Ferry to Split

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This is a short video about the trip from Rome to Split.  I took a ferry which was much bigger than I thought.  It had a lounge, casino, nightclub, bar, restaurant, really a mini cruise ship.  I also got used to the rocking of the ship.  At first it didn’t seem like it would rock (and the ship is huge) but the rocking turned gentle after a while.  Split is really great.  It is a smaller city than I’ve been going to, so it will be more laid back and outdoor. The views across the water are amazing.  When I first arrived the sun was beaming through the clouds across the islands and bays. (photos)

Rome

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Today I ate my favorite meal since leaving England (perhaps since leaving America).  I found it on suggestion of the travel book I’m using, which I’m using on suggestion of my grandmother.  It was quite simple, a mixed cured meat plate and cheese with pistachio and grappa on bread.  The combination was purely sensational.  The creamy, lightly seasoned cheese, with the sharp, smoked, cured meat, on the  neutral, soft bread blended perfectly.  The atmosphere was also great, above the dimly lit floor were lofted wine bottles.   I cannot wait to go back.  This place was recommended in the travel book my grandmother gave me, and its information is really solid.  Its great. (photos)

Roman Ruins

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The second day in Rome pales in comparison to the first, but is still amazing by any other standard.  The thing about Italy is that the Monday after Easter is still part of the holiday, ergo many places are closed: restaurants, museums, stores.  We hit the outdoor sights, Roman ruins, piazzas, and fountains.  To sit by the ruins and imagine all the things that happened in this same spot is out there.  Granted, most places have had people, but the people in this small area controlled 30-40% of the world population.  There are untold number of great stories that happened here.  The other thing is that all the ruins are about 20 feet under ground level.  One sign described an early explorer’s experience here & all he saw were the tops of columns sticking out of the ground.  What an odd sight.

The arch (Arch of Constantine) is important.  It marks Constantine’s victory over Maxentius.  Constantine made Christianity the religion of Rome, thus elevating its status as a dominant world religion.  Thank you Constantine. (pics)

Easter

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Happy Easter!  This year Easter was truly a blessing.  We knew we would be in Rome on Easter & that the place to attend church would be St. Peter’s Basilica, but beyond that we have no clue what to do.  The plan is to wake up at 4:30 to catch the 5:30 bus and stand inline until Mass.  We sleep until 6 (last night we went to bed at 2:30 after traveling to Rome).  We hurriedly gather our stuff & get ready.  Standing at the bus stop I see a group who look dressed up and ask if they are going to the Vatican.  Turns out they are, and can show us the way.  Oh, and by the way they also have spare tickets to give us.  So they show us the way and provide us with entry.  I was about to pay for the tickets,  however they are free, placeholders for reservations.  We get great seats in the first group of chairs, right side, near the back guardrail because if the Pope goes through the crowd he goes by the guardrail, as our new friends explained (though he didn’t, we were prepared).  The entire service is in Latin (I though no one spoke it anymore?) but translations are provided.  The service is beautiful, the weather perfect.  The Pope leads, speaking most.  One Bible reading is in Latin, the other in English.  I am not sure why the switch.  Each of the prayers is in a different language, most likely to symbolize unity within the Catholic Church.  The number of people in the square is a astounding (100,000).  With the Mass in Latin and  the blessing in Italian, it was difficult to understand much while there.  Research on the internet has proved informative, but not surprising.  Afterward we walked around Rome taking in the beautiful Easter weather.  This has been an exquisite Easter, and if we had been a few minutes early or late to the bus stop, the entire day would have been vastly different. (magis pictura)