This is going to be a long blog entry – so I apologize in advance. For the last 8 days, Cindy and I have been in Italy with my parents. This was one of those “trips-of-a-lifetime” being able to share this adventure with my wife, mom and dad.
We left from Washington, DC and flew all night. We made our connecting flight in Paris and arrived in Venice the following morning. One of the more spectacular views from the airplane was the site of the Swiss Alps.
After checking into our hotel, we explored the island for the remainder of the day. We had dinner at a quaint family-owned pizzaria – simply amazing.
After dinner, we walked to the Rialto Bridge and enjoyed a cone of gelato along the way. The Rialto Bridge crosses the Grand Canal. It is filled with markets, shops, and crafts people. And it is one of the most spectacular venues in the evening.
Probably the highlight of the city for all of us was touring the Basilica San Marco located in the heart of Piazza San Marco. The architecture is remarkable dating back to 828 AD and the history is even more inspiring.
The piazza is massive and difficult to capture in a picture or video. It is surrounded by cafes and restaurants,..and lots of birds. Feeding the birds is a favorite pastime for many visitors. Cindy and my mom got in the action (my dad did as well) and I was able to capture a couple of great pictures and some very cool video.
After a few days in Venice, we rode the Eurostar train from Venice to Rome. It’s a beautiful ride through Tuscany and the Italian countryside of fields and vineyards. The four hour journey dropped us at the Termini Station in Rome. Our car was waiting and we were whisked off to our hotel in the Via Veneto district close to the American Embassy. After checking in, we walked around the area to the Spanish Steps and got a little cone of gelato.
The next few days were packed. We were up early to make our way to the Basilica San Paulo.
Here, behind the grille, you can see the side of the sarcophagus that is the Tomb of St. Paul the Apostle. The chains above the grille are, according to an undisputed ancient tradition, the chains that compelled St. Paul to live as a prisoner in Rome.
After visiting this Basilica, we had to run to the other side of Rome to the Piazza Navona to meet up with a tour group. This English-speaking tour would take us to several of the highlights of Rome including the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, The Roman Forum, and the Coloseum. Our guide was great and very knowledgeable (a PhD in archeology and Roman history).
After our tour, we took the subway back to our hotel for some dinner. And then we jumped on the “Hop On, Hop Off” bus that literally drives you around Rome. With the pass, you can get off at 17 different stops. Every 15 minutes, another bus arrives to continue the circuit. It was a great way to see the city and some of the places we might never have seen.
The next two days are kind of a blur! We did some shopping, ate lots of food, made visits to historical sites, and toured the Vatican and Museums. Certainly one of the highlights was seeing up close Michelangelo “Pieta” (the only sculpture he ever signed) and the Sistine Chapel.
It was an incredible week! After a couple of days of rest, I’m off to Texas now to teach at “magic camp” in Longview!