Now he lives in the islands, fishes the pilin's And drinks his green label every day"

It is Sunday. We clean the apartment. I never did figure out the disposal days. Food waste was on Tuesday and Friday. Recycles are on Thursday. Paper was Monday and Saturday. The pickup is between 9:30 AM and 11AM. It is surprising, you put the small plastic bags (no garbage cans of any size) out by the door and the bags disappear. No large garbage trucks appear. Small trucks designed for the streets of Rome stop and the small bags are picked up by hand.

We have been told to get up at 2 AM to assure that we are ready for the taxi to the airport at 3PM. This is our first time flying into the US. We have no idea what to expect. We are intimidated. It will be an early night.

I start going through my checklist to assure that I don't miss too much. I practice packing to see if I can get everything in the carry-on and backpack. We are told that flying back to the States, you need at least 3 hours for security.

We go out for lunch. It is Christmas in Rome. The first of the decorations appeared on a store next door about seven days ago. Slowly, other stores began to show the Christmas spirit. Romans are reasonable about the merchandising of Christmas. They wait until Christmas is less than thirty days away. They do not have Thanksgiving as a trigger for shopping. There is no Black Friday or Internet Monday.

With Christmas twenty-six days away, the stores and the streets are decorated with lights and ornaments. Caroline and I saw the workmen unloading the props last night as we were walking back from the movies.

Betty has heard of a great pizzeria within walking distance. She has the address. We know the area well enough to be confident we will find this gem.  We are no longer tourist. We are more like really temporary part-time residents. The Pizzeria is closed on Sunday.

It has been a leisurely stroll. We retrace our steps and choose a restaurant with outdoor tables.  "Il Fresco" is mandatory for restaurants in Italy. However, in general, Italy does not have the broad boulevards of Paris. The exception is the Via V. Vento area of Rome (Hard Rock Cafe's address). No problem. The restaurants simply requisition parking spaces in front of the restaurant and put barriers around the tables. It is not as dangerous as it sounds since the narrow streets have traffic restrictions which limit traffic. Anyway, the autos are small. The barriers are usually potted something and the umbrellas identify the area from a distance to the oncoming drivers.

There are exceptions like the restaurants facing the Victor Emannuel Monument. That has got to be the busiest corner in Rome.

When we finish lunch which included a glass of Prosecco, we go shopping. Europe, in general, does not have the concept of Department Stores. There is great shopping - Prada, Valentino, Boss, Armani, Polo, Burberry and all that you could want. But, they all have their own stores (which have a very big gentleman or two at the front door to protect you or to assure you do not leave without paying - but they do open the door for you and they dress well).

There is La Rinascente which is a close as you are going to get. Our first experience with La Rinascente was in Milan. Milan's La Rinascente is seven floors of dedicated shopping and a great food pavilion on the roof overlooking the Duomo.

La Rinascente is not really a department store as we know them. Each brand or designer has their own area within the store. The areas are clearly defined. It is cool, but different. So it is back to shopping individual shops but with an escalator.

I do have to mention that every city has had a Timberland store. Timberland is very big in Italy and they have great stuff - much better than the US stores.

Betty, Angela, Caroline and John decide to shop. I want to stay outside. We have been very lucky with the weather the whole trip. November and December are traditionally the wettest months in Italy. This day is in the fifties and sunny. I never really do get the hang of converting from Celsius to Fahrenheit.

There are great decorations in the Piazza where we have stopped. How do I know they are great. There is a guard making sure you do not sit down.

The store really reminds me of Forever 21. It is very cool place with a large video screen showing slides of Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga smiling at each other to prove it. Tony is wearing a Tuxedo. Lady Gaga hair is a very large afro. I am fascinated by the screen and people shopping. The music is pleasant.

Betty and the kids find me. They explain to me why I should not wander off. We wander back to the apartment taking a last look at the city we really like a lot.

For our last evening, in Rome we go back to the restaurant that we enjoyed earlier in the week. The restaurant founded in 1947. The staff remembers us. It is Sunday so there is not a lot of people in the restaurant. We try to be moderate in the food and drink with some success.

I know I should be able to offer details about all these great meals. I now know I should have kept notes of the menu, selection, preparation and presentation. But, you know it is a great reason to do it again.

I do not think anyone slept. I went to bed about 9 PM. I think I dropped off about 11 and woke up about 1:30 AM.  I am pretty sure Betty did not sleep. I am not sure about the kids. I doubt if it was more than two hours.

The van taking all five of us to Da Vinci International Airport arrives on time. The driver has a running dialogue about his city. Definitely, you can cover a lot of Rome sites at 3 AM. But, I think we all made a note that the next time, we will look into hiring a driver for a day as a guide. Besides Rome, I think it would be a great way to see Tuscany, especially, if you have a group of friends.

We arrive at the airport and it is closed. Well, almost. We find one door open. Nothing is open and we sit and wait. The terminal with KLM gates is closed.

We could have waited two hours in the apartment and gotten to the airport at 4:30.

John and Angela could have waited until 10AM. Their plane for London leaves shortly after noon. They will be at this airport for close to ten hours before their first plane takes off. They have a layover in London before landing in LA with a shuttle flight to Santa Barbara. I figured it out they will be traveling over 24 hours. That does not include time changes and they are going to try to get to work the next day.

As I have said, I learnt a lot. First lesson of the day, If your flight is not a direct flight to US, it is not a big deal. It is standard European security and passport check. Checking is a little bit of hassle since whole households including pots and pans are checking in.

Second lesson of the day, Air France is much nicer than KLM. A whole lot nicer, particularly the staff. It is a full plane. It is all economy class.

Third lesson of the day, do not try to transfer planes in Amsterdam unless you are paid to do so. The 24th ring of Dante's hell is KLM and Amsterdam Airport.

Amsterdam airport is huge. We exit the airplane and begin to look for those helpful overhead screens with flight details. There appears to be one for the entire terminal.

 Caroline who has a different flight out of Amsterdam than us. She flies to Seattle and then to San Diego. Caroline finds the information and we all begin a trek through the Amsterdam airport.

Caroline locates her gate and leaves us. Betty and I watch the monitors and discover that the gate has been changed and our plane is delayed. Give me the friendliness of Italy. Amsterdam is big and feels impersonal. As opposed to Italy were I felt some comfort with the language, this airport is a strange land.

The flight is delayed three hours. Of course, we find out one hour delay at a time.

When they begin to broad, we learn lesson four. Entry into the US is lengthy. You do not have to take off your shoes. But, everyone gets a body scan, a pat down and open luggage. The security people are not friendly and enjoy the power too much. It takes slightly more than an hour to board the full plane.

Lesson Five, don't stand and wait in line for an hour. Just sit down near by. Have a coffee. Go to the bathroom. When the line is down to twenty or so in front of you, get in line.

Lesson Six, pay the money and obtain "CBP Global Eligibility".

KLM takes the United Airlines approach to passenger comfort. None. Economy is economy. Services is minimal. I fall asleep. I watch two movies. We arrive in San Francisco about four hours late.

We pass through Passport and Custom relatively quickly. The long line is visitors to the United States. The short line is American returning home. For some reason, we are directed to the "fruit and vegetable" line for an Xray of our luggage. We inform the inspector that we have neither. He apologizes and we are back in the United States.

A trip through San Francisco International via the tram. Our car rental is quick and efficient. I honestly am nervous about driving. It is a little strange not to begin the conversation with the agent with "buongiorno".


We are home. Next adventure. Spring of 2016.

"I have to leave you now"

It is our second to last day in Italy. We leave Monday morning at 6:00 AM.

Betty and I have been traveling since October 6th. We are excited to get home and get back into a routine. We have been invigorated by having the kids with us the last two weeks. It has helped. The Roman apartment has helped also. It is comfortable and we have a home if only for two weeks.

We are content with Italian cable TV. There are tons of channels. Italians love their News channels judging by the  number available. Italians love to shop. Just like the US, there are, at least, fifteen QVS type channels. They are all in Italian.

We have found the "Crime" channel which has Matlock and Law & Order reruns. We originally found the channel in Siena and it is now our "go to" channel. We have learnt to change the language to English.

We do watch Italian TV in the morning. We can follow the Italian news somewhat - but we need a lot of video. In Europe, they do not have the fascination with weathermen that we do in the US. Two minutes tops in an hour show.

Early morning on the "Crime" channel is a cop show from Belgium (in Flemish, figure that out) and a French police show which has followed us through Europe. Here, the show is in Italian.  Evenings are Matlock and Law and Order in English.

I have gained a great of respect for the actors who do "dubbing". These guys are geniuses. Matlock actually looks like he is speaking Italian.

Everyone is tired from three days of Metro and train rides throughout Rome and to Pompeii. It is Saturday and everyone goes their own way to shop or do laundry. We have bought some souvenirs along the way. But, the acquisitions have been minimal since we have had limited space. We have traveled fifty four days with two carry-on suitcases and two backpacks. With the next packing being for the trip home, we can jettison some personal items we no longer need and cramp gifts into our baggage.

I am a poor shopper. I am on my own. I believe the trick in buying souvenirs is to try to find items people will use and also feel that you put some thought and effort into the purchases. The problem is that this is a global marketplace. Thirty years ago, you could buy a gift from an Italian manufacturer or shop that was unique to Italy. The gift would be identified as Italian and special.

Now, you can find that same Italian designer brand with the same "Made in Italy" tag in a store in Woodfield Mall or on Michigan Ave..

The other issue with buying in a quaint Italian shop is the cost. It is actually cheaper to buy Italian goods in the US. First, there is the Italian sales tax of 22% (it is included in the price which makes comparison even more difficult). Then, there is the Euro/Dollar which is roughly a 20% premium to the dollar. Finally, there is the exchange rate that credit card companies charge which is anywhere from 2%-4%.

Europe is not cheap. But, worth it. But, this does make that special gift harder to find.

I decide to go for gifts that are decidedly Roman - soccer jerseys, hats and scarfs.

We are back to the apartment by about 1 PM. Betty and I suggest the Hard Rock Cafe for lunch. The Hard Rock has become our place. For Betty and I, who have had great Italian food, it is a respite  from antipasto, primo piatto and secondo piatto. The great thing about the Hard Rock Cafe, as with MacDonald's, is that Romans like it as much as we do. Good food is good food.

After a very American lunch, we break-up. John and Angela decide to visit the National Roman Museum at Il Palazzo Massimo alle Terme which is near the Piazzo de Republica and across the street from Termini Station. If all this sounds familiar, it is the location of the Baths of Diocletian. As I said in an earlier blog "turn your head and you see centuries". Also, I finally figured out why the train Station is called "Termini". The Roman name for a Bath complex is "Terme". The station borders the Baths of Diocletian.

Victor Emmanuel Monument

I think John and Angela want to be tourists by themselves. They flew in Monday afternoon after attending a wedding in Santa Barbara on Saturday. They have endured three flights and three airports. They have also lost nine hours to time changes. In four days in Rome, they have walked the Tiber river; marveled at the Pantheon; consumed great food and wine; shopped; learnt the Roman Metro system; visited the Colosseum twice; walked by Victor Emannuel Monument three times, been to the Sistine Chapel, St Peter's, the Roman Forum and all the other Forums and, finally, Pompeii. They have probably walked thirty five miles.

All the time, John and Angela have John's parents as guides. They deserve a break from us and have an adventure.

The Tiber River Stroll 

I think they enjoyed themselves. I am glad they are young and their bodies will forgive. Having Caroline, John and Angela with us has been the best gift possible.

Caroline decides that she wants to see "Hunger Games - Mockingjay" in English. She asks for volunteers. I volunteer. Caroline has located two theaters in Rome that are playing the movie in English. One is in an area of Rome that is the other side of the Tiber. We are not confident that we can find it. The other theater is just off a Metro "B" line station.

Pantheon

We elect this latter station since we will be traveling at night. The feature starts at 7:00 PM. It is December. It is dark by 5:30 PM.

Subway stations do change at night. they are quiet and darker. On the "A" train, we have company. As we transfer to the "B" train, we are now in a uncharted land. The "B" appears to be newer and our stop station is new. It is empty. We raise out of the station on the escalator to a part of Rome we have not experienced before.

The area is more current and newer. There must be a school or University near by. This is a part of Rome that tourist do not see often.

Caroline leads the way. She is very confident. I am lukewarm to the idea that we are walking in the right direction. I work on the theory that you look for crowds or gathering people walking in a purposeful manner. In short, follow the guy in front of you until you are sure you are lost.

In Rome, there are no signs. This is a multiplex with eight to ten theaters. In America, there would be parking and the building would be 4 stories high with flashing signage.

In Rome, the theater is around the corner and off the main boulevard. It is crowded. It is two stories high. Now, I realize that this is not a tourist area and I may have to actually in communicate in Italian.

We stand in line for the tickets (we think it is the line for tickets since everyone else is in this line). It dawns on me that there must be English speaking people here since the movie is advertised as in the original language. So, I may stutter and be embarrassed, but I will get tickets.

The Ticket Lady is very nice. In an exchange of Italian and English, Caroline and I have two tickets for Hunger Games. The tickets are in Italian but I am better at reading than speaking.

Google Translator is great, but I need WiFi. You can purchase data plans when you purchase an Italian SIM card to replace your US SIM card or when you purchase an Italian cellphone. We have done neither and have relied on Skype for calls home so we need wifi.

We stand in line for Coke Light (Diet). I get the coke, but have to go back for a cup. My guess is that I missed the clue that a coke cup cost extra. The counter man is helpful and we get a water cup which is free.

The theater has an interesting system. Each theater is numbered and there is basically a "go/no go" light above the entrance. Hunger Games is in one of the below ground level theaters. We are early so we wait. I approach the velvet rope keeper as to access. Firmly, "No". he says.

When you do not speak the language, there is an anxiety when you are waiting. "Did I miss something." "Why is that line moving and not mine." No matter how many times you are in the right line, the fear remains.

Sure enough, the green light goes on and we march down the steps. The theater room has stadium seating. Since this is Italy, everyone is talking. What if they talk throughout the movie? What is the proper etiquette for "shut up" in Italian.

No problem, when the trailers start (and there are great many), there is quiet. Yes, they have shut off cellphone cartoon. When the movie starts there is silence.

The movie itself is in English with Italian subtitles. I have no idea who makes up this audience. I am sure there are American students; American families living in Rome; Italians who want to practice their English skills (we hear a lot of Italian being spoken) and two American tourists.

Caroline enjoys the movie. Even through I have only seen the first Hunger Games movie and have not read the books, I can follow the plot. The first half of the movie, I try to read the subtitles. It is interesting how translations try to explain another language's idioms. Italian is a language of verbs and conjunction and opposed to English which is a language of nouns.

There is an intermission. Italians are polite and also want you to buy  refreshments.

When we leave, the streets are empty and we have to remember how we got here. Caroline again is much more confident that I am. Now, the station is really empty. We find the ticket machine (there is always a ticket machine - and one will work). On the "B" train to Termini. Transfer to the "A". A brief walk around the Spanish Steps (which still has tourists) and home.

I am sure that Rome has a great night life. Italians love their evening strolls after dinner and the crowds are very large. My experience is that after 10 PM, the streets begin to empty quickly. Shops and restaurants close about 10 PM. It might be a tourist area thing. But I have walked enough in Italy to be pretty sure that
I am right.

Tomorrow our last day in Italy and the trip home.

"Lava comes down soft and hot"

We celebrated American Thanksgiving in Rome with Caroline, John and Angela. A Thanksgiving to remember.

Every morning for the last seven days, my morning begins around 7 AM. I am an early riser. I dress and head to the Spanish Steps and MacDonald's.

Not very Italian you think. Obviously, it is the Italian thing to do judging by the number of Italians in front of me every morning. To be accurate, I am going to McCafe. In Italy, MacDonald's is separated into two distinct stores. McCafe is an expresso cafe. "Un Caffe" and brioche are the start of the day in Italy. For large orders of Americano, it is McCafe.

With Betty and I, it has been Latte Machiato and Croissants. With the kids now here, the order changes to  five Caffe Americano and donuts. We are able to shop for cream/milk and keep the cream/milk in the refrigerator.

"Buongiorno, cinque americano e due cioccolato donuts e tre pain cioccolato. per favore." Or, some resemblance of that in Italian. The response is "How many?" And, then you point a lot. it is "Pergo", "Grazie mille", "Arrivederci".
The donuts are more like cake than donuts. They are delicious and become a favorite. The Pane Cioccolato is very, very good and my favorite. How do they do it.? One answer is that they bake them there so they are warm and fresh.

I walk back to the apartment. I sometimes walk about hundred feet out my way to walk past the Spanish Steps. This is cool. Everyday I have this great feeling of belonging and excitement.

It is happening more often recently, people walk up to me and ask for directions in Italian. I have to answer "Americano". They realize their error and apologize in Italian. It has to be the haircut and scarf.

On Friday, we have decided to make the commitment to travel to Pompeii.

It is a commitment. Pompeii is about 19 miles south of Naples along the Mediterranean Sea. Naples is about 90 miles south of Rome.

We are up at 5:30. At 7:30  we are at the Metro Station which is about 300 feet just past the Spanish Steps. We arrive at the Termini Station (the main Rome Station) and hurry to buy our tickets for the train to Naples. We choose to take the Trenitalia which leaves hourly for Naples. Trenitalia trains are very nice and very fast at about 176 mph. My only compliant remains I can never get a working wifi connection.

By 9:30, we are in Naples. From my limited one day experience Naples is not a tourist city. Naples is a working port city. The population seems much more diverse than we have experience  so far.

We have a new adventure. Naples trains are a cross between subway and trains. They are old. To add to our concerns is that we are not positive which train to take or even which side of the platform to wait on. As is our custom, we rely on Betty to navigate and negotiate with the gentleman in the ticket booth. As for which side of the platform, we guess and wait for divine inspiration.

A train with Pompeii as a stop (thus, the confusion - no sign saying this way to the ruins of Pompeii) leaves about every 30 minutes. We wait on the platform as the population of Naples fills the platform. Think of all the bad movies involving Tokyo subway crowds. The train arrives. It is the lifeboat drill on the Titanic. Through various different routes and a lot of pushing and shoving, we all get in the same coach, just different ends of that coach.

I am confident that we are on the right train since I see other disoriented tourists. Hey, if you are wrong, there is a feeling of glee that someone else has made the same mistake. In this case, this tourists are a family from Minnesota.

It is a long trip - over 40 minutes. This is a local. But, after that initial crowd, the coach empties within six to seven stops. By Pompeii, the train is almost empty.

The great thing is that the kids are calmer than I am and they quickly figure out where we are and how to walk to the ruins of Pompeii. Of course, I volunteer for an early lunch at about 11 AM.
After a panini lunch, we walk about 100 yards to the entrance to the ancient city of Pompeii and we met Mario.

Mario is an historian, tour guide and lover of the culture that is Campania and Neapolitan.  As Mario continually reminds us he is 71 years old. I want to tell him I am 69 but I know a good storyteller when I met him.

John met Mario first. As we were walking up to the ticket window and trying to gain a consensus on which ticket to buy. John comes over to the group and explains that Mario is willing to take us on a two hour private tour of Pompeii. John explains that Mario has been a guide for over 40 years. He is the Patriarch of the Guides.

Mario was very much a Prince of Guides and more. Everyone should have Mario as a guide. Mario loved his Pompeii and knows her well.

Mario stayed with us for almost three hours. we had contracted for two. I think he enjoyed us as much we enjoyed him walking and talking with his umbrella over his arm.

First, I need to explain to you that you need a week to see fifty percent of the ruins of Pompeii. You walk and walk and there is so much more.

Before I begin with my impressions of Pompeii. Some facts may help.

Pompeii is about 5 miles from Vesuvius. Pompeii was a port city (think Santa Barbara - home to the rich and famous - Capri is just of the coast and was the vacation home of Emperor Tiberius). At the gate to the city, you see where the boats would have been tied for mooring. it is now five to six miles from the bay due to the lava flow from the eruption of 79 AD (August 24th, the day after Vulcanalia - festival of the Roman god of fire). There is some disagreement on the date (some date the eruption at November 23rd).

As you would expect in an area with rich volcanic soil, agriculture was the major industry.

Pompeii was a city of 20,000 people at its peak. At the time of the eruption, the population was probably closer to 11,000. An estimated 6,000 died at Pompeii and thousands of others at neighboring  villas and towns, such as, Herculaneum (Herculaneum was destroyed primarily by lava flow and Pompeii by ash). The eruption occurred over three days. It is now believed that most of the deaths were the result of tremendous heat (@ 482 degrees F).

At the eruption, Pompeii was covered within a six hour period by 12 different ashes to a depth of over 25 meters (about 11 feet).

Vesuvius' eruption would have blocked any escape by land (she is still there and she does not smile). Attempts at rescue would have been by sea which was extremely dangerous (ask Pliny the Elder). As you walk the ruins of Pompeii, you are not aware of Vesuvius. She is that green small mountain in the background. Vesuvius is a green Scylla waiting.

The modern city of Pompeii (yep, they named the second city Pompeii - another factor in the train confusion) is built on the lava flow from 79 AD. The new city is as exposed to an eruption as the first. On the train ride to Pompeii, you become aware how densely populated Vesuvius' domain is. Approximately 3,000,000 people (not counting tourists) live within her deadly range of gases, lava and ash. Naples, itself is only 19 miles away. Vesuvius is active. She is not small. She is a stratovolcano - the most deadly.

As the tour begins, Mario points out that in 62 AD Pompeii suffered a large earthquake ( @6 on the Richter scale). Rebuilding is still evident in the ruins. The bottom of walls show earlier construction. The top of walls show Roman construction techniques. With some residences and buildings, the whole structure was rebuilt.

Between 62AD and 79AD, Pompeii experienced a series of earthquakes which slowed the rebuilding. Although the residents knew that Vesuvius was not a sleepy little hill, no one thought to check.

You think strange - right? Who would stay in an area with earthquakes and an active volcano? Portland is only 50 miles from Mt. St. Helen.  People are surprised when lava from Kilauea on the big island (Hawaii) burns down a shopping center. Homes in San Francisco go for $2,000,000 plus. Nope, I think Pompeians were just as smart as we are.

Pompeii rivals the Colosseum. It makes you think. The ruins of Pompeii makes Roman life - these people lives - immediate. They were just like us - just shorter.

As opposed to the imagined grandeur of the Forum, it is very easy to visualize their lives. The store keeper lives in the room behind and adjacent to his store.

The merchant's villa is next to his office and storeroom. You understand their lives.

Yes, there are "mummies" (actually, plaster cast of the corpses created by pouring plaster into the cavity created by hardened ash as the body eroded). They are not gross. There is not enough detail and you can remain detached. But, it is the ability to walk through their homes, streets and lives that makes the experience compelling.

The Pompeii was a city in transition. When the Campania towns revolted against Rome in 89 BC and lost, Pompeii became all Roman.

Walking the streets of Pompeii (by the way, the steps here are also steep), you pass small restaurants, taverns, bakeries and wineries. Like modern Italy, Pompeiians ate out a lot. They appear to have been social - they had to be the buildings included residences are wall to wall.

Unique to Pompeii is that you find a villa next to stores and much smaller and simpler residences - on the same street. The Romans had limited floor plans (see one floor plan you have seen them all).

There is no wasted space and the rooms are small. Particularly, the sleeping rooms are 8x8 even in the villas. Natural light was important and a luxury. Romans did not have window glass. When they closed up for the night, they literally closed up.

Kitchens are remarkable small and basic (Again, similar to present Europe). The Romans did eat in a prone position on lounges. As result the dining room was the largest room in the Villa.

For all the residents, bodily functions occurred in one room. Waste was thrown into the street to be washed away in the morning.

The Pompeians were very comfortable with sex. They did not have phallic symbols, they had penises and proud of it. The Phallic was a sign of progenitor, best wishes, good health and fortune. A Viagra commercial on every wall and doorway.

The aqueduct system is evident throughout Pompeii with running water fountains strategically placed on the streets.

Romans were conscious of their bodies and the importance of socialization (networking). We have seen the ruins of the Baths of Diocletian and Baths of Caracalla. The private and public baths of Pompeii make sense of the concept. First, the baths are well preserved so they are not simply walls and holes in the ground. Within reason, they look like they did on August 22, 79 AD.

The baths were like today's 24 Hr Fitness Club. You went to exercise a little or a lot; go to the steam room  (tepidarium and/or sudatorium) and cool down in the pool (frigidarium).  You talk to friends. You don't take phone calls. You read a few magazines.  Women were segregated from the men. Women had their own rooms. I am sure Romans will be Romans.

The walls of the baths have suggested exercises and "you can look like this" frescoes. Of course, there is more suggestive art (think Playboy).

It does occur to me that if I lived in an 8x8 room with six other people of both genders and watched them dressed, undressed and other functions. I probably would expect my art to be descriptive and anatomical complete. It would be weird not to.

Mario finishes his tour at one of the Villas. He tells where to begin our own investigations of Pompeii. He humorously tells us vaguely how to get to the brothels (I could not find them and I looked studiously).

We stop for refreshments at the snack shop which just off the Forum. It is modern and does seem out of place. But trust me, it is a great idea. I can only imagine what Pompeii must be like in July and August. There are no trees. There is no shade. Even at the end of November, the afternoon sun exhausts you.

After refreshments, John and Angela head to the amphitheater which is one of the best preserved examples of Roman engineering of crowd control and management. With this amphitheater, you come close to seeing what the spectators saw as they approached the entrances.

Betty and I start to wonder down one the streets. Slowly, I realize that there simply too much to see. Why not come back. See Capri (Caroline's favorite). See Mario again. Have a lunch and a beer.

John and Angela were successful. We met up with Caroline. Together, we find our way out and to the train station for the journey home. We are tired.

We make it to Naples Train Station. The Naples train station is modern and efficient, but does not have a place to eat. No pizza. No MacDonalds (this is first train station we have encountered in two months without a MacDonald's or Starbucks - excluding Siena which had a great deli and Parma which had pizza place outside the door). And we looked. It did have a whole store dedicated to Moleskine.

Tired and hungry, we begin the journey home on our 176 mph train.

I would do today again in a heart beat. Over and over again.

Okay - I might throw in a few more beers and Capri.

"Are you ready to do your duty for Rome"

I wanted to finish the blog with the end of the trip.
Since the last blog, we have been to Templeton twice, San Diego for five days and Phoenix three trips. Finally, we are in Phoenix as our final home.

On Thanksgiving, we took the tourist challenge "how many sites can you do in one day". John suggests we tour the Colosseum and Forum in the morning and early afternoon leaving an attempt at the crowds of St Peter's Basilica until late afternoon since we have heard the crowds thin after 4:30 PM. Sounds tough but we know the Rome Metro system well by now. The plan makes sense.
As I have said before the Colosseum is magically. It is photogenic. The light seems always ideal. With each change of light - time of day, clouds, weather - the structure changes. Move around the oval building and the perspective mutates as you move.

Now that the kids are with us, we all take the tour of the interior of the Colosseum. "Out of Season"( November to April) is definitely the way to see these sites. I cannot imagine what the summer crowds and heat must do to people. It has to be an endurance race.

We literally walk in and within 5 minutes are climbing the steps.

I have to mention "the steps" in Italy. Now, we all know that today's men and women are about 5-6 inches taller than men and women of Roman times (sorry Pat Robertson, Jesus was not 6 feet tall with brown hair). In Roman times, the steps were covered with marble, granite or stone which would have made them less steep. (Box seats got marble, the plebeian got stone - not much different than the new 49er stadium). But, still these steps are ridiculous. They are 8-10 inches high. No two steps at time. Wilt would have trouble running these steps. They are also narrow. You are winded at the first flight and praying that you will not embarrass yourself by stopping to rest or look for the elevator (no elevator).

With today's Colosseum, it is almost impossible to visualize the interior (Pompeii's much smaller Colosseum is ideal for understanding the architecture, the crowd control etc). What you do understand quickly is the size. It is Rome and all things Roman.

You understand the brilliance of Roman Architecture. Concrete, brick and stone. No steel. No problem. They used the "hidden arch" to create a superstructure. A series of arches were built and then filled with mortared brick. Other times, the Romans used compacted dirt and stones to fill voids. Where the Greeks used stone and then a façade of marble, the Romans would build an exterior of brick and mortar; fill with dirt or debris and cover with marble. Less expensive. The Romans shopped at Costco. It was common for the Romans to tear down and rebuild using materials from other demolished buildings and monuments. I guess the Popes were more like Caesar than I thought.

The Colosseum was a continual work in process. The area in which the Colosseum exist is like a modern sports complex. A quick stroll from the Colosseum and turn to the right takes you to the Circus Maximus for the races (it is about a half mile long). Today, the area is a grassy half mile long indenture in the ground. A stroll to the left of the Colosseum takes you to the Baths of Caracalla (never heard of him either). This Roman Bath is huge. Visualize an area now occupied with several vineyards planted in between the ruins. Ruins that 5-6 stories high. Caroline and I walked the length and it has to be 3/4 of a mile. If you were bored, the Romans supplied their version of "Washington Square - "Bughouse Square". A place were orators would practice their professions (think Jake Tapper and O'Reilly).

Obviously, you are aware that this was a place of waste, inhumanity, brutality and treachery. The Colosseum was built with the loot and the enslaved of Jerusalem. Intellectually you can remove yourself. But, even though Christians were not feed to the lions at the Colosseum (that is Nero's Circus Maximus across the river where St Peter's Square), the sense of 70,000 people screaming, eating and drinking (the Romans did have a cut off policy for service) as they watch men and women die for simply not being of Rome.

The Caesars learnt that an exhausted mob is a happy mob. The populace of Rome lived in squalor.
Wooden tenements, often 7 stories high with no heat and water. All waste was thrown into the street and flushed down to the Tiber (Rome needed the Aqueducts for fresh water). That is one reason there were so many taverns and food stalls in ancient Rome. No place to cook. (Somewhat similar in today's Rome. Italian rooms - hotel and apartments - are not large and Italians eat out a lot.)

Families lived in one room that averaged 10 ft by 10 ft. Sickness, filth, disease and crime was life.
The average life expectancy was 30. Fires were a common disaster.

Yet, the Colosseum is beautiful.

And, before we get too morally outraged, mankind in the vast majority still live in conditions that are just as ruthless. I am not referring to Africa. Take a look at the conditions in the democracy called India.

Late morning, we tackled the Roman Forum. I had bought a book at the Colosseum bookstore which depicts the structures as they appeared in Rome times. Even with that visual assistance it is impossible to truly grasp what and where this temple or that temple was. In most cases, you are looking at foundations and footings. In those cases, where there are identifiable structures the columns or walls have been erected by archaeologists as if a puzzle of 100,000 pieces. And as with puzzles, if the piece does not fit, trim.

The Roman Forum (there are a number of Forums in this area - Trajan's Forum, Augustus Forum, for example) is adjacent to the Palatine Hill and Capitoline Hill (two of the remaining seven hills that are still identifiable as hills). We discovered that Caesar was not slain at the steps of the Senate but at the Theater of Pompey about a mile away (apparently, the Senate was being repainted). We see the half oval where Augustus interred the ashes of Caesar. We do see the outline of the grandeur in the single remaining building which has not been destroyed by Huns, Goths, Tourists and Popes. It is, of course, a church. It is not a attractive building and has been modified over the centuries.

Actually, for the number buildings that there are in the Forum. The buildings appear to have not been large. Massive, they are and imposing granted. Remember the Romans had structural limitations on the weight bearing and the distance that could be spanned by the "arch". The Romans still relied on Columns to hold up the roof's cross beams.

Still it is remarkable to think of that the Roman engineers used scaffolding, pulleys, bricks and concrete forms to build.

By early afternoon, we are exhausted. My legs and back are demanding "no mas". When you are that tried you see but do not see. We had lunch of sandwiches between the Colosseum and the Forum. But, that had long past.

We all agree it is time to leave. Come back another time. If you ask where to "again" - Rome and Paris. Tuscany also - but for different reasons - we did not even touch the area and Tuscany needs to be seen in the spring or summer. We were late. Next time.

We agree to give St. Peter a try. St. Peter's is take "B" train to Termini (the Rome Grand Central). then the "A" train to St. Peter's. In 20 minutes, we are walking to St.Peter. It is 4:30.

Caroline observes a guy give a woman a real nasty look as we cross the street. Caroline then informs me that woman looks more like a guy. I only see her walking in front of us. Nice legs.

I mention this because of where she was purposely walking. She was walking to church. I wish religions - at least, their practitioners were as "Ecumenical" as they say they are. "To the least of my brothers (I add sisters)...."

We enter St Peter's Square. There is no line. I now have experienced Moses dividing the red sea. Within minutes we are through the metal detectors and into the Basilica. Michelangelo's Pieta is to the right as you walk in. Protected by a plastic shield and the crowd, the Pieta remains at a distance. Maybe it is the distance; the frequency at which we have seen unfinished works attributed to Michelangelo, or the number of Pietas we have seen in two months, I am not overwhelmed. Michelangelo's David is everything and more.

St. Peter's is the end of the journey in church architecture. Beginning with the medieval Norte Dame; through the transitional churches of Milan and Siena: to the Renaissance of the Duomo in Florence and now ending with the Mannerism/Baroque of St. Peter, we have traveled well.

The word "gaudy" comes to mind. You are impressed by the skills and execution of the art. It does not move you emotional. It is humbling. You do not think of God as caring and personal. But, someone you do not want to piss off.

Although Michelangelo is constantly attributed with St Peter's dome and therefore, the general architecture ofBasilica. The Basilica was substantially the work of Berini and was completed in 1626.

Interesting facts, St Peter's is built partially from material from the Colosseum. The Saints that ring the Square are Berini's favorite 144 saints. St. Peter's is built on the site of Nero's Circus Maximus. The obelisk in the center of the square was alleged to have been the focal point of the Circus.

I did not kiss the toe of the statue of St Peter. It is reported that they did find bones of a middle age man buried near the main altar within the foundations of the original St. Peter's. Yep, this is the second St Peter's.

We remarkably finish our stroll around St Pete's about the same time. As we approach the doors to leave - honest - the heavens part and the rain stops. Take that TV weathermen of the world and Tom Skilling.