There’s No Place Like Rome!!!

Ciao to all. The junket is going well. Enough wine has been consumed and enough pasta, pizza, and gelato have been enjoyed to make all of you proud of us. The days seem to pass so quickly; no sooner do we settle into a place then we are off to the next. We’ve come close to missing a ferry and a train and even discovered in the eleventh hour that we were short a set of train tickets, but Ashleigh and I managed to make everything work…thanks be to God.  I must add, that the farther away from home we go, the more folks we discovered from our own back yard. We have run into a goodly number of fellow travelers from Virginia and D.C. We even met someone who lives only a few blocks from Stringfellow. It is always great to run into someone from your own neck of the woods who is also hitting the road on a junket. Romans sincerely believe that all roads lead to Rome. No surprise then that I decided to take a photo of  me on an ancient Roman road in Pom Peii.

Totally usable ancient Roman road in Pompeii.

All roads lead to Rome.

During the time I spent in Rome, Italians celebrated their independence day. This is the day that Italy was liberated from the oppression of the Nazi occupation and the fascist regime. This is an Italian national holiday, and notably, it has been 73 years since this liberation took place. Only 73 years means that this liberation is within the living memory of a fair number of Italians. Many recall the horror of the oppression of the Nazi rule, and those same recall of the joy of the end of it. Those too young to recall the horror or the joy, know of it because they have been taught. Everyone celebrates. The parks are full; the restaurants are bustling; the piazzas are bursting. This April 25, people stayed outside long after sunset. Actually, many celebrated into the next day. It was amazing to witness this commemoration, and I was glad I was there. Romans love art; Romans love their history; they love food and wine;  they love their morning cup of espresso or cappuccino;  they love the afternoon aperitivo; they love long lunches and very late dinners; they adore their dogs; they just love life a heck of a lot. Here’s some of what I saw.

View from the top of the Spanish Steps at night. Fabulous!!!

Fresh herbs and flowers at a street market.

Fresh and colorful fruits from another market….there are so many street markets.

View from inside one of the Vatican Museums. The window was open….soooo (allora)

The Colosseum….a marvel.

One more of this.

Okay…one more.

The Trevi….not the only fountain in town, but for sure, unforgettable.

Just beautiful.

Ashleigh drinking from a small Bernini fountain…you can actually touch this scalloped shaped fountain by the great artist. It is located in the square that bears his name.

Another one of Bernini’s works you may know about…David..the stone looks like flesh. Bernini used his own likeness for the statue.

Ashleigh makes friends with a cutie.

The only way to travel for quite a few brave souls.

Afternoon snacks….usually free with the price of a drink….so civilized.

The drinks.

Entertainment on the square, enjoyed by young and old alike.

Me on the Spanish Steps. Can you tell how I feel about Roma?

Well, if it is true that all roads lead to Rome, then all roads lead out of Rome as well. I don’t want to leave here…even for Florence. This Unseasoned Traveler could stay here for a very long time. See you soon.