Ciao Roma !

On our last day, Marc took over the role of tour director for the DeYoung clan and led us on a lovely walk along the Tiber River to Trastevere.  We stopped at a small church, Santa Cecilia, and saw a very old and very lovely 13th century fresco.  We then walked up the Janiculum Hill to the park there and enjoyed breathtaking views of the city

and of charming Roman children dressed for Halloween.  In the afternoon, we took another walk—this time to the Presidential Palace and two more churches—a Jesuit church and a Carmelite church in the neighborhood of the palace.  By this time we were exhausted and hungry but very content with our wonderful Roman holiday.  After a final meal at Fraterna Domus, we boarded the bus.   As seasoned couchette travelers, we all slept soundly en route to St. Aloyse in Strasbourg

Rome

is a city of

fountains

and pigeons

and fountains and pigeons

Rome is a city of

graffiti

even on a Raphael

and scooters

and little cars

and tiny trucks

and Romans

Rome is a city of

sculpture

odd

 old old old

sculpture held together

with marble colored cable ties (XXL please)

ornate

casually brilliant

And sculpture so good that even its shadow is gorgeous

and tourists

and fountains

Roma è una città di

 vendors

and stairs

spike heels + cobblestones?

and feet

marble

tapestry

wet

glass

 tired

and no place to sit

and fountains

Rome is a city of

astonishing light

and windows

and secrets

and ceilings

and drains

and

and

and

and

and

Italian stone pine (I looked it up)

and

and

and

and

Rome

is

a

city

of

fountains

Ciao Roma
Grazie Mille!