After going to bed a 11 PM Denver time, 25 hours after awakening to my last day in Rome. Beautiful again, not a cloud in the sky and round 50 degrees.
An easy commute to the airport. A crowded subway with Romans heading to their livelihood. A well marked Roma Termini train station showing me the way to the Fiuminico Express. 30 minutes later you hop onto the Terminal 5 shuttle bus and you've checked end and the adventure almost ended.
I awoke at 3:40 on Thursday after just around 4:30 hours sleep, refreshed yet tired and unable to sleep any more. My phone had 10 messages warning me that my DishTV service would be interrupted unless I made an immediate payment. (A long story, completely my error). A notice that my state income tax was being held due to "a possible" error on my part. Ahhh. Gee but it's good to be back home.
My first meal and I'm a bit ashamed to admit this. A grilled cheese sandwich with chips and salsa. After living in a country of artisan cheese and heavenly bread, I have my first grilled cheese sandwich in a month. Ahhh. Home again.
Way too many pictures, but here are a few.
The view from the street next to my B&B. Via Cavour in the foreground.
Right across from my B&B the Church of S. Maria Ai Monti, built between 1580 and 1610 and not on any guide book.
The Arch of Constantine built in 315 AD,
The interior of the Colosseum opened in 80 AD
On Palatine Hill, the Palace of Septimus Severus.
Looking down at the Roman Forum from Palatine Hill.
Looking back in the direction of the Colosseum.
In San Pietro in Vincoli, these relics are said to be the two chains used to imprison Saint Peter in the Mamertine Prison. Dare I call it legend (?), has it that the chains were separated at one time and when finally brought together years later they miraculously refused together.
San Pietro in Vincoli (St. Peter in Chains) is best know for the tomb of Pope Julius II which ws carved by Michelangelo between 1505 and 1513. It's rumored that Cecil B. DeMille gave Charlton Heston the role of Mose in the Ten Commandments because he looked like this statue.
The ceiling of S. Pietro in Vincoli.
Day 2 in Rome and I'm very disappointed that I'm the second in line at the Vatican Museum. This is 7:15, 45 minutes prior to opening. The subway was much faster than I thought it would be.
This is the midway point of the Hall of Tapestries. These were all done in the 1500's and are anywhere from 10 to 40 feet in length, probably 18 to 20 feet tall. Amazing stuff.
The Gallery of Maps. A hundred yards of ancient maps painted on the walls in the 16th Century by Ignazio Danti. Amazing again.
One of the three "highlights" of the Vatican Museum, the Raphael Rooms. Three rooms of frescoes begun by Raphael in 1508. This is called The School of Athens. Google it, you'll be amazed on what's going on in this picture. I was absolutely stunned, probably for the second time (I'd been there in 1970) at the colors and details of three rooms of these works. Amazing 3.
Detail from the School of Athens.
Detail from the Expulsion of Heliodorus from the Temple.
Okay, so I couldn't show you the Sistine Chapel because of copyright concerns, that's right copyright. It seems that the cleanup of the ceiling was paid for by a Japanese TV network and in return they got the copyright of all images of the ceiling. So no pics allowed, even though the more crowded it got, the more people took pictures. I was fortunate enough to find a seat on both sides of the chapel and spent about 45 minutes being amazed (number 4 by my count) of the ceiling and the Last Judgement that Michelangelo worked on for 7 years and completed in 1541. The ceiling took four years, 1508 to 1512. Truly amazing stuff. Put it on your bucket list.
This is Michelangelo's other masterpiece in St. Peters. The Pieta, Completed in 1499 when the Big M was just 25.
It's protected by bulletproof glass now because of an attack in 1972 by some jealous nutcase.
Amazing times five.
The Papal Altar. Below it is the crypt of St. Peter.
The Monument to Pope Alexander VII by Bernini in 1678.
The Filarete Doors. Bronze done by Filarete in 1439.
A member of the Swiss Guard.
St. Peters Square. You can see just past the obelisk the line going into St. Peters. I'd say it was around 2:30 hours wait at this point. Now you know why I went at 7:15.
Castel Sant'Angelo. Begun in AD 139 by the Emperor Hadrian.
Fontana del Moro from 1653 in the Piazza Navona.
Fontana dei Fiumi by Bernini depicting the four great rivers of the world (at that time). The Nile, Ganges, Danube and Plate. (Go ahead, look up the river Plate. Hey it was like the 16th century).
The inside of the Pantheon. Built in the first century by Hadrian.
.Outside Santa Maria sopra Minerva is this Bernini sculpture. The church is in the background. It looks plain from the outside but here's the magnificent interior.
Notice the lack of people. I was stunned. This is one of the few Gothic churches in Rome. Built around the 13th Century and very few people visited it. It even has a Michelangelo.
The Victor Emmanuel Monument begun in 1885 and finished in 1911 or so.
Sunset on the Colosseum for a finale.
Great trip. Glad it's over and that I'm back home. Thanks to my great traveling partner Gerard Depoti aka Mr. Thin Blood. Was great seeing you my brother. Where you at stud??
Thanks for reading. I'll use the post again if I travel before New Zealand 2012 for two months. It's my next adventure if things work out. I'll let you know.
Hey, you didn't think I'd forget did you?? Ciao for now.
No comments:
Post a Comment