Rome

We soon discovered that one minus of doing an organised tour is the early morning wake up calls. Todays was at 5.45 am. After a huge buffet breakfast we were on the bus at 7.15am (well done Sarah!) Our first visit was to Vatican City. It was already crowded with very long queues. An advantage of a tour - we didn't have to join them and went straight in with heaps of other tours.

We had to go through security and have our bags scanned. Our local tour guide was named Gwenina and she certainly knew her stuff!

Before going into the Vatican Museums we were shown pictures of the paintings in the Sistine Chappel as you can't take photos or talk in there. So we were told all about them beforehand...

Then we went into the Museums. Once again the history is amazing as is the architecture and paintings...

All those thousands of years ago they had made maps of Italy and they were even drawn to scale...

We moved on into Sistine Chapel - home to two of the world's most famous works of art -Michelangelo's "Genesis" (Creation) painted on the ceiling and the "Last Judgement". We got to spend quite a bit of time in here and just gaze at these paintings and wonder how he did them!

Then we went into St Peter's Basilica. It took more than 150 years to build and the interior is 187m long. Michelangelo took over the project in 1547 at the age of 72 and was responsible for the dome.

Rubbing this statues foot is said to bring you good luck...

Some of the popes from the past are also entombed here...

We then went out into St Peter's Square which is huge and can hold 300 000 people.

This the balcony the Pope greets his people on...

Some guards that still wear the original designed uniforms made of wool. They must have been so hot...

The Pope's residence is the window on the top right level, second window in...

The blind is half down as he is away on summer break.

We then had a bit of free time and lunch. We will always remember this lunch as it cost us 76 Euros for 4 drinks, some pasta and chips! Next stop was the Colosseum. It is huge and the history and way it was built is so interesting. We can only wonder what went on with the gladiators all those years ago.

Ted came for a look...

We were then taken back to our motel for a rest. We decided to do the next optional tour which was a walking tour of some more sights of Rome. Once again our tour guide was Gwenina. First we went to the Trevi Fountain...

It was designed in 1732 and depicts Neptune's chariot being led by Tritons with sea horses -one wild and one docile - representing the moods of the sea. The Romans put so much thought in everything they built. It was very crowded but we got to the front and threw our coins in...

We then walked to the Pantheon. This is my favourite building in Rome. It was built in AD125. The amazing dome is 43 meters in diameter (exactly equal to it height) and not supported by any columns. It is windowless with the sunlight coming through a big hole at the top of the dome.

When it rains the water just comes in through the big hole and they built these little drains in the floor...

Fantastic monument! Scattered through the streets of Rome are these public drinking water fountains which were built by the ancient Romans and they tap into a underground spring water system. They all drink from them and fill up there water bottles. I was brave and had a taste...

A short walk from the Pantheon is the Piazza Navona, Rome's most public square. There are 3 big fountains, lots of restaurants, buskers and stalls set up. A great atmosphere...

We had some free time to wander and we had dinner in this little restaurant...

Then back to the motel exhausted and we had to pack as we were leaving Rome early in the morning and our suitcases had to be outside our door by 6.45 am!