Venice, Florence and Rome, Italy with the Thai girlfriend

[alitongkat]

you can have something blessed...

the car keys could be a classic(?)...
think, i would seek to have my wallet blessed...

[Looper]

for an audience with the Pope

man, if its for free, i would go there, too...

Don't worry, it's available on Kickass. Not as good as an Audience with Billy Connolly I thought!

[S Landreth]

We went to visit the Pope at St. Peter's Square. We arrived early and stood in one of three lines into the square and let in at 8:00 am.

Some brides and grooms were there to try to get the Popes blessings.

The girlfriend took-off running (me following) and grabbed a seat in the second row. It was like being at a horse race. Soon as the gate opened, she was off and running (only one other young girl started following her as she passed her by). Because of the pushing and shoving nearing the gate, she was a few visitors ahead of me.

Plenty of security and everyone getting ready for the Pope to arrive.

Special seating for the Handicap

At about 10:15 am the Pope arrived and circled the square greeting his audience (kissing babies, etc).

After being seated he gave a speech which was summarized in more than a few different languages (Thai wasn't one of them).

Deep thought or resting?

I don't know if I like this picture or look.

After the ceremony the Pope started to greet some of his visitors. We waited a bit to let the Square empty out before we left. There were about 4 rows of people who stayed behind hoping the Pope would come to visit them.

[S Landreth]

Went for a nice walk yesterday starting at the Colosseum, then to the Roman Forum / Palatine Hill before visiting the National Monument to Victor Emmanuel II (the first king of a unified Italy).

Colosseum

Roman Forum

We also took a ride to the top of the Altare della Patria Monument to view the Piazza Venezia (and get a panoramic view of Rome).

[S Landreth]

The oldest fresh market in Rome (Campo de Fiori Fresh Market) was established in 1869 in the Campo de Fiori neighborhood.

We went to visit the market yesterday and afterwards we went to see the Pantheon (no tickets needed).

[padeedy]

I love Venice, and have been there several times. The first time was when I was 12 years old, with the Boy Scouts, and we stayed in a Priests' seminary next to Santa Maria della Saluta, opposite Saint Marks' Square. That was 60 years ago. Still nothing has changed. Venice is unique, and everybody should see it before they die. But please do not try to appreciate it on a day trip. You must stay there for a few days at least, and explore as much as possible on foot (no cars, of course!)

I have taken my lovely Thai wife there twice, and she loved it. We stayed once in a small hotel called Hotel Canal e Walter, opposite the railway terminus. Great canal views, and a lovely back garden to enjoy your breakfast.

[sabang]

Some more tourist averse and budget conscious travellers are bypassing Venice and Florence these days, in favor of Padua and Verona. Damn, it's a shame you can't have Venice to yourself. A dream holiday SL, and a great thread- cheers.

Can't believe I've never made it to Italy. Definitely on my bucket list- 'see Venice and die'? I read a fat book, years ago, by Jeremy (Lord) Norfolk- a lifelong lover and scholar of Venice, with the money to be so. What a history, what a place.

Is it worth while to observe that there are no Venetian blinds in Venice?
William Dean Howells

[S Landreth]

Couple days ago the girlfriend requested no more churches. She had seen enough and I agreed so we went to visit as many (prominent) fountains as we could find in Rome.

Couple of them we had already visited, but I'll post all of them here.

Trevi Fountain

The three fountains in the Piazza del Popolo

Fontana del Tritone (being refurbished)

Fountain of St. Peter's Square by Bernini

Vatican Garden Fountain (behind Art Museum)

Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi

The Moro Fountain

Fountain of Moses

Fontana del Pantheon

Fountains of the Bees

Fontana della Barcaccia

The Turtle Fountain

Fontana delle Naiadi

Campo dei Fiori Fountain

II Babuino

Some random fountains in Rome along the way

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Yesterday we rented a scooter to visit a few different neighborhoods and ran into a couple landmarks (Castle Sant'Angelo & Tiber Island).

[S Landreth]

We tried Rome's subway system (and buses out), to get to a few places a couple days ago. You can purchase a ticket for a one way trip, 1, 3 or 7 day ticket. There's nothing to it and it is easy to get around. They only have two lines (Line A & Line B in the link) now but are building another to open in a few years. As I have been told it's a slow go because at almost every turn there seems to be archaeological sites that need to be checked before tunneling can continue.

We went to see Villa Borghese (Rome's Central Park) and spent some time there, Aurelian Walls/Villa Bonaparte/Porta Pia and Villa Torlonia but did not go into the museum and visited Rome's Main Terminal (Bus/Train/Subway all meet).

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Yesterday we spent part of the day underground in Rome. Both places we visited; San Clemente and The Catacombs of Saint Sebastian, had at least two tiers and dated back to the 1st century A.D.

No pictures were allowed but I was able to get a few at each site.

San Clemente

Catacombs of Saint Sebastian

The start of Appian Way.

[S Landreth]

Back in Thailand for a very short stopover and I have to say we enjoyed Italy and we are looking forward to getting back.

The last full day in Rome I spent; some of it, cycling along the Tiber River. It was a nice way to spend part of a beautiful day.

Couple of fishermen

As you can tell from the limb perched up on the pier, you can't use this route year-round

About our last hotel stay at the Babuino 181,.it's a nice small hotel located in a great spot. Below are just a few shots.

I have to say, I didn't have a bad meal while in Italy (but the girlfriend did tell me, not every Italian can make a pizza after eating a bad piece in Rome). One of our favorite restaurants while in Rome was the Dilla: https://www.facebook.com/ristorantedilla

[oldgit]

Did the girl friend get her bottom pinched while in Italy? the Italians are well known bottom pinchers.

[MauroR]

Thank you for the beautiful reportage, from Italian I would like to sincerely ask you ... what do you think of Italy ..... strengths and weaknesses. thanks