Vacation #11: 5/19/10: Cruise - Civitavecchia and Rome

CIVITAVECCHIA AND ROME: Wednesday morning saw us docking in Civitavecchia, a port on the Tyrrhenian Sea, about 50 miles from Rome. We took a coach from the ship into Rome with the other ship's passengers who were on this Rome shore excursion with us. As we entered Rome, the traffic was unbelievable. Everything you have ever heard about drivers in Rome is true. I was so happy to be sitting up high, looking out the coach window at all the CRAZY drivers. And once out of the coach, we didn't really have to worry about cars, it was the little Vespas and mo-peds that come out of no where, beep beeping at you to get out of the way, or else. THEY ARE CRAZY.....

Vacation #12: 5/19/10: Cruise - Rome, Spanish Steps

SPANISH STEPS: Our coach ride to Rome from Civitavecchia brought us to a park, where we then started our walking tour of Rome. We first went to see the Spanish Steps. We arrived at Piazza Trinità dei Monti, the site the large church Santissima Trinità dei Monti, which is at the top of the staircase. From the plaza we started down the Spanish Steps to the Piazza di Spagna at the base of the steps. The Spanish Steps staircase is the longest and widest staircase in Europe.

Vacation #13: 5/19/10: Cruise - Rome, Trivi Fountain

TREVI FOUNTAIN: DeeDee's dad was in the Army during and after World War II and was stationed in Europe in the middle 50's. On a vacation trip in 1953, DeeDee's parents, and at that time four kids (DeeDee, her two older brothers Fred and Ray, and younger brother Ed), visited Rome and the Trevi Fountain. They were very disappointed to find the fountain was dry, as it had been emptied and was being cleaned since the movie Three Coins in the Fountain had just finished being filmed there.

When we decided to go on a Mediterranean cruise as part of our trip to Germany to see Hanna and her family, and we discovered the cruise itinerary included Rome, DeeDee said she didn't care what we saw or visited in Rome, aslong as we saw the Trevi Fountain. So, 55 years later, DeeDee finally returned to the Trevi Fountain and got to see it full of water, the fountain working, and to throw coins over her shoulder into the fountain. And, or course, I was wearing my Los Angeles Center Studios baseball cap that Pete Brosnan of Valencia, CA gave me - free publicity for his LA Center Studios all over the ship, ports of call, and southern Germany.

Vacation #14: 5/19/10: Cruise - Rome, Pantheon and Piazza Narvona

THE PANTHEON AND PIAZZA NARVONA: After leaving the Trevi Fountain, we walked through narrow streets and roads to the Pantheon (first two photos above, and the video below). After our photo ops there, we went through more narrow streets, eventually coming to a large plaza called Piazza Narvona. There are churches, public offices, and businesses all around the plaza, as well as restaurants galore, all of which also have outside service. There was also a demonstration of some sort going on, so there was a lot of police presence, noise, whistle blowing, and people speaking on bull horns. Fortunately, they were on the other side of the plaza from us - but we did get an "up close and personal" view when they marched around the edge of the square, chanting and yelling whatever it was they were demonstrating about.

The center of the plaza is dominated by a the Fontana dei Quatro Fiumi, a fountain sculpted by Bernini representing the four great rivers of the world. As we stopped at the first outdoor restaurant we came to, we were greeted by the owner who basically swept us off our feet and to a table over looking the plaza. He bribed us with a free drink and "no table tax or fee". When I spotted spaghetti and meat balls on the menu, I knew I just I had to have authentic Italian/Roman spaghetti and meat balls; DeeDee ordered a spring salad with fresh mozzarella cheese. Both meals were wonderful and the spaghetti and meat balls were the best I have even eaten. I'm sure the spaghetti was freshly made and cooked immediately, none of that dried stuff sitting around in a box for months and months and the meat balls were flavored with local seasonings.

Vacation #15: 5/19/10: Cruise - Rome, walking and Castel Sant Angelo

CASTEL SANT' ANGELO: After lunch, on our way to St. Peter's Square, we walked through typical Roman streets and across a bridge toward the Castel Sant' Angelo. The sights were breathtaking and, again, everything was a perfect photo opportunity. I was very glad we were walking and that I did not have to drive.