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ROF= Ring of fire journey
ITL= Italy Journey
Friday November 20, 2015
ITL Rome, Italy 1
Ahhhh Roma! Rome,.... the eternal city. I finally get here after a lifetime of study of western civ... I get to see what this was all about. To see the origins of what has dominated... religion/ the Apostles Creed... Politics, "Et Tu Brute?"... modern science/ thank you renaissance... and the arts!!!... ALL roads lead to Rome.
Years ago I was near some of the ruins walls in London that were built during the Roman era and have always had the heartache to hike Hadrian's wall... the wall across Northern England that was built to keep the pagans in the North out of the English Kingdom.
Rome,... the seat of the Holy Roman Empire... so much of western civilization history origin is right here. ... and I'm supposed to see this and sort it out in 3 days; right.
Arrive at the massive train station. 10,000 people. This is the crossroad of Continental Europe to ... the jumping off point from Europe to,... the Mid East, ... Africa... The Balkans,... Jerusalem,... The Mediterranean,... The East.. the Far East...
A few blocks walk to Hotel Genova, a good choice! near the train & bus station.
Check in to Hotel Genova... Ricardo, a real gentleman would watch over us for the next 3 days... He is 1st class Primo!
A 1st class hotel room. We asked for the back to avoid the street noise. The TV has more headline news of the Paris terrorist attacks. So sad this is in our world.
Late afternoon dusk/ early evening dark... let's get out and see Rome.
Walk 3 to 4 blocks down the hill. Rome urban street... 10' storefronts.... 20 small businesses in one block in different storefronts on the street.
And come to The Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore; The Cathedral of Saint Mary Major, the largest Catholic Marian church in Rome.
It was a half moon above the lighted basilica... beautiful!!! Walked all the way around and came to the front plaza. Tall 130' spire in front... majestic. In the evening lights... you know this Cathedral is majestic.
Go inside and it's as majestic and powerful as you thought. It's beyond description. Pictures don't begin to capture the awe.
There is some big deal going down; construction workers on scaffolding are breaking down a surface wall in an enclave, exposing some artistic wall that has been sealed off... ? for centuries? Don't know... but some priests, some dressed in Catholic priests dress there with some sharp dressed suits... to see the unveiling?
A side ceremony comes out of a chapel... a Cardinal dressed in red talks with and blessed T-bird. Phenomenal!!! ?when do you go to Rome and get blessed by a Cardinal? Hard to top that.
A few more pix and out. Walk back by storefronts. Store/ market store
Only been in Rome a couple hours and have seen one of the 4 Great Cathedrals of Rome... of Europe. This is going to be good.
You never drink twice from the same stream.
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