It has always been my dream to visit Rome and this was the one port that I was looking forward to visiting the most. I remember when we finally got out of the bus to do our own little walking tour I couldn't help but be a little giddy... "I'm in ROME!" I would be turning around in this plaza and was just in awe... It was just an amazing day. It is really hard to put it into words.
Rome is definitely a city that can't be visited in one day. We had 12 hours! We decided to do a tour through the cruise line because we didn't want to spend our whole day lost :). We had to pick between the ancient ruins of Rome or the Vatican. We chose the Vatican because we at least got to do a drive by of the Colosseum and some of the other ancient ruins. So much to do and so little time!
So the next couple of pictures are pictures taken from my window on the bus. We literally did a drive by!
Not bad for a window picture... The tour guide actually made the bus driver clean his windows for us :)
Breathtaking!
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We had 2 hours on our own and they gave us a map and let us loose in Rome. It felt nice to separate ourselves from the pack and experience a little bit on our own!
Drop off... and we are off! Look at this place. I don't even know what it is, but it's cool!
Street we had to walk down. It was pretty crazy!
The Spanish Steps!
More of the Spanish steps!
This fountain was packed with people. They warned us to hold tight to our belonging because of pick pockets. I held on my purse a little bit tighter!
The legend goes you throw a coin over our left shoulder into the fountain and you will return to Rome someday. I would love to come back someday. It was amazing!
Can you find Scott? Trevi Fountain was a pretty crowded, a touristy place!
We still had time and so we walked over to the Pantheon. Scott loved this building and I did too. It was so beautiful!
Can you believe this building was built in 126 AD... Man that is older than anything here in the United States. I loved that there was so much history all around us. Everyone has asked me what my favorite place was on our trip and I couldn't tell them because every place was so unique and full of history. This was Rome, everywhere we turned would be something truly amazing!
The dome of the Pantheon... Taken by Scott...
Again, here I am, caught in the moment :)
Spectacular! Another of Scott's pictures.
The columns of the Pantheon.
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After a 'Typical Italian Lunch" we were off to see Vatican City. The Vatican is it's own little country within Rome... Very interesting, hum...
St. Peter's Basilica...
Within the Vatican's courtyard.
Starting our tour of the Vatican. It was so awesome, nothing I've ever seen before. The ceiling were beautiful. A lot of sculptures and murals. We loved the tour, but we felt we were hearded like cattle. It was hot and stuffy. But we did enjoy ourselves :)
So there was somes rules about the Sistine Chaple. No talking and no taking pictures. Some of these rules were not followed :)
The Chapel was packed and we had to crank our necks to see everything, but this was an experience of a life time to stand here in this chapel and see one of Michelangelo's most famous works.
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St. Peter's Square... HUGE!
Pieta! One of Michelangelo's most famous scultures. I was so excited to see this. A few years ago I taught the Maggelet twins about the renaissance time period and talked a lot about the art at that time. This was something we talked about.
Within the Basilica!
This place was huge!
St. Peter's Square!
I loved Rome! It was an exhausting and hot day... a 12 hour tour, but it was worth it!
Next.... Florence and Pisa!
Love those painted ceilings.
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