Italia

Buon Giorno!! We have returned from Italy. After a 26 hour day in cars, buses, planes, and a sprint through the Cincinnati airport, we arrived at our cozy condo in Charm City around 12:30 last night. All pets have been very enthusiastic about our return, and were very well-cared for - thanks to the pet sitting crew.

I'm going to try to detail each day of our trip in installments - a lofty goal! As you view our photos here and on Snapfish please remember that CDW is the photographer in this family. This is why our travel pictures are filled with a disproportionate number of picts of . . . well, me.

Italia, Day 1

We arrived in Italy this morning around 7:30. We decided that pushing through the day would be the best way to adjust to the 6 hour time change and red-eye flight. We found parking in Roma just outside the walls of The Vatican. We walked down to St. Peter's Square (actually it is more of an oval shape) which was teeming with people! I didn't anticipate that the square would have in it 5 or 6 of the largest televisions I had ever seen. They are used for the Papal Audience. We did not go inside any of the structures, but enjoyed seeing The Vatican, and walked the entire perimeter so that we even glimpsed the Swiss Guard, The Vatican's own militia responsible for protecting the Pope, and his peeps.

Next we embarked on a city tour bus. It's cheesy and touristy, but a great way to see a lot without having to walk everywhere - perfect for these weary travelers. We rode by: the Roman Forum, the Colosseum, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, termini, quirinale, bocca della verita, piazza venezia, san pietro, piazza cavour, Altar of Peace, via veneto, and we walked by the Spanish Steps. It was a typically hot July day in the city, so we took many opportunities to fill our water bottle at one of the free (and quite beautiful) city fountains.

The manhole covers in the city of Roma all bear the letters SPQR. Because of three years of Latin at CHS with Miss Ryan, I recalled that this abbreviates "The Senate and the People of Rome," a Latin phrase dating back to ancient times. Wikipedia tells us that SPQR is actually the motto of the modern city of Rome.

The photos above are at Trevi Fountain.