More of Italy
June 25, 2004
After leaving Siena, we took a day trip through Assisi before going on to Rome. It wasn't part of the original plan, but we had an extra day since we left France early, and we decided we could see St. Francis' tomb while we were here.
The Basilica of St. Francis was beautiful, as was the entire countryside of Umbria (where Assisi is located). Assisi is at the top of a hill, so from the basilica, you can see vast expanses of Italian countryside.
We arrived in Rome late that night to catch up with Dave and Laura and eat a leisurely Italian dinner. I should mention that most Southern Europeans don't eat dinner until around 10 pm. We are finally starting to adjust to this schedule, although it requires a large snack in the afternoon.
Today, we toured the ancient Roman part of the city. First the colosseum, which is almost exactly like a modern sports arena, except 2000 years old and missing all the seats. Then we walked through the old forum to the Pantheon. From the paintings and pictures, I assumed dome would be larger, but after the Duomo in Florence, it was underwhelming. Finally, we walked by the spectacular Trevi Fountain.
Rome is actually a lot less expensive than I expected. We have spent almost half as much on lodging compared to the other Italian cities. we found a cheap laundromat and washed our clothes. Internet cafes are plentiful.
Tomorrow, we have a reserved tour of the excavations under St. Peter's Basilica and plan on taking it easy just sitting around Vatican City. Hopefully, we can keep Dave from harassing the Swiss Guard.