Vacanze Romane

On Friday, we got back from our Roman holiday. We blew the diet and ate authentic Italian food, and saw the sights of Rome, like:

The Coliseum

What's left of the Temple of Saturn (king of the Roman gods)

In the Vatican, St. Peter's basilica, the biggest Catholic Church in the world

A modern art exhibit called "Trash People" in the Piazza del Popolo; it consisted of 1,000 figures made of trash, serving as a commentary on today's consumer culture (the white blob at the "neck" is someone's kleenex they stuffed in there!).

We also got up close and personal with some sheep when we visited the catacombs at the edge of the city. Sheep are LOUD.

We visited a beautiful art museum located on the property of a wealthy cardinal who collected the art in the 16th-17th century; the surrounding land is now a beautiful public park for runners and people walking dogs.

The city is an interesting mix of the ancient and the modern, like this "gladiator" reading the daily paper. I had to sneak this picture; otherwise, you have to pay for the privilege.

Naturally, we (I) bought a few souvenirs, including some scarves at this store; we were disappointed to find out that the cat advertised for 5 euros was, in fact, NOT for sale. Yes, this is a real cat.

And then finally it was time to head home.

By The Numbers:

Fettucine alfredo: 1 meal
Spaghetti: 3 meals
Pizza: Lost count
Plane trip home: 10 hours, 15 minutes
Trips to gelaterias (that sell gelato): 4
Rainy Days: 2
Visits to McDonalds: 1 (only had Cokes!)
Number of times Valerie sat down on a toilet outside the hotel room: None
Tombs/crypts visited: Hundreds, counting the catacombs
Number of times we saw the current pope: None
Paintings bought: 3 small watercolors
Books bought: 9
Books read during trip: 4 (John) and 2 (Valerie)
Average price per slice of bread brought to the table as an appetizer: 1 euro
Woke up an hour earlier than planned: Once
Visits to supermarket: 1
Number of times John's mom was approached by a street vendor: Every time she walked out the door
Number of times John's mom was aggressively surrounded by women begging for money for their babies (who are already provided for by the Italian government): Once
Modes of travel used: 6 (car, plane, train, bus, bicycle, walking)
Meals at the Hard Rock Cafe: 1
T-shirts bought at the Hard Rock Cafe: 2
Visits to the fabulous Fabriano stationery store, which was established in the year 1264: 2
Pictures taken on the trip: 697
What it feels like to sleep in one's own bed again: Priceless