Part Seven - Roma/ Rome

After leaving the Amalfi Coast we finished out trip with a short stay in Rome.

We stayed  a mere 300m from the Vatican in an old modernized (Hotel) Monastery.

Talk about being central!

Rome was impressive and big.

We did not see everything we would have liked to, but enjoyed every minute we had!

As Legend has it (..yes, I know), 

but according to my Latin book "as legend has it" this city was founded 

by one of the twin brothers Romulus and Remus who were forcibly left to die
-being of noble decent- in the forest.

However, they were found and suckled by a wolf, later on rescued and raised by a shepherd.

Later returned and reclaimed power (....)

 and Romulus founding Rome and the senate etc.
This explains this statue:

 Walls of the ancient palace

Old and new merging together:

The Vatican

A thirsty hound drinking in St Peters square

Inside the church a lot of gold and very pompous...

Personally, I did not like it very much (found it a bit too heavy on the pomp), 

but I won't argue about taste with the pope ;)

As we were exploring the museum of the Vatican, I saw this simple statue behind glass:

The shepherd and his sheep 

I liked it's tender rawness, how He carried the little lamb etc

It touched me so I wanted to share it with you:

I loved the museum, loved the paintings and art and the Sistine Chapel....

I took pictures with my heart only, so unfortunately there are no photographs to share... 
.

Then we went on to check out the Colosseum.

It was interesting to learn that it was build with stones from the temple in Jerusalem.

So many famous buildings

This is the gate of the Via Appia (leaving Rome).

We walked out here and went to see some of the ancient catacombs. 

An amazing experience we almost missed out on! 

(It was so hot, we did not really feel like going, but if in Rome....)

Strange to think about all these Emperors I learned in Latin class about, coming back through this very gate after their battles. 

So much history in this place.

I wish we had more time, but tomorrow we will fly back to Germany.