Arches

Titus'

Multiple

Constantine's

Fallen

The Palatine

Anne and Peter about to climb the Palatine Hill

Cathy and Paul half-way up the P.H.

Nearly at the top

Remains of a Stadium on the Palatine

The Roman Forum

Temple of Saturn

Peter decided that his luggage allowance didn't run to one of these. Look good in the back yard, though.

The Arch of Severus Septimus

Temple of Castor and Pollux

St Peters again

On Sunday evening, we tramped back to St Peters for vespers, mainly because ......

..... we hadn't seen the Pieta in the morning, with all the crowds .....

... and we wanted to see the place without thousands of (other) tourists around.

It was worth the trip, and the singing was fantastic.

Vatican last

Outside St Peters

Outside St Peters II

A final glimpse of the Pope as he addressed the crowds in the square.

Peter finally left Vatican City, a wiser and happier man, but still weilding his stick.

Vatican 3

Having avoided the rampant Japanese, we were about to be thrown out by one of the 'heavies' when we mentioned that we'd come to hear mass. Instant change in attitude. We were let into the front part of the church, issued with elaborate mass books, and ended up about 20 rows from the Pope and the main altar.

We were so close we could even smell the incense.

One of the Swiss guards, who stood unmoving for the full two-hour service, was about 12 years old (or that's what he looked like)

The rows and rows of mitres in front of us had dozens of African bishops under them.

Vatican 2

Well, I couldn't say Vatican II, could I?
When we finally got inside St Peters, it turned out that the Pope was saying mass for all the African bishops.

The Swiss guards were at the ready .....................

.............. and the Pope's heavy men in suits were also in abundance .....

... but there he was, saying mass. The view was a little obscured because many Japanese men were holding their wives up (a la a rugby lineout) while the wives furiously clicked with their cameras.

Vatican I

On the way there, Anne sighted a sign that she felt had relevance to Tony and me.

This police lady was very assertive and snarly. I took the photo because she was wearing high heels and couldn't have apprehended a fleeing felon if she'd tried.

Nearly at St. Peters

and then we finally arrived

Rome again

One of thosed 'still life' performers with a touch of the Bee Gees about her

There were these two policeman who were lost, and as I had a map ...............

Another 'performer' in Trastevere

The previous photo inspired Anne to try for more bucolic views. Here is one of them.

Strike!!!

Piazza del Popolo is certainly for the people, and on Saturday, they came.

The street is a pedestrian area with car and bus access (it seems a very Italian system) but during the strike, you would need to be a brave car driver indeed.

We shuddered to think what would have happened if we'd arrived a day later and had to unload the car in this!