Italy December 2010

I was lucky enough to go to Rome and Florence in early December. I went on a "Fam" trip with a group of travel agents and a couple guides, and it was awesome! We arrived separately in Rome, and were whisked away to our hotel in Rome - The Mediterraneo. It was a beautiful hotel, art decco style, and their service was wonderful. After a 30 plus hour flight they made me feel relaxed right away. They whisked me to their rooftop restaurant where I had Turbo with artichokes - delicious!

This is a picture of the Vatican Museum. I love how the ceiling looks like it is glowing. It was pretty cold during our stay, but the sun was out that day and it was streaming in the windows of the museum to create this affect. Gorgeous.

I did see the Sistine Chapel, which was spectacular, but obviously no pictures. This museum deserves hours of your time.

St Peter's in the afternoon. Apparently the square is never this empty, so we counted ourselves lucky. It is massive. The basilica is gigantic. There are markers on the floor where the Notre Dame would fit into it, and there is still tons of room left over. It is a gorgeous structure.

This is Michelangelo's roof at the Pantheon. Talk about gorgeous... apparently he pour the cement all in one go? I am not sure of the details, but I did hear that he was not responsible for the square effect, but the structure.

Me in Florence. I am getting pretty good at taking pictures of myself! I am in front of the Duomo, and in front of me are the Golden Doors. When I arrived in Florence I knew I was in Europe. I don't know if that statement does it justice, but it felt like the Europe of my imaginings. Cobblestones juxtaposed with trendy shops... even the storm drains are artistic in Florence.

I know I am jumping around in my trip, and I apologize. Here are the Roman Baths, and in front of them is the grounds where the Chariot Races used to take place.

This is the Roman Forum, and the pictures cannot do it justice. When i first caught a glimpse of the Forum i was overwhelmed... you get an acute sense of life from that time.... This picture does not show it, but when you stand overlooking the Forum from the back of the Capital you can see the Coliseum in the distance, so the entire way is right in front of you. The stage, the stalls for markets and crafts, the church... and in the background the sporting arena. These people lived and died here, and had many of the same hopes, dreams, and fears as us.

That's some of my trip. I apologize for my lack of photography skills... but i can assure you that i will go back!

View of the front of the Hotel Mediterraneo.