02/12/2012 - Well, here we are in Rome. Flew in from Istanbul yesterday and arrived mid afternoon. We're staying near the Vatican, St Peter Guest House. Beautiful boutique hotel/B&B located right next to the Vatican on via Ottaviano


. Slight glitch when we went to check in. They had us booked in as a
single, not a double, and they ere full up for the night. The
receptionist, Roxana, made a couple of quick calls and soon sorted the
problem. The single room had a small double bed in it which would be OK
for us for one night, then we could move into another room the next
night. To make amends for the stuff up, they upgraded us to a suite for
no extra charge - now that's service. If you decide to come to Rome,
then stay here. The rooms are wonderful, rates are really reasonable
(for Rome), and the location is perfect (right next to the Vatican and a
Metro station for easy access to the rest of the city).

Spent a couple of hours strolling down the streets, just getting our bearings
and seeing what is around. Plenty of shopping (if that's what takes
your fancy), plenty of wine bars, and plenty of restaurants (at least we
won't go hungry or thirsty).

So, today's agenda - Colosseum, Piazza del Repubblica, and the Trevi Fountain. All spread
across the city, but fortunately all accessible via the Metro train
system. Just a matter of buying a couple of tickets and starting at one
end of the line and working our way back. So, all the attreactions.
Worth seeing? Definitely. Pictures and books don't do them justice. They
are grand in their scale. And beautiful in their detail and
craftmanship. A very pleasant day of sightseeing. And eating. And
drinking coffee. Rome is truly one of the great cities of the world.

03/12/2012 - Today we visited the Vatican. What can one say? Overwhelming in its
grandiosity. Opulent in its splendor. Breathtaking in its scope. What
more can one say? Nothing, except to say it is all you would expect, and
more. While the Islamic Mosques were just as grandiose in size, there
was a simplicity in their beauty. With the Christian structures, there
are layers and layers of complexity. It's as if each successive
generation has attempted to make their mark by adding more complex
murals and edifices than the previous generation. Each addition serves
to make the monuments even more grandiose and complex.

That being said, standing in the middle of the square, or the basilica, or
beneath the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, you are aware of the creation
of something great. Do yourselves a favor - come over and see it.

04/12/2012 - Today is our last day in Rome. And our plans have changed again. After
flying from Abu Dhabi to Istanbul and then to Rome, we've decided that
flying around isn't our cup of tea. So, we've decided to hire a car for
the next two weeks and spend the time touring the length and breadth of
Italy. Starting from Rome we plan to drive down to Sorrento,
along the Amalfi coast across to Lecce, north to San Marino, across to
Florence, then to Lake Garda before heading to Milan, where we'll fly out to Prague to meet up with Sam, Jake and Emily for Christmas. Anyway, that's the plan today at least.

So Rome. Loved it. Loved the food, the people, the city. Truly one of the
classic cities of the world. Put it on your bucket list of things to do.
You won't be disappointed.