Rome Antics

We spent last weekend in Rome! We arrived Saturday and took a fantastic walking tour. We really enjoyed our guide and the fun stories he told and information he gave. We saw a lot of the big sites including the forum (below), the Piazza Venezia, the Trevi Fountain (also below), the Spanish stairs, the Keats and Shelley Memorial House, the place where Julius Caesar was assassinated, Hadrian's Temple and Mussolini's office.

Sunday we went to the Villa Borghese Gallery and saw the astounding Bernini sculptures as well as other amazing works by artists such as Raphael and Titian. The Bernini sculptures were particularly impressive. Both of us were awed. No photography is allowed in the museum, but here's a Bernini statue on Ponte Sant'Angelo, for which he sculpted 10 statues of angels holding signs of the Passion (this one is holding the superscription from the cross). Gorgeous.

We also visited the Pantheon, the temple built to all the gods in Ancient Rome (later taken over by the Catholic Church, or else it would have been destroyed). Raphael is entombed in the Pantheon. His epitaph translates as: "Here lies Raphael, whom Nature feared would outdo her while alive, but now that he is gone fears she, too, will die."

Monday we visited Vatican City and enjoyed St. Peter's basilica and square (above), as well as the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. All I have to say about the Sistine Chapel: Wow.

We're glad we went to Rome, especially to the Vatican and to see the amazing art. But we actually found Rome to be the dirtiest, dumpiest city we've visited so far in Europe. And transportation wasn't what we expected (we've been spoiled in London and Paris, I guess--Rome's metro isn't great). All roads may lead to Rome, but we'll be traveling the opposite direction on those roads from now on!Of course we enjoyed some yummy pasta and pizza--it was Italy! Jacob was also excited to try the famous gelato (I'm not an ice cream fan, but I determined I would eat as much gelato as I could "when in Rome"). It definitely looked better than it tasted, and even Jacob agrees that it doesn't live up to its billing. Jacob was disappointed to discover that the best "gelato" in Rome is the one he's holding below.

We really are glad we went to Rome, and we had a genuinely good time. What a way to spend my birthday! (Thanks to those of you who emailed birthday wishes on and around my birthday; it meant a lot to get those emails!)