We woke early and packed. Our driver Pasquale showed up a little before 8 and we piled in and headed to Rome. It was easy to say goodbye to Sorento.. We’d had a good time.. but  it wasn’t our type of city.. we’re definitely more at home in the countryside. 

Pasquale was great.. he kept us informed and entertained the whole 3 hour ride to Rome . 

We got to our hotel earlier than expected which was great.. more time to explore the place. We dropped our bags, settled in and headed out to explore this beautiful city. 

I’ve been in Rome several  times over the years (I think this is my 5th visit ?) .. and have always loved this city. Its such a cool mix of modern and ancient.. . 

We started on the roof of our hotel .. checking out the view

 

Then headed out on the streets. Our plan was to see as much of the city as we could on foot without getting into any lines to get in to stuff. Suits me.. as I’ve been here    First stop was The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore .. It was beautiful.. and (I don’t think I could have imagined saying this) we haven’t been in enough old churches yet on our trip. We even got to watch a baptism !

Here are the paper shoulder covers they provide for women who are “immodestly dressed” 

 

From there we started to walk to the colosseum… The roman streets are full of surprises

 

 

All the manholes still have the letters SPQR  ..I.e.  Senatus Populusque Romanus ..Latin for  “The Senate and People of Rome”

 

Right outside the colosseum we came upon a skate park. they were running some kind of jam. great music and somewhat great riding..   Made us think of our kids !   We put a samstone there for good riding

 

There were ancient building everywhere.. here was the roman baths

 

The coluseum always blows me away..Its so huge and well built.. and it’s 2000 years old !!!  last time we were here together .. which must have been in the mid 80’s (!!) .. we took a tour inside.. today the crowds were gigantic.. and in keeping with our plan.. we gave ourselves our own outside tour

robust crowds for sure !  but still enough space to move around

As always, We quickly tried to get away from the crowds.. we walked up a deserted path .. and got these unimpeded vies.. almost looks like no one else is around !

 

I remember the first time I came here in 1979 ? 1980 ? ,, we were able to walk around in the palatine gardens  without seeing other people . I remember posing in one of the statue niches before getting caught be a bunch of girlscouts 🙂  Whata. funny memory..  Now its fenced and way too crowded to get up to anything

 

We enjoyed follwoing the quiet streets only blocks from the swarm of humanity

 

From there we battled the throngs to head out to the old jewish ghetto

 

Luigi has us all tuned in to Julius Ceaser.. he was everywhere !

 

We stopped in the old Jewish quarter and grabbed lunch from a coffesho anbd grocery store.

 

Then we plunged in to the old ghetto.. I was shocked to see something I know as Stolpersteins.  literally “stumble stones”. They are used to mark the places that people who were killed in the holocaust once lived.. I didn’t expect them in Rome.. we read more about the deportations.

. \it was hard to read about

 

There was all sorts of judaica oin the square.. most of it modern some was ancient

That remionded me that there is a tone of speculation that leanardo davinci was half jewish.. (check out his hairstyle). I did a little digging.. from what I gather there is soem speculative evidence.. but nothing conclusive.. But I’ll take him as a knsman if it turned out to be true 🙂

 

There was a whole jewish tourist culture here.. with lots of kosher restaurants

 

We made it to the great synagog.. the place was liek a fortress.. you had to submit your passport a few days before youre visit if you wanted to enter.

 

From there we headed to … hmmm.. somewhere.. maybe .. oh yeah.. the Trevi fountain.. T

Hat part of the city was absolutely packed. THe square with the fountain was so packed with  people it felt like watching the Haj in Mecca. 

 

Its supposed to be good luck to throw a coin over your left sholder into the fountain for luck..DId that. but better yet.. a samstone !

 

THen through more busy streets to the Pnatheon !

 

There are 7 egyption columns that were brought over in antiquity and repurposed to hold saints

 

THen all of a sudden.. .tehre was the Pantheon !

 

Again.. just amazing antiquiteis in the middle of a busy modern street.. WOW !

Now on to the spanish steps. Kinda just like it sounds.. some steps.. on a rode line with gucci, cartier, bulgarie, hermes shops.. ugh

 

We found a back way up and di our own stairmaster

 

By this point we were hot and thirsty and craving green grass.. so we found our way to a huge beautiful park

 

We searched out a temple to Dianna.. the goddess of the hunt.. wouldn’t ya’ know that the statue was missing. Good thing we brought our own Dianna !

 

 

It was now time for the walk back to hotel.. our last mile

 

We got back to the hotel, washed up .. then went aroudn the corner to a place that was well reveiwed on trip advisor.. we got there to find that the place that was reviewed had been closed for 10 years (!).. there was another place there.. we waited for 30 min.. and it was worth the weight.. Our last meal in italy.. 

it was also my last meal for 24 houra.s Tonight is Erev Yom Kippur…

From this point I’ll be fasting for 24 hours. 

I checked my watch and realized that  we’d walked 10 miles today.. almost exactly.

A great way to end our trip

 

nite all, nite sam 

-me