vatican. 

The Vatican is technically a sovereign nation but you don’t need to show your passport to get in…just buy a ticket.   We followed the advice of Tara’s guidebook and arrived early to avoid the line, but we were too late.  By the time we got there the line up to get into the Vatican stretched over
halfway around the country – literally.
Luckily the line moved quite quickly and about 90 minutes later we were trudging through one gallery after another of ancient treasures, statues, Egyptian artifacts and paintings.  At times though it was like walking through a  crowded subway station with the most exquisitely painted ceilings imaginable.  The end prize that made it worthwhile was the Sistine Chapel with its high ceiling and Michaelangelo’s masterpieces. 

The best part of Rome for me was the old neighborhoods that surround the famous landmarks.  Narrow streets with beautiful buildings twist and turn seemingly going nowhere then lead suddenly you’re standing in front of world famous landmark.  And you’re never far from a gelato shop of course.