This summer, my wife, my son, and I took a Globus HFFT tour - from the Coliseum to the Eiffel Tower with London Extension. It's a family oriented tour, hence the locations that we visited and tour activities were geared toward families with children. Children's age varied from 6 to 18. Half of the group was this one big family: grandma, aunts and uncles, sister and brothers with the spouses and their kids. What a way to travel.
We have departed JFK, with a two hour delay, to Rome Italy. The delay was due to broken lavatory, an captain did not feel comfortable flying over Atlantic with lavatory out of service. Who knows if there is an emergency.
This is not really our plane on a photo, since ours was parked far from a terminal and we were taken by the busses.
The airplane was full
Each of us had personal entertainment system, with video on demand, games, etc. Unfortunately it had to be rebooted couple of times until it started to work properly. It was powered by Linux.
Almost nine hours later, we have arrived to Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport.
Here we disembark our plane in Italy. Airbus A330
In Rome we were staying in Starhotel Michelangelo. We were given this huge key that had to be returned to front desk every time you leave the hotel and then to ask for it when you come back.
Hotel was a few blocks away from Vatican Basilica di San Pietro that was visible from outside of the hotel.
Everywhere in Rome, one can find those free water fountain/spouts with drinking water.
We have departed New York on Saturday and arrived to Rome on Sunday. On Sunday most of the places were closed and we basically had this day for ourselves, to walk around and relax and get adjusted to the local time.
The next morning (Monday) we had a wakeup call at 6am so we could have breakfast and leave on a tour. This way we would be first in line for Vatican museum, otherwise the lines are very long and to stand under the Italy's hot sun is unpleasant.
Even though we went early, we were the second group in line, which wasn't too bad. After administrivia procedures, we all got our tikets and radio receivers, wee went in.
Our first stop was the court-yard, with spherical sculpture in the middle.
A stone face was poking out from between the columns.
Here is our group is ascending the stairs to go into the Vatican museum.
Various sculptures, with leafs covering the intimate parts could be seen on a right and on a left as we were walking along the long corridor.
Ceiling decoration
Various painting on a ceiling
and on a sides of the walls
Sculpture of a man
This is an amazing paining on a ceiling that looks like as if tiles or ornament was there.
After the museum, we went inside of St. Peter's Basilica. It's truly big, and an amazing place, and photos do not convey enough of the sheer size and beauty that surrounding lay down on you.
Famous Pietà by Michelangelo - St. Peter's Basilica
Swiss guard on duty to protect His Holiness, the Pope
We then went outside, to Piazza San Pietro
After a brief break for snacks and drinks (mind you, it was very hot day and a bottle of water was €3 for a small bottle. Later on that day I went to the supermarket and bought seltzer water for 20 ¢ for a 2 Litre bottle). Enough of that :)
In the afternoon we went to see the Coliseum. Near the Arco di Constantino we had an opportunity to take a picture with a local "gladiators". No photos here, since my son was not keen of taking photos with them. Oh well. Not a big deal.
A side of the Flavian Amphitheater, Coliseum
The day tour have ended here. We went back to our rooms to refresh. A neighboring building had a toilet and a bidet on a balcony. I guess they have not had enough room for those two inside.
In the evening we had a guided tour. We drove in our tour bus, passing the Vatican, the coliseum, and just around the little streets of Rome.
We got off the bus and went for a walk.
Bikes of all kinds are parked on the street
Piazza Mignanelli
Spanish steps
Gucci, Armani, Boss and other fashion designer stores are on this street leading to Spanish Steps
And this is how you drink water: use your thumb to close the faucet an the water will conveniently emerge through the hole in the middle.
The Trevi Fountain, Rome, Italy
Small coffee shops are here and there
A local feline checking out the crowd
The Column of Marcus Aurelius
A small restaurant with nice ham on a table
Wall decoration at that hotel
A trio of street performers
The Fountain of the Four Rivers
Basilica di San Pietro at night
After a long day walking and admiring Rome, we have returned to our hotel tired but satisfied. We had a nice pasta infused dinner with people from our group and then we went to bed.
The next morning, we started to drive north, to Pisa. We have passed many fields with sunflowers
Going north...
This was a long post. I will now let you rest, and hope to see you later as we continue to North of Italy, then Switzerland, Paris and London
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