June 17, 1969 Vatican City

Today we went to see the Sistine Chapel.  I commented in the diary that there were so many people there and they were making so much noise that it sounded like a zoo.


We also visited the Vatican Museums.  I love this photo of the spiral staircase.  I really don't remember much about the art there.

© User:Colin / Wikimedia Commons

It is interesting that I keep seeing photos online and articles about long lines and how to avoid them.  I do not remember any lines back in 1969.

The rest of the day was spent seeing Castel Sant'Angelo, built in the second century.  I remember having a picture that looked just like this, but with fewer people.

By Berlinuno [CC BY-SA 4.0], from Wikimedia Commons
Here is a lovely view from the castel.  The picture of the Tiber and the bridges that I posted on the 14th likely was taken from the bridge above.

Trumpkinius at English Wikipedia [CC BY 3.0], from Wikimedia Commons

This is our last day in Rome.  My expenses for the day were $26.22.  A good part of that was for this rosary that I purchased for my father.  When he passed away, my mother gave it back to me.  It is not something I or my sons would ever use so it sits in the safe.  The beads are granite or something similar.

June 16, 1969 Rome, Italy

It is just too hot to do much of anything on the schedule so we are having a 'goof off' day.  Walking around and visiting places we have already seen.


By Livioandronico2013 [CC BY-SA 4.0], from Wikimedia Commons
Fountain of Neptune in the Piazza Navonna

It has also occurred to me that I should have kept the index cards that were in the boxes of slides.  Had I done that, I would have had a list of every picture I took.  If I didn't mention it in the diary, I still would have had a picture list of what we saw.  Did you ever wish you could give yourself a good kick for being so stupid?

Total expenses are $6.64.  Must have been spent on gelato.

June 15, 1969 Rome, Italy

Well, I must be getting tired because my diary recorded this day as 1967.  This morning we rode the bus to Tivoli to visit Villa d'Este.


The fountains are something I will never forget.

By MarkusMark [CC BY-SA 3.0], from Wikimedia Commons
Returning to Rome we visited the Colosseum, dating to the first century.

By Alessandroferri [CC BY-SA 4.0], from Wikimedia Commons

Have you ever wondered what Europe would look like if it were settled by modern day Americans?  There would be nothing left of its treasures.

The next stop was the Roman Forum and we went 'Roman through the rubble'.

By Rennett Stowe from USA (Roman Forum) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Some of you may remember my trip to Trier, Germany when I visited the old Roman town.  I love these old ruins.

Unfortunately, Rome is in the midst of a heat wave and we are dying in the heat.  It's back to the hotel for some rest.  Total spent today was $4.65.

June 14, 1969 Rome, Italy

We spent the morning in the Vatican City at St. Peter's Basilica.

By Alvesgaspar [CC BY-SA 4.0], from Wikimedia Commons
We climbed to the roof and I took this picture of Vatican Square.

 Here is another slide I saved of Rome.  I actually like the pics better in black and white as you can see how badly the slides faded in this picture.

We toured the basilica and saw the Pieta .

After touring the Basilica we went to lunch.  My diary has no details about the afternoon, except that we visited the catacombs.  I am not sure why I did not record events but it went something like this:

Having had lunch we were talking to the son of the owner of the restaurant.  They were getting ready to close for the afternoon and he and his friend offered to take us on a tour of the surrounding area.  They seemed nice enough and we agreed.  DUH!

Anyway, I remember being in the traffic circle in front of the Victor Emmanuel Monument when the two cars in front of us hit each other.

By Alvesgaspar [CC BY-SA 4.0], from Wikimedia Commons
There is just nothing like Italian drivers and accidents.  All the cars came to a halt, everyone got out and started waving their hands and shouting, then everyone got back in their cars and took off. 
As I said, our first stop was the catacombs.  From their we went to Ostia, a port city with a beach, though we did not go swimming.  On the drive they pointed out a large estate that supposedly belonged to Sophia Loren, but who knows. 

They dropped us back at our hotel and offered to take us out after dinner to see Rome by night.  Well, I decided not to go, but Shar did.  She got back late and was upset with me for not going, but I had told her I did not feel comfortable about it.  Not sure if I didn't write about it out of guilt or embarrassment.  I did see somethings that afternoon like the beach and catacombs that we would have missed otherwise. 

Expenses for the day were $1.00.  I am thinking they must not have charged us for the lunch.

June 13, 1969 Rome, Italy

We have a busy day as we are trying to make up for lost time.  Since it is close by we visit the Trevi Fountain.  I had a photo that looked much like this one.

By Hernán Piñera ([1]) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
I like this view of the area.

By Giorgio Galeotti from Reggio Emilia, Italia (Fontana di Trevi - Rome, Italy - November 6, 2010) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Then of course, the Spanish Steps.

By Arnaud 25 [CC BY-SA 3.0], from Wikimedia Commons
We visited the Pantheon, completed in 126 A.D.

By Roberta Dragan [CC BY-SA 2.5], from Wikimedia Commons
Here is a view of the famous dome:

By Livioandronico2013 [CC BY-SA 4.0], from Wikimedia Commons
Panini's painting of the interior:

Panoramic view:

By Stefan Bauer, http://www.ferras.at [CC BY-SA 2.5], from Wikimedia Commons
When you consider when it was built, it is just incredible.
Next up is the Piazza Navona and the Fountain of the Four Rivers.

By Bengt Nyman (Flickr: DSC_0956-S) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

van Lint, c. 1740
And that was just the morning.  In the afternoon we went to the Villa Borghese and saw the gardens.

Then we visited the zoo which is on the northern part of the estate.

A long day and dinner with wine at the hotel.  We are beat.  Expenses $6.64.