Roma 10/19-20

October 19, 2012

We are flying from from Frankfort to Rome; outside the window I can see the most amazing sight: the Alps of Switzerland.  When I read Heidi as a child (or maybe Dad read it to us), I pictured the green fields on the mountains and the rugged, snow-capped peaks.  I can see them from the plane with a river and some lakes.  The captain came on the speaker to say we had just passed over Zurich.  Now we are out of the mountains, so I see cultivated fields

The part of the airport we were in in Frankfort is new, according to the Lufthansa magazine, but I don't think much of it.  We must have walked over a mile from Terminal 2 to 1A.  There were no passenger carts except the ones going the other way.  For a long time there were no moving sidewalks either.  We had to go through passport control and security again.  By the time we got to gate A32, I   very hot and tired.  It took about an hour.  Both of us got hand scanned.

Now I see some lower hills and some towns.  One may even be a city.  Both seem to be built along a river.  Oh--more little towns.  It looks very picturesque.  I wish I were down there.  We seem to be slowing down.  Maybe we are about to get to Rome. There is a big lake too. (I'm still having trouble with this little keyboard.)

They told us the Lufthansa airbus we rode yesterday carried 500 passengers.  I think all the seats must have been filled.  The first and business passengers were upstairs.  I was VERY crowded in the middle seat with Garrett on one side and a stranger on the other.  I couldn't go to sleep for a long time, and it was a short night.  The food was pretty good. They served wine at no cost.  By the time the attendants got back to row 87, the chicken was all gone, so we had pasta with salad, bread, and tiramisu.  For breakfast there was omelet with veggies, fruit, and bread.

We are flying lower now.  I can see the lake.  The terrain has changed again.   The fields are like England and look like they are separated by hedgerows.  There are areas of woods and vineyards and orchards.  It is really pretty.  There are single houses like farms and rows of houses made of brick or stucco and finished with red tile roofs.

When we arrived at the airport, there was someone waiting for us.  On the way to our hotel the driver pointed out some of the sights.  We got settled and have walked around near the hotel and train station before getting a bite to eat.

I am so sleepy I can't type.  More tomorrow.

 

October 20

We had a driving tour this morning in a Mercedes with another couple.  The driver spoke pretty good English, but the other man was strange.  He was down on Catholics, the Mafia, and gypsies; he was a grass seed farmer from Oregon.  He was very interested in how much property is owned by the Vatican. 

We stopped at the top of the Spanish steps, and later at a church and gate at the bottom.  There was a good view of the city, and it was a beautiful day.  There was already a big crowd at Trevi fountain by 10 a.m.  We went into the church there for a few minutes.  Celeste,  I have already taken some pictures of scooters for you.  One had 2 front wheels.  I haven’t seen any Vespas yet.

 

Inside the Pantheon, there was a small band with drums that marched out just after we entered.  I read that the dome on that building was the largest built at the time.  As the builders went up, they made the top lighter by leaving a sort of closed honeycomb and lighter materials.  It is finished with an open oculus for meditation on the sky.  Rain can come in there.

We spent some time at Piazza Navona.  The sun was very bright and hot on the hordes of people there.  There were several painting vendors.  I think Rome and Egypt must have had something going; we have already seen several obelisques.  I love the trees here in Rome.  We have seen tall pillars of evergreen and pines that have flattened tops, some the guide called platten with white trunks and pretty foliage.  At Garibaldi square we saw the wolf with Romulus and Remus.  At the Pallentine we stopped for pictures.  The crowds at the Coloseum were huge.  We may try to go there early tomorrow.

 

We passed St. Peter’s basilica and saw paintings on the front of the 6 people who will be beatified tomorrow.  The Spanish-speaking nun a our hotel said the Pope will do the ceremony tomorrow morning and appear on the balcony.  It looked like there were big screens set up for the people outside.

We rested after lunch and went to the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, said to be decorated with gold from the New World.  It certainly is beautiful.  Some of the side chapels had services going on, and a mass started before we left.  Hordes of visitors were inside.  At one chapel the people began to sing “Amazing Grace” a capella as the white-robed priests left.