Rome: Thursday night and Friday

Left you yesterday before dinner on Thursday evening.  Dave & Dee Ann rested a bit, we poshished off a bottle of Sicilian wine from the bodega next door and then we went out to Trattoria Monti a few blocks away from our hotel.  We had a reservation (made Wednesday) for this very popular local place.  Good thing too, because we saw them turn away at least 20 who tried to get in.

We discovered Monti on our last trip.  Little (seats 40 or so) but great attention to detail.  Little family place. The brothers are the waiters, Mama runs the kitchen.  Food and wine is fabulous. This was a 3 course meal.  Starter ....antipasti. Then pasta, then secondi,  which is the meat.

To start, red onion flan with Gorgonzola sauce.

Jerry and Dave had ravioli stuffed with grouper for pasta

Dee and I had Teggliataria  and duck sauce

Secondi, Jerry had duck with orange glaze, David had stuffed rabbit, 

Pork Tenderloin with potatoes

Dee had fried lamb with artichokes, and I had cod with white wine.

Some wine....ok .. 3 bottles ....and we came back to Hotel Verona.

Friday morning we woke up to bright sun and a new outlook.  We took off for the Roman Colosseum, about 8 blocks downhill.  That seems doable, but really, both Dave and I are having "toe" issues from walking downhill. If it's not one thing its another.  When we arrived the Reeds had pre-tickets, we did not so the wait was about an hour.   

The Colosseum is HUGE!

The Colosseum was built in AD 72.  It was finished in 80 AD!  It seated 50,000 people plus another 4,000 in standing room (the slaves, you know).  Emperor Titus opened the Colosseum with a gladiatorial games that lasted 100 days.  Animals and gladiators fought for 100 days!  Over 2000 men and 9,000 animals were killed.  No Christians.  That didn't happen in this arena contrary to popular belief.

Below the stage were where the animals and
Gladiators hung out.

Little skinny bricks, originally covered with marble

Of course, Dave was fascinated by the building techniques

Sunny and Warm!

Emperor Constantine's Arch 

Palentine Hill

Lucky me... 2 Emlets and a Reed as traveling companions

Met a lovely gal named Erin who is on a 40 day trip around Europe to find her real self. 

After getting our fill of the Colosseum we took the metro back to the hotel, rested a little , had pizzas at the joint next door.

Refreshed, we went to visit 2 famous churches. Santa Maria degli Angeli was first.  Originally the Roman Baths.  In 1561 it was partially converted to a beautiful church.  The designer? Michelangelo!   Absolutely beautiful!

Next we went to Santa Maria Della Vittoria which is the home of Bernini's St. Theresa in Ecstasy. In this statue Theresa has just been stabbed by God's arrow of fire.  It is a very erotic sculpture and the rest of the church is just as beautiful.  Jerry and I decided if we ever got married again we would have the ceremony here.  Course, we aren't Catholic....that might be an issue. and we're already married to each other.  Hmmm

St. Theresa in Ecstasy by Bernini in Santa Maria Della Vittoria

Santa Maria degli Angeli This doesn't look like much on the outside

Santa Maria degli Angeli Wow!  The inside

The ceiling

serious scale

What a face!

The Altar is back lit from an outside window.

Santa Maria Della Vittoria

Dee and David went to the National museum of Rome and saw all kinds of cool stuff.  We came back and rested our feet.  Dinner tonight was pasta in the neighborhood and......gelato for dessert. We make it a rule that when in Italy you must have at least 1 gelato a day.   Course, it was Friday,and NO fish specials anywhere.  Just doesn't happen here even during lent! I'll bet Pope Francis had a steak.