Up at 7am and feeling yucky from sleeping in my clothes, on the floor, for just 6 hours.  My sinuses were stuffed again - guess I got too cold on the floor.  Finally found a nun at 7:40 that could get my key for me.  Glad to get into my room for fresh clothes and a shower.  Had to miss breakfast for this so ate my remaining prunes for breakfast while I had my devotions.  We all met in the girl’s room for worship at 9am.

On our last day in Rome we tried to see it all:  Saw the Lateran Cathedral where people were making their way up the stairs on their knees trying to find favor with God - how sad that they do not understand the favor that has already been given in Jesus!   There was a Pope preserved in wax (Innocent III if I remember right).  And the inside of the cathedral was amazing.  Took a bus to the catacombs and saw where some early Christians met for worship during the time it was illegal to worship as Christians.  Got on the wrong bus (providentially I think) and got to see a half hours worth of the Italian countryside!  It was so pretty, reminding me of Ukraine in it’s wildness and calendar pictures in its quaintness.  

Spilt for lunch again and this time Pr. Kelly found a sandwich place that had mushroom & veggie sandwiches.  Pr. Clark finally found his canolli and Pr. Kelly shared a third of his with me (I was out of money by this time).  It WAS good!  Sort of a pancake/pastry type thing rolled up with a sweet cream cheese filling with a flavor I have never had before.  That was a terrible description for such a fancy dessert.  It’s hard to describe.

We all met back at the convent then and took a train to the Mediterranean Sea.  Not being able to swim, I didn’t jump in with the others.  But I waded in up to my ankles and skipped rocks and played in the warm sand.  It wasn’t all that clean I suppose, but after India we didn’t really seem to notice.  : )  The water was fairly blue and sparkly.  It was fun to think I was at the shin of the “boot” at a place I had only seen on a map!  I took a rock for my collection.  

Then we headed back to the train to go to Ostia Antica - ruins of almost a complete city from the 4th century BC!  It was our favorite place of the trip!  It was perfect weather that day, we played around in the ruins of the amphitheater, around columns, palace walls, market shops, and homes.  I saw an emerald 8 inch lizard basking on one wall.  It was a huge place.  We explored like kids.  A day to remember!

Back in Rome, we all split for supper again.  Mr. Pickett and I got a donar for supper and had a gellatto before heading back to pack up by 11:45pm.  Pr. Clark is sick now too.  That makes three of us.  But after the last month and with so little sleep....