Pantheon and Obelisks

Wednesday, 14 May

Last night we happened upon the train station nearby, Roma Termini, which is filled not only with trains, but shops and restaurants. We had Margherita Pizza and vino for dinner, and got our first taste of aceto balsamico (balsamic vinegar) on our pizza. Afterwards we shopped at Borri Books, a mini-Powell’s, for two Italian/English phrase books and a Roman history book: Veni, Vidi, Vici. 

Today’s adventure (our tour doesn’t begin until the 16th) began with a breakfast buffet offered by the hotel. The selection was more than adequate; we indulged in cappucino, apricot tart, baked apple, croissants, etc. - you know, all of that stuff you have at home for breakfast every morning.

Our hotel (Starhotels Metropole), by the way, is the best tour hotel we have ever stayed in. It is quite elegant, and our room large and beautiful. (We can’t figure out why they would put a scale in the bathroom, though. Don’t they know we plan to have pasta and gelato every single day?)

We did a self-guided walk today. First stop, the Pantheon. Now a church, it was commissioned by Marcus Agrippa as a temple to the Roman gods in the first century, and rebuilt a century later by Hadrian. Its dome is the world’s largest unreinforced concrete dome and has an oculus that is 142 meters in diameter, and the same in height. A drain directly beneath it  catches the rain and snow. Since the 7th century, it has been used as a Roman Catholic church dedicated to Saint Mary and the Martyrs. The Renaissance painter Raphael is entombed here. (See the tomb that has the statue of Mary on top.) This quote is on his tomb: "Here lies Raphael, by whom the mother of all things (Nature) feared to be overcome while he was living, and while he was dying, herself to die".

There are obelisks all over Rome! There are eight ancient Egyptian ones and five ancient Roman ones, plus some modern ones. Here are a few.

It's late, so that's all for now. Loading the photos takes a while! I will finish today's wanderings probably tomorrow, although we have a long day's tour to Pompeii and Amalfi. Ciao for now!