Ciao, Roma!

That's all for now on my trip to Rome (unless I remember something else, haha).

I'm so thankful I finally got to see that beautiful, historic city.

Also, I just wanted to share a favorite series based in the Roman Empire (and also have scenes in Israel). Francine Rivers' Mark of the Lion series is incredible, and I highly recommend it. It's 3 books, but the first 2 are the best. They give in depth insight into what was going on in the world, what the games were like, the lives of the Romans and those also in the Empire—and what it was like for early Christians.

Walking through Rome

I talked in this post about my walk from the Vatican to the Colosseum. It was a cloudy, January day, and ended with me in a lot of pain, but I don't regret it. 

I saw so much as I wound my way along the Tiber River and then through the alleys of Rome, using only my map for guidance. It was fun to explore and go off the beaten path. 

And I got to see more statues, a castle, beautiful views, and so much more!

Visiting the Vatican

One morning, I woke up early and travelled across Rome and the Tiber River to visit the Vatican. Since it's considered a sovereign state, that meant it was a new country for me! Yay!

The hours I spent (and the miles I walked) inside the Vatican, outside of it, down in the catacombs, and then up into the basilica, were breathtaking. So much history. So much priceless art—sculptures, paintings, mosaics, tapestries, and sooooooo much more—and there's so much more that wasn't even available to see. 

They say that if you spend 1 minute in front of every piece of art, it would take you 4 years to see everything. 

It was art overload, and it was stunning.

Then, came time for the Sistine Chapel. Cameras aren't allowed, so I don't have pictures of it. It was beautiful. It left me speechless.

But honestly, I would have rather have spent more time here, than even in the Sistine Chapel, as beautiful as it is.

I'll never forget that day... it was simply too much to take in. I left so thankful, very tired, already limping because of my foot problem. Time for gelato!

The Pantheon

The sun was starting to set as we walked up to the Pantheon. Even though it was in the middle of restoration, it was still so striking—especially since I was going to visit the Vatican the next day. 

I don't have much to say about it, because by then my feet hurt pretty bad and I was tired. It was, just like everything else, an incredible building with great beauty inside.