Headed off this morning at 8.45am.

By taxi.

( It's a long way round Rome!)

Beautiful day.
Forecast 22 degrees and sunny.

Took the taxi to the Colosseum to catch the first Hop On Hop Off Bus.
No problem.
Two stops to The Vatican.
Hopped off and wandered into Piazza San Pietro.
St Peter's Square.

( Which is a circle.
But I knew that from last time.)

The queue to get into St Peter's Basilica started on the very far left hand side of the square and made it's way all round the square to end up at the security check point on the far right hand side of the square.
St Peter's is free to get in and I hadn't booked a ticket.
Everything I had read said that the queue moved quickly.
That being said, if you could have seen how many people were in the queue, you would wonder how they were all going to fit in.
So I made my way to the left and joined the queue.
Twenty minutes from there to inside St Peter's.
Amazing.
Gave some very dirty looks to several queue jumpers.
( Didn't feel the queue jumping or my dirty looks was quite in the spirit of the place but felt compelled.)
Water off a duck's back though.
They studiously ignored me.

People took my photo.
I took theirs.

Inside is just breathtaking.
And I knew a lot more about it this time.

First stop, Michelangelo's Pieta.
Directly on your right as you walk in.
I followed lots of tour groups there but was able to just quietly make my way to the front.
And stand and gaze.
It is magnificent.
It was created in 1499 when Michelangelo was just 25.

What was I doing when I was 25?
Nothing like that.

It now stands behind glass after the young man attacked it with a hammer in 1972.

Just wandered from point to point.

The Baldacchino is huge.
I really didn't understand the significance of this last time.
I have done a lot of reading since then.
It was made in 1624 as the canopy to stand above the Papal Altar, a plain slab of marble, at which only the Pope may say Mass.
The alter stands directly above the tomb of St Peter in the Grottoes below.
St Peter.
One of Jesus' 12.
That's over 2000 years ago.

The history here is amazing.
The Dome is not painted.
All the images are created in mosaic tiles.
It took 300 years to completely decorate the Basilica.

Had a very nice relaxing time inside St Peter's.
And then wandered out into the square.
Went into The Vatican Post Office.
Why not?
Small country.
Interesting post office.
Wandered the square.
Looked up ... all around ... at amazing statues.

Had a lovely lunch at a small restaurant I had discovered earlier for morning tea.
( You tend to base eating on toilet stops.
Find one you like, and you go back.)

Fettuccini for lunch.
( Half a coissant for morning tea.)

Then headed back for the bus.

Next stop the Trevi Fountain.
Oh ...
They are doing work on this.
Scaffolding all over it.
And no water.
Oh ...
I was really looking forward to this ...
Oh well.
Sadly, nothing to write home about.

So ...
The Spanish Steps.
I LOVED THESE.
Though they should put the pots of flowers back, along each side of the steps.
It should match the pictures and the romantic image I have of them.
Sat here for ages.
Ate a gelati!
( Said I would, Andrew!)
Best gelati ever.
( Location helps.)
Walked up the steps.
Wondered at the view.
Had my photo taken on the steps ...
And by the fountain.

Just relaxed.
It was lovely.

Then, onto the Pantheon.
I got lost.
Several times.
Funny thing was, I recognised the way in the end from when we walked here last year.
How amazing is that?
No short term memory loss for me.
And it was great to see things I recognised!

The Pantheon is simply stunning.
It is the most extraordinary and best ancient preserved building in Rome.
( I may not have Internet but I have a brochure!)
The Pantheon was built in the year 118.
Got that?
118.
Huge columns create the massive entrance.
There is a huge circular opening in the dome that lets in the only light.
There are smalls drainage holes in the marble floor to let any rain water drain away.
And it is huge.
You are not supposed to talk in there.
They request silence.
Every so often, several announcements are made in several different languages, asking for silence.
The only one that has any effect is the universal,
Shhhhhhhhhh ....

Backtracked to the Trevi Fountain.
Easier this time as I had my landmarks.
Then to the bus.
Hopped off at the Colosseum.
Had dinner ( at 4.30pm) at a little cafe I know.
And continued the walk home.

Now, this morning, trying to go down in the lift to breakfast, the lift went up instead.
To the rooftop.

( There's a rooftop?)

An Irishman was heading up there and it seems I went along for the ride.

The lift doors opened and he hopped out.
I took one look at the view ...
And I followed him.
It is a spectacular view from up there.

So, after I got back this afternoon, I headed to the rooftop to write the blog and watch the sunset.
It was lovely.
Met and chatted to several people.
One couple from the US.
Flew here, having a few days then cruise ship around the coast of Italy, France, Portugal etc, then across the sea to home.
Sounded rather nice.
Watched the sunset and took lots of photos.

Lovely day in Rome.