Firstly, in the last couple of days we have been worried that no-one has been reading our blog! Now that Andrew, Joel and FOA are back we feel much better! Not sure if the rest of you are not missing us enough or are just not game to admit it publicly!
Today was a day of more rain and more churches! We just realised that nearly all we did today was visit different churches all around the city! With an early start we were able to find Santa Maria in Cosmedin (in its day it must have been a beautiful building as it's name comes from the Greek for beauty - hence the cosmetic?!). We did get 'lost' on the way and stumbled across another very ancient Church, San Sabina. Santa Maria is more well known for the Bocca della Verita!
Following a well earned coffee we hit the Rome Metro!! and headed to the outlying Basilica San Paulo - otherwise known as St Paul's Outside the Walls as it is away from the ancient walled city. This place is huge and the crowds were very low, maybe due to the rain and the trek to get there. It is the burial place of St Paul and one of the four Papal Basilicas in Rome - well worth the visit and braving the Metro!
San Paulo
It was then off to St Peter's Basilica with the pouring rain, umbrella sellers and crowds!!! After a long line up to get in the door there were people everywhere. Luckily our Catholic Card got us into the smaller chapels which were not open to tourists. We spent some time in the chapel where Pope JPII is buried and the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, both were beautiful and peaceful, unlike the rest of the place - with people full on posing to have their photo taken in front of the Pieta!!! As Col said though, to them it may as well have been the Trevi Fountain!
St Peter's!
We waited until we got outside!
Now, our favourite HOHO bus so far has been Barcelona, least favourite... Milan!
And our fave Church (we have lost count of how many!!!)... La Sagrada Famiglia - also Barcelona!!!
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Oh my goodness, just starting too feel human again after the may races! We made it every day , Wednesday weather turned out not too bad! Thursday was magnificent. Oscar got his photo in the paper - lying on his rug reading the form guide! Classy! Looking out for DHS!
ReplyDeleteHis father thought it was great parenting on my behalf, until I pointed out to him that I was solo parenting that day while he was eating and drinking himself silly in a marquee for the day! lol.
I must say I love Italy and have enjoyed reading all about it so far. My song was also 3 coins in a fountain, and I find myself breaking out into it randomly during the day. Please eat as much gelati as you can get your hands on! Yummmmmmo!
Off to melb on the train tomorrow - that would be the slow unreliable v line train, not the very far train! Joel is working down there wed, thurs fri, so we are going down for some time away! So glad you've got that catholic card because Rome is its peak venue. I feel like I'm having a history, geography and r.e. lesson all in one! Keep those photos of yourselves coming. Better go and feed Oscar! Take care and we're reading, first thing we do each morning!
Love Joel, Joel and Oscar! Xxxxxxxxx
You've been to the mouth of truth. Ok. I was writing tomes of erudite material. I was the morning DJ bringing you all the hits of the day, making comments, asking loads of questions. I made myself late for Mass every day nearly so I could talk to you. I was the first to wonder whether you were in Europe at all. I named the penis chimneys when Girl Joel was too ... to say anything. (Girl Joel might find an appropriate word to describe herself) A bit like you I was wondering if what I wrote was getting read because even when I asked about 6 questions one day you didn't answer any of them, so then, well, I got very sad. It's sad when you ask the important questions like "Are you playing nicely?" and nobody cares to answer. So I confided in Kerry Stevens about how sad I was and Kerry said "Well just stop writing." So when Miss Stevens said it would be ok, I thought it would be ok too. I emptied out my huge enormous double door fridge and went to Frankston where I sat and read all the great philosophers. You can do that on the subway walls in Frankston and it's free. Most helful quote I found was from that great wise if understated philospher, Winnie the Pooh, "If the person you are talking to doesn't appear to be listening, be patient." See? See? Stage Play for the day is one especially for Girl Joel for her Mother of the Year performance with Oscar at the May Races. It's from Oscar Wilde (how's the segue?) In The Importance of Being Ernest, Miss Prism left the baby in a handbag in the cloakroom of Victoria Station. Now THAT would make it into the Standard. Have to go. Am late for Mass.
ReplyDeleteHi ladies, yes I am an avid daily reader of your travel blog, love all the photos & history reports attached too them, some places I have been to, Rome being one of them, a beautiful place with lots to see, I only went to some of the places you have been, so I'm thinking I may have to do a return visit!! Keep on blogging, can't match the wit of other bloggers but love the conversations between them!! Many thanks for sharing your experience with the followers!! Stay safe,& keep on blogging, CHEERS Jenni K :)
ReplyDeleteyeah, we are clever, and jenni you've reminded me of the call I made earlier to say I hope, when the Bond Girls return, that they keep maintaining the blog just so the rest of us can talk to each other. I'm getting to like Girl Joel who I've never met, (once maybe?) and I've always liked FOA. Jo and Collette, now that you're talking to us and answering our every question, WHAT DO YOU THINK??
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