September 28 - Rome

This morning we went to the Hotel Milton to meet up with our tour group.  The hotel was originally an 18th century convent. It is a nice hotel but it is need of a general upgrade.  It is showing its age.  The room was, as we were told to expect, smaller than North American hotel rooms but it was very efficiently laid out.  It has a quite bar and a nice breakfast room.

While introducing ourselves to the tour director, Barbara, she informed us that I was just one of six men among 29 women.  I hope that doesn’t influence the itinerary with an over emphasises on shopping.  The group has Canadians, Australians, Americans, New Zealanders and South Africans.

Our hotel has an interesting “green” feature.  You must insert your room key into a reader turn on the electricity.  That way when you leave your room, the lights, TV and AC go out automatically and that saves energy. The only drawback is that you can’t charge your laptop while you’re out.

We went for a walk before lunch and found our way to the Coliseum area. At the restaurant Marg chose a Barolo wine from the Piedmont area of Italy. The waiter was so impressed with Marg’s selection that I thought he was going to sit down and join us for a glass.  Ken would love it here.  Each meal has a pasta dish.

After lunch we went to the Coliseum, but because we are going to go inside with the tour tomorrow, we only took some exterior pictures.  On our way back to the hotel we walked through an area known as the Domus Aurea.  This area contained the villa of Nero that was built after the great fire in 64AD. It unfortunately was closed for safety reasons.

Coliseum

Domus Aurea

Later I went to the Archbasilica of San Giovanni in Laterino  (St. John’s).  This is one of the four cathedrals in Rome and is the administrative headquarters for the Roman Catholic Church in Rome, as opposed to the Vatican.  It has its own Bishop.  The actual church was first built by Constantine in the fourth century and rebuilt in the sixteenth century in Baroque style.  The church has many spectacular works of art including statues of the disciples which form a walk of fame to the main alter.  It is easily one of the most impressive churches that I have ever visited.

San Giovanni Catheral

San Giovanni Catheral

The tour went out for dinner at restaurant with live entertainment.  Given our poor track record with this type of dinner theatre I was not expecting too much talent.  There was a folk singer and a flutist. They performed every song that you have heard in Mafia movie that contains a wedding scene.  I would have to say though that it did not suck.

Marg gets a rose

We then had a bus trip and saw St. Peters and the Coliseum under the lights.  Apparently the Pope was not at home.

Later back at the hotel we meet up with some Australian ladies for drinks. They quickly invited us to stay with them should we ever decide to visit Australia.  With these invitations from Trish and Lorraine along with the invitation by John and  Ellen from last year's River Boat Cruise, we won't be lacking for places to stay during our vacation down under.