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March 31, 2006 - Friday - We fly
out of Tripoli to Rome in the afternoon and check into our deluxe hotel, the
Grand Palazzo Carpegna. Our bus that meets us at the airport
is also deluxe: a Mercedes with lots of room (since several of our group left us in Tripoli to return home
directly). The hotel rooms in the Grand
Palazzo Carpegna are tiny, but very well appointed. In
retrospect, this turns out to be the best accommodation we have in the two week
trip.
Before dinner a few of us gather in the hotel lounge and
have a couple of drinks over stories of our Libyan adventure. These drinks
are somewhat of an event, considering we have just traveled a week in a dry
country. The strongest drink you could order in Libya was an espresso!
Coastal area, Trapani, Sicily
enroute from Tripoli to Rome |
Mount Etna, Sicily
enroute from Tripoli to Rome |
Grand Palazzo Carpegna hotel, Rome |
New Smart sports car parked at the Grand Palazzo Carpegna hotel, Rome |
Our bus picks us up at 8pm this evening, and we proceed to Castel Gondolfo
for a tour of the Vatican Observatory.
 April 1, 2006 - Saturday - We had a very nice buffet
breakfast this morning before being picked up by our bus and taken to
Vatican City. Our guide met us there , and
then we proceeded to St. Peter's Basilica. After Vatican City, we boarded our
bus in an underground parking lot, and then our driver and tour guide took us on
a whirlwind tour of the central part of Rome. This was absolutely useless in my
opinion, but at least it took less than an hour. Once we were dropped off, our
guide gave us a short walking tour of the centre of Rome, which was more
interesting and useful. The best part was after our guide left us at the Trevi
Fountain. Our group split up to walk the city of Rome. Three others and myself
formed a group and the first thing we did was find a restaurant and have some
lunch. I had pizza, which was very good. After lunch, we walked the immediate
area.
Ponte Vittorio Emanuele II as seen from Ponte Amedeo as we cross the Tiber
River |
Roman aquaduct, Rome |
View of the Domus Augustana or the Domus Flavia across the Circus Maximus,
Rome |
Roman Colosseum, Rome |
Roman Colosseum, Rome |
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The National Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II, Rome |
Two statues and the grand staircase, west side of the National Monument to
Vittorio Emanuele II |
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The Pantheon, Rome
aka Basilica di Santa Maria ad Martyres
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The Pantheon, Rome |
A shaft of light from the hole in the Pantheon dome, Rome |
Inside the Pantheon, inlaid marble floors & marble columns, Rome |
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Trevi Fountain, Rome
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Roman ruins in Rome |
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Traiano Column & Forum, Rome |
Traiano Forum, Rome |
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Basilica Santi Cosma Damiano
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Entrance, Basilica Santi Cosma Damiano |
The Sanctuary, Basilica Santi Cosma Damiano |
Fresco, vaulted ceiling, Basilica Santi Cosma Damiano |
The big apsis in front, with the mosaics behind: the parousia of Christ,
between the saints, Basilica Santi Cosma Damiano |
Three chapels, pews in sanctuary, 2 confessionals,
pulpit, Basilica Santi Cosma Damiano |
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Roman Forum
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Roman Forum, Rome |
Arch of Titus, Roman Forum |
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Arch of Septimus Severus, Basilica Julia and Column of Phocas to right,
Roman Forum |
Arch of Septimus Severus, Basilica Julia and
Column of Phocas, Temple of Saturn, Roman Forum |
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Vatican Observatory or
Vatican City
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