I arranged for a personal walking tour through Rome before we left the States, and so we got up early so we would be ready when the guide arrived at The Boutique Hotel Trevi at 9:00. We waited about 15 min. for her, so I called the company I had booked with and she was at another Trevi Hotel, so when she arrived, we were off and pretty much running through the streets of Rome. Amanda was our guides name and she was just great!!! A little "in-your-face" for Izzy, but so nice and very knowledgeable. That girl had a pace on her though!!! She relaxed after a little while and wasn't trying quite as hard and that is when we really started to like her. Amanda is American, so there was no problem understanding her. She is also a journalist, so she was well spoken and animated. She really was a wealth of information, which made our visits to the sites that much more interesting.
The tour started with a visit to several squares and fountains including the Trevi. We saw the Pantheon and other important ancient sites. We learned about St. Agnes and other martyrs and a myriad of Roman emperors including Julius Caesar. People still place flowers on his gravesite. I relearned many things about the art that had been pushed to the recesses of my aging brain, so it was fun for me to "in a way" go back to my art history classes and study once again the history of the art and architecture I was seeing - makes me want to go back to school.
Ancient Rome is just HUGE!!! We walked through the Forum and then down to the Colosseum. We learned a ton of history that I stored some where in my brain, but can't recall. The Colosseum and the things that went on there seem so barbaric, but we aren't really that different today are we??? The gladiators were just fame seekers trying to change their lives. Trying to gain favor with the people. It really is a lot like the reality TV of today. And I have no doubt that if we could televise fights to the death, that it would have the highest ratings of any show on TV. Human nature being what it is.
We broke for lunch and I had the most wonderful seafood salad. Izzy had spaghetti. I don't really keep track of food much, but this salad was divine - can't remember what Chris and Amanda had, I was too busy devouring mine. In Italy, they think Izzy's lunch and dinner choice of plain spaghetti with butter or olive oil and Parmesan cheese is completely normal.
After lunch it was on to Vatican City. Following the Vatican, we were suppose to go to a reservation at the Borghese Gallery, but our time with Amanda ran WAY long and we were unable to go. Just another thing to add to the "next time" list. Izzy was disappointed to say the least. It has been fun to watch her discover art. She has expressed thanks to me on many occasions for the great trip and also for instilling in her a love of art. She recognized many of the works and was grateful that I had taught her about them from a young age. She's talking about majoring in art history, but who knows, things change quickly at that age.
The Vatican museum is very large. We walked and walked and viewed and viewed, until at last we came to the Sistine Chapel. Kind of fun to think about it being the pope's very own chapel. He can use it whenever he wants and then things just shut down. The is no picture taking in the Sistine, but the crowds are so dense (thick and dense - take that as you wish) and everyone knows how I feel about rules, so I have to admit to sneaking in a few photos - many people were. Since there is no flash, I knew that no damage would come to the paint, so I only felt nominally guilty. Shame, shame. All of the great stories that go along with the different panels. Really fascinating stuff.
The highlight of the day for me was our final stop to see the Michelangelo Pieta. Moved me and moved me again - just breathtaking in it's beauty. Mary is sublimely beautiful and the crucified Christ is magnificent in death. I have goose bumps just recalling it. I could have examined it for hours, but our busy day did not allow for much lingering.
A cab ride home - duh - we were worn ragged. Even in our most comfortable shoes, the streets of Rome are brutally hard and uneven. We were happy to return to our hotel to rinse the dust off ourselves and to put our feet up and rest before dinner.
Izzy went directly to the room after dinner, but Chris and I enjoyed a gelato and sat on a bench outside our hotel just enjoying being off our feet and people watching. The people watching in Rome is as fun as the art watching in Rome.
Its off to Milan early tomorrow morning. We're hoping to get out to Soffieria di Carlini to see the hand blown Christmas ornaments that both Chris and I collect. We have no idea how to get there, but it is in a little town outside of Milan and we will have an adventure trying to find it.
What a delicious trip to spend with my dear friend and my baby girl. I have memories to last a lifetime.
I will definitely return to Rome
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