Joneses on Tour: Day 57 Hello papa

Sorry we are a day behind.

We woke at 6.45 to get organised for our tour round the Vatican. Fortunately the hotel starts breakfast early so by 7:20 we were eating a lovely variety of food. Being a European breakfast it had ham, salami & cheese as well as eggs bacon, and cereals and fruit. I was delighted to finally get a decent cup of tea, which I hadn't managed to have for days!

We were incorrectly informed that the metro was on strike so we caught a taxi. The driver was about 100 years old and drove like Mythili. (Sorry Mythili). Eilian recons his name was Luigi and was the Mario brothers grandad. He couldn't find first gear and followed no lanes. We were often on the wrong side of the road. So we were very happy to get there in one piece.

Vatican gardens.

Dad this looks like a Henry Matisse. It was.

St peters square

We started our tour and the lady who took us around was fantastic. She was very passionate about her art and had lots to say. This is the one time in the trip that Luke was fantastic. It was pretty dry and boring for the children, and even we were weary by the end of all the museums. Micheal Angelo was pretty prolific and there was some really amazing art work, sculptures, mosaics & tapestries. It really is incredible how old some of the works are and what stories they tell! I was personally disappointed by the Sistine chapel. After all the magnificent churches we have seen around the world, I was disappointed by its size perhaps I miss the point, however the ceiling painting by MA was pretty incredible. Perhaps the sheer number of people in there changed its feel & size.

The boys were much relieved to finish the trip, and it was back to the hotel in 31 degrees for a rest. Our next stop in the afternoon was the Colloseum but unfortunately Luke was not enamoured by it! Cody was pretty excited by it when he heard what went on there hundreds of years ago. I think his imagination is a real help when it comes to things like this.

On one of our taxi rides I saw this most magnificent place which was only a short walk from the colosseum. It's funny because to us it was much more beautiful than any of the MUST sees of

Rome, and it's not highlighted anywhere. the horses and sheer size of the builiding were stunning especially it's stark contrast to the ruins. It the piazza Venezia.

Tour guide Luke. At the colosseum.

Sad guys wanting money. When Anna said look at the gladiators they said we are not slaves we are centurions. I think they are merchant bankers.

Not the arc de triomphe.

That's what it should look like.

I took the kids home and Eilian went to the circus maximus where the Romans used to chariot race. What a disappointment it was a field it might as well have been the Auckland domain. Why did they not keep it in tact???

now