Woke up to beautiful bird songs (nightingale?).  Looked around my pretty little room with it’s comforter-covered bed, nightstand, armoire, and desk with chair.  I felt like a little girl in a palace as I pulled the rope that opened the drapes, parted the sheers, and pushed open the tall lead-paned, shutter-style windows.  Just below me was a rose garden walled off from the street by an ivy-covered stone wall.  And just beyond was a park of some sort with a ruin of some monument.  It was so clean and so pretty!  I felt blessed.

Breakfast, as served in the convent dining room at 8am, was crusty rolls and jam.  We were all starving and low on money, so this was a bit of a disappointment.  But it was something.  We met in the girl’s room for worship then were off for another whirlwind tour of Rome.  Today we saw the Pantheon!!!  I wished Dad could be here to see it in person; he’s always loved to study about it.  We also saw the Colosseum where I couldn’t help but think of all the martyrs who gave their lives there.  It was sobering and one of those re-calibrations in life that must forever change you or be pushed far back in your mind in hopes of being forgotten.  Paletine Hill and Old Rome with the remnants of Herod’s palace and other such ancient history.  Also the Mammertine Prison where Paul was kept down in the hole while a prisoner.  It all seems not so long ago when you can touch the very stones that they touched.

The ceiling of the Pantheon - one of the Seven Wonders of the World - like 80 feet across at the dome's hole.

The hallway to the Sisteen Chapel (you aren't allowed to take pictures of Michael Angelo's work inside)

The stairway in the Vatican Museum - a long spiral ramp.

The Colosseum.

The lower part was under a floor and the animals and captives were kept in compartments there.

Umbrella Pines were planted by the Romans to shade soldiers as they marched.

The hole Paul was let down through and kept in as prisoner in Rome.

Somewhere in there we all split for lunch.  I went with Pr. Kelly and ate a Turkish doner (a falafel sandwich with shredded cabbage and pickles and ?); it was cheap, and a LOT of food, and I have thought of them many times since then!  We saw the Vatican Cathedral just as the Pope was leaving in his car.  He’d had some speech earlier that day.  I got a far-off picture.  The statues on top of the Vatican Square walls were amazing to me!  Such craftsmanship - in stone!  

Lisa and Rachel went home and the rest of us went on “the night walk” to see certain things lit up.  The weather was perfect and it was so beautiful.  We ate at an Italian restaurant that was very expensive, but worth the experience.  The pasta and boletus mushrooms with garlic was so good!  And we tried several kinds of cheese on their yummy bread.  The waiter didn’t speak English, so Yissy spoke spanish with him and we got along OK.  We walked some more places and got a little lost : ) and finally got back at 12:30pm.  I wasn’t told that we were supposed to keep our room keys (which normally get turned into the nuns when you leave the premises).  So I couldn’t get into my room!  I slept on the girls floor on three blankets.