Hi.

I am going to cover Rome, Italy in this segment. We arrived 11-13-2012 and shared a shuttle to Hotel Bolivar. The hotel is small but very pleasantly decorated. Ask for a card key room as these are recently renovated and more comfortable. It is conveniently located within walking distance of the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon and several lovely piazzas. It is not air conditioned and the beds are very hard. Breakfast is included in the room price and is buffet style and quite nice. Both the bus and metro systems are close to the hotel.

We napped first after the 9 hour flight. The room chandelier is a pretty sight to look at before falling asleep. We walked over to the Colosseum before dark and I suddenly was struck by the fact that this majestic structure was built somewhere around 72AD. It was the first of many times during our trip to the Old World that I had goosebumps on my arms.

After dark we walked to the most famous of Rome’s many fountains, the Trevi. At night the sprays of water coming from the giant tritons and their horses have a silvery light. Then we went over a few blocks to the Pantheon which was built by the Emperor Hadrian. It is massive looking from the outside when flanked by huge columns to support the exterior. The inside displays a breathtaking symmetrical dome. The central opening allows light and rain inside. The floor is well vented to allow the water to drain. The requested silence inside the building permits the echoes of footfalls. The art inside is too numerous to cover but most is of a religious nature.

Our next stop was at the Piazza di Spagna and Piazza Navona. They both have wonderful fountains. At the Navona local artists display their wares for tourists and locals. Our only purchase was from a gelato shop. No one should go to Italy and not indulge in these flavorful treats. Mitch ordered a combination of coconut and passion fruit and I had tiramisu.

Lunch that day was at a trattoria. We had pomodoro (tomato) and mozzarella pannini. By 7:00 we were in bed and slept the sleep of the happily tired.

On 11-14 we took a tour of the Colosseum. It was a highly functional stadium that had a seating capacity of 55,000. The backstage area was so sophisticated that it allowed the arena to be flooded for mock sea battles. Most entertainment featured animals, slaves and gladiators. This Roman structure was larger than Greek buildings. It used all three Greek column styles (Doric, Ionic and Corinthian) as exterior decorations. Teams of sailors hoisted canvas awnings over the stadium to provide shade for the fans. Animals were caged and lifted up in elevators to spring at their victims. Only Hollywood can be more creative to the drama that was fought on a regular basis to the extreme pleasure of the audiences and the emperors and their families.

We continued our tour of the Capitol Hill by heading over to the Roman Forum. The forum was the political and civic heart of the empire and one of the most evocative of the Roman ruins. This is where Mark Antony delivered his “Friends, Romans, Countrymen” speech after the assassination of Julius Caesar. It is located between the Palantine and Capitoline hills. After two millennia of plunder and decay there remains an assortment of partial buildings, walls, pillars and jumbled stones. The House of the Vestal Virgins is partially restored and around the grounds are orange trees, oleanders, cypress trees, wild grasses and wildflowers.

It pays to purchase a combination ticket for admission to the Colosseum, Roman Forum and the Palantine Hill. It is a fair amount of walking and the Palantine Hill requires some uphill and uneven steps.

St. Peter-in-Chains Church (San Pietro in Vincoli) is a 15 minute walk from the Colosseum. It was built to house the chains that bound St. Peter in the Mamertine prison. At the entrance is the Boccadella Verita - the Mouth of Truth. Of course we placed our hands in the mouth and thankfully they came out whole and undamaged. Inside are beautiful mosaic floors and the crypt of Hadrian. But the church is most famous for the incredible statue of Moses holding the Ten Commandments and looking determined to win the salvation of the people of Israel. Michelangelo worked on the statue for 30 years.

On our way back we passed by the Circus Maximus. This enormous grassy arena follows the outline of a chariot racecourse. It was able to seat 300,000 passionate Roman fans.

We found simple but delicious dinner while wandering the streets near the hotel. The Ciardi Bar and restaurant serves freshly made pizza and a great red house wine. We lingered over wine and chatted with our young server who was fascinated by our travels in his country.

Day three started with a good breakfast at the hotel. We caught the #64 bus and drove through Rome to the Vatican City. We purchased tickets for a guided tour of the museum complex and the Sistine Chapel. It is suggested that you take 2 or more days to view the 12 museums but we tried to see a much as we could in 1 day.

The museums contain a dizzying assortment of Egyptian and Assyrian art, Etruscan artifacts, modern religious art, frescos, marble busts and statuary and tapestries.

The highlight is the Sistine Chapel. This is the pope’s personal chapel and also the place, upon the death of the ruling pope, a new pope is elected. The chapel is famous for Michelangelo’s (age approximately 33 years) pictorial culmination of the Renaissance showing the story of creation. It took four years to complete the artistic and theological artwork ceiling.

When you exit from the Sistine Chapel it is a short walk to St. Peter’s Basilica. The church is filled with the loveliest of mosaics and fantastic stained glass windows. The statue of St. Peter always has a line of people wishing to caress or kiss his toe. Down stairs in the foundation are the crypts, chapels and tombs of the popes.

The most popular art form is the Pieta, done by Michelangelo when he was 24. A pieta is a work showing Mary with the dead body of Jesus taken down from the cross. The detailed statue shows a youthful Mary and her son. It is truly a beautiful work with emphasis on anatomy and detailed drapery.

Plan on wearing modest clothing in the Vatican City. Shorts and bare shoulders or midriff are discouraged. Take note of the Swiss Guard that stand at attention in their colorful uniforms.

We found a nice restaurant not too far from the hotel. We were served bread when we were seated and later discovered that it is not free. The lasagna and ravioli were great. House wine seems to always be good. I don’t know how Italians keep their figures.

Our last day in Rome was Friday, 11-16. We took about a 45 minute ride on the metro to Ostia Antica. It is one of the three best preserved ancient towns in Italy. It is on the Tiber 15 miles southwest of Rome and covers 10,000 acres. Unlike wealthy Pompei, the port town was Rome’s trade link with the outside world for 600 years. The site is only half excavated but what can be seen is unbelievable.

In the center of the port is a 4,000 seat amphitheater that is still used for summer open air concerts. The main road, Decumanus Maximus, is rutted from the heavily ladened carts carrying goods to and from the port. Aleppo pines and cedar trees surround the remains of the forum. Other outstanding structures are a second century AD multistoried apartment block called the Casa di Diana and the Baths of Neptune with gorgeous and imaginative mosaics. The Piazzalle della Corporazione is the original business district complete with shops, offices and storage units.

Other interesting features are columns, fine examples of arches, aqueducts, bakery ovens, and a cemetery with sarcophagi. There is also a small but significant museum on the grounds.

We took the metro back to Rome and rested up for our last major stop before leaving Rome. Santa Maria Maggiore (St Mary Major) has had mass said daily since the 5^th century when it was built on the site marked by an alleged summer snowfall. It has a gilded ceiling that was created from gold arriving from the New World. There are 36 mosaics that are 5^th century depictions of the lives of Moses, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They are framed by 40 ancient columns.

Our last evening in Rome was a finished with another pasta meal. We decided that if we were going to pay for bread that we would order a bruchetta. It was delightful. They served fresh bread covered with chopped tomatoes, olive oil and some mysterious assortment of herbs.

And yes, we had another glass of house red to complete the meal.

That night as we watched the news it was announced that Hammas and Israel were involved in more than just disagreement. For the first time since 1970 Jerusalem and Tel Aviv had missiles launched toward the cities. We went to bed disheartened and afraid that our trip to Israel would be cancelled.