Dig Dem Bones

Greetings once again from Rome, family and friends!

We have been over the city again today...beginning with an early trip on the Metro to the Vatican City- be sure to wear long pants or skirts and to cover your shoulders...hats are also not permitted. We did not see the Pope today, but the Vatican was quite beautiful in any case. We followed a free tour and learned quite a bit about the construction.

Following the Vatican, we passed on the Sistine Chapel, as it was so hot and the line-up was LONG! We bought postcards instead...

We headed then towards Castel sant-Angelo, walked along the river, then crossed the stinky cesspool they call a river...heading toward the Piazza Navona, where the piazza was filled with many artists, vendors and tourists!

They also had many fountains, but we could not get near them as they were barred off. we then left the Piazza and headed over to the Pantheon, which was amazing, but very warm and crowded with vendors again.

We hiked over to the bus stop and took it to catch another bus for the catacombs of San Calisto. Finding the bus was some effort in the scorching sun, but we made it and found ourselves on a bus filled with other Canadians and Americans, so we swapped stories while we waited.The Catacombs were quite interesting but we only saw the bones of two people, which Amber was quite dissapointed by! It was good, however, to get in out of the sun for a while.

The ride home was interesting as they attempted to stuff the bus...imagine the volkswagon bug stuffing contests of the 60s and70s...that was us...Amber was squashed up against the door and under some guys armpit...ha ha...We tried some gelato on the return trip home before the metro,and gelato (ice cream) was magnifico! Must have some more before we leave!!

We attempted to get some information about the trains from the Termini, but were turned off by the LONG lineups...will search the net instead! Now we are home for the day and tired, dirty and exhausted!

Our day yesterday consisted of visits to the Colliseum, the Roman forum, Palatine Hill, Trevi Fountain and number of churches, basilicas and other things. We had lunch at a local Pizzaria, where Amber was courted by a young waiter...three kisses and his phone number! Amber was ten shades of red by that point...the pizza was good though!We sat out on the terrace and met many of the other travellers here at the hostel...many Americans, Aussies, and quite a good looking-my-age-Irish chap, who just happens to be staying in our room!

Time to get going with some supper, as we are very hungry...will most likely report next from Nice, if we can figure out the train!

-Jude and Amber...in ROMA!