The Old Gray Mare She Ain't What She Used to Be...Day 1 in Rome...

Time to catch up on my Blog. We had a wonderful trip to Italy, so I will begin with that trip. 

We left our home Friday, February 23rd at 8:45am. We stopped at the fire station to pick up a free fire extinquisher. Then on to Cincinnati Airport to check in for our flights. We were happy they checked our bags all the way to Rome. 

As we sat waiting for our flight, a family came and sat beside us. I must state this was the most foul-mouthed mother I have ever heard. There were two teenage daughters and one son that was probably 9 or 10 years old. At one point he accidentally passed gas. Instead of being discrete about this, this mother yelled at him to confirm he produced this foul smell. Then she told him to get away from her and not ever to sit with her. The little guy must be used to her language and abusive manner. He moved away and continued to play on his tablet. The mother and the older daughter continued to talk in a very loud manner about personal items. It was appalling. I hoped they would not sit next to us on the plane. 

The opposite to them arrived and sat across from us to await boarding of the plane. This family was a mother, father and two daughters. Gentle and kind were their mannerisms. At one point the older daughter laid her head on her fathers shoulder. She was comforted by him and quietly discussed what she was feeling. Such a contrast in parenting and family dynamics. This family ended us sitting directy behind us for the flight to JFK. Hallelujah.

Our flight to JFK went well. We found our gate and planted ourselves for the next leg of our journey to Rome. We had a 5-hour layover in New York. We decided to get a sandwich to eat. This was fortunate for me because the meal they served us on the Rome flight was atrocius. Sometimes airplane food can be okay. Once in a while, it is even good. A good deal of the time it is not edible. 

We settled into our seats for the flight to Rome. It was through the night. Not much sleep was had by Claude or me. We try but it really is not easy to sleep on a plane.

I was by the window and got these two pictures of Italy as our plane approached the airport. 

Upon arrival, we made it through customs and got our bags. Always nice when you find both your bags at baggage claim. Then we needed to figure out how to meet our tour group. They all flew American Airlines. Claude and I flew alone on Delta. While in baggage claim, we checked the board for arrivals. I had not gotten instruction as to when Alan McKay and the others would arrive. Claude suggested we look for American Airlines arrivals. We found one. It arrived before we did to the Rome airport. This meant they were probably looking for us. We decided to go out of the baggage claim area and see if the rest of our group was out there. 

Unfortunately, they were not outside baggage claim. Hmmmm... We noted the drivers of limos and busses with signs waiting for their customers to arrive. I carefully walked that line and saw nothing for Jensen/McKay. We decided to sit in their waiting area. I sent two text messages to Alan and received no response. I called once and left a voice message. No response. Claude got up to walk around and checked the reader board again. This time, we learned there was a second American Airlines flight to arrive a little later from Dallas/Ft. Worth. 

We decided that must be their flight and waited until I got a text from Alan. They came out of baggage claim eventually and it was good to see this dear friend we had not seen since August 2019. 

This is where our itinerary started to swap a bit. This is not uncommon in travel. You have to adapt to weather or lines of people or whatever might happen. Instead of going to the historical center of Rome, we went directly to the Rome Italy Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Yes!!

Our Italian guide for the entire trip was Luigi. He if from the Naples area of Italy. The bus driver was Vincincio. These two men were such a blessing. Luigi had boundless enegy, a positive frame of mind about everything, and worked tirelessly to be sure everyone in our 47 person tour was okay and having a good time. Vincincio and many years of driving experience and we felt very safe with him. He was cheerful and worked to make sure we were all comfortable and happy. 

We were each given a name tag to wear throughout the tour. On the back was a listing of each hotel in which we would stay and the nights we would stay there. Kinda made one feel like a little package safely labeled in case it got lost!!

This was our first view of the Rome Italy Temple. It was built on property that originally an olive orchard. The olive trees of the orchard were removed and used to frame the perimeter of the property.

This is a view of the temple from in front of the Visitor's Center. Alan explained some of the history of the building of this temple. 

There is water flowing from the temple down the hill to the Visitor's Center. This is symbolic of the scripture in the Bible that says that water will eventually flow from the temple in Jerusalem and that water will heal the waters of the Dead Sea. So much symbolism in all of the temples construction.

Four olive trees were brought of Israel and planted in the grounds in front of the temple. 

The Angel Moroni on top of the Temple. 

In the front portion of the Visitor's Center you immediately find the Christus statue and statues of the 11 or the original Apostles. The original of these statues were made out of carrara marble by Albert Bertel Thorvaldsen, a Danish sculptor. These stand in the Vor Frue Kirke in Copenhagen. We have been to this Church and seen the originals. Alan shared the story of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints being allowed to use the Christus statue in its visitor centers. 

It seems a Pope requested that Thorvaldsen come to Rome and make statutes of Christ and the 12 Apostles. Thorvaldsen said he would do the work but he wanted to do his work in Denmark, not Rome. The Pope agreed. Thorvaldsen made statues of Christ and 11 of the original Apostles. He did not make Judas. Instead, for the 12th Apostle, he made Paul. Upon completion of his work, the king of Denmark came to see them. He pronounce the beautiful and refused them being send to Rome to the Vatican. They needed to stay in Denmark. 

It seems in later years, there was a young missionary from the Church in Denmark. He became good friends with the priest at Vor Frue Kirke in Copenhagen. Years later for the New York Expo, the leaders of the Church were looking to create a display about the Church for that Expo. This missionary suggested Thorvaldsen's Christus. He was sent to request to borrow it for the New York Expo. From that request, eventually the Church was allowed to make exact replicas for its visitor centers of the Christus.

Fast forward to the building of the Rome Temple. The family of this missionary was sent to Denmark to request the making of another Christus for the Visitor's Center at the Rome Temple. Permission was given but the request was that the 12 Apostles also be replicated for the Rome Visitor's Center. Hence, in the Rome Temple Visitor's Center, you have the Christus, 11 of the original 12 Apostles and Paul. 

Each of the Apostles has their name carved into their marble base. And, each Apostle carries something in their arms that signifies their life. 

Alan McKay with Elder Curtis who oversees that Rome Italy Visitor's Center.

Claude and Sandi.

The Rome Temple viewed from the Christus.

The Apostles.

The beautiful mural over the Apostles head is an Italian landscape. It is full of symbolism. There are two olive trees for the 12 Apostles. There are sheep of all colors and breeds being gathered in. Over Peter's head is even a rooster. By the rooster is a chicken gathering her chicks under her wings. 

A display of temples. The Rome Temple, the Temple in Jerusalem, and the Tabernacle used by the Children of Israel.

A Utah artist made this huge wall-sized stained glass mural of the life of Christ. It is also full of symbolism. There are 100 different symbolic items in this mural. An example would be Christ in the front with a person who could be blind, with a crutch, to symbolize the miracles Jesus performed. 

There was a tiny cavity in the marble from which a little plant was taking foot. 

These last two pictures are the original olive trees from the orchard that once stood on these ground. The second picture has a bird in one of the olive trees.

We were then off to Castil Sant'Angelo in old Rome. This structure was originally built as the tomb for Hadrian and his family. Later it was used as a fortress. Evenually it was used by Popes. I always think of the movie "Angels & Demons" where it figures as the place the four preferiti were held captive. 

As we approached, I noticed the walls from the Passetto di Borgo, or simpley Passetto. This was an elevated passage that linked Vatican City with Castil Sant'Angelo. It is not complete anymore. But portions can still be seen. Again, I reflect back to "Angels & Demons". 

This is where there was a little confusion. Our group numbered 47. That is too large for most tours of places in Rome. We were told we would be divided into three equal-sized groups and each group would have its own tour guide. We divided into three groups and awaited our guide. 

Flag of Italy.

Flag of the European Union.

Sandi & Claude in front of Castil Sant'Angelo. We are standing on Ponte Sant'Angelo or Bridge of Angels in front of Castil Sant'Angelo. This bridge was constructed by Hadrian in 136 CE to enable access to his tomb from the city center. It was Bernini who gave it life in 1668 by sculpting angel structures that stand tal on the bridge. In the 16th centure Pope Clement VII placed the statues of Peter and Paul at the end of the bridge.

Okay, into Castil Sant'Angelo our groups started to go. However, when our group entered, we were told to wait in this area for a bit. It seems that someone said our 47 people could now all go as one group as they didn't have enough guides to handle the three groups.

Finally, we started to make our way up the stairs. We were told we would go all the way to the top. Folks, that is a LOT of stairs. Mindy, in our group, would miss a step and sprain her ankle. First one down, more to come.

There are rooms that are used as museums now that would have housed an apartment for the Pope in them. 

We finally made it to the very top of Castil Sant'Angelo. This is the statue of Michael at the very top.

Now, I took pictures are the different levels when we stopped to look at the view. I have taken all of those pictures at different levels and put them in a panoramic order of the view of Rome from Castil Sant'Angelo. Please don't let the different heights distract you from seeing the panoramic view of Rome. 

The river is the Tiber River that flows through Rome. The bridge is the Bridge of Angels.

St. Peter's Basilica in the distance.

St. Peter's Basilica. To the right are two buildings. The second building houses the Papal Apartment. The second window from the left end of that building is where he stands to bless the people. There is also a balcony on the front of St. Peter's Basilica from which he can stand. 

Every tour to another country, we are always kept up doing something until hotel rooms are ready AND so you don't fall asleep but begin immediately to get into the correct time zone for your trip. In our case, Italy is six hours different from Kentucky. If it is noon in Kentucky, it is 6pm in Italy. All of Italy is the same time zone.

We were awake but quite worn out. We opted for room service for dinner. I had a salad, Claude had a burger.

I shifted our suitcase contents. When we travel, we each carry a suitcase. When we leave home, half of each of our clothes are packed in each suitcase. Then, if we don't get a bag upon arrival in the new country, we still have something with which to work in the one suitcase we did get. The first night in the new country, I move all of my things to one suitcase and all of Claude's things to the other suitcase. This sure makes it easier for us to get dressed and find our things each day. 

With adapters working their magic so that devices could charge overnight, we curled up in our bed and got some sleep.

Thus ends the first full day of touring in Italy.