Italy Spring Break II: "No Matt you may NOT climb up the Patheon!"

The first morning in Rome together was wonderful.  We started out with an Enjoy Rome Ancient Rome tour that morning.  It started in Piazza Navona at the Fountain of Four Rivers.

I FINALLY HAVE A TRAVEL BUDDY!!!

Our guide's name was Viviana and she studied Archeology at one of Rome's colleges.  She was wonderful!  She knew so much about the history and architecture and even pointed out places where she'd been a part of the dig and where she was currently digging.  We first went over to the Pantheon, but couldn't go in because there was mass going on.  Matt and I went in later and here are our pictures.

 So Matt continually brought up that he recognized different parts of Rome because he had played this game "Assasin's Creed" (my brother has the same game).  At random intervals during the trip he would make comments like...."He Ellie, my guy climbed up the Pantheon in the game.  We should find out where on the outside he did that and then I should climb up the Pantheon."  It was comments like this that prompted the title of this post.

The marble in the building was just beautiful and the hole in the ceiling looked really cool!

From there we headed over to Trevi fountain where Matt and I threw in a Euro!

We then headed over to Piazza Venezia to see the Vittoriano, and then walked through the ruins.

 Before entering we were able to see where St. Peter was imprisoned.

He was upset I made him pose like the statue :-)

Then we went to the Colosseum, or, more correctly, the Flavian Amphitheater.  Apparently it wasn't called the Colosseum until this colossal statue of Emperor Nero, that used to stand next to it, was melted down and destroyed.

This is where the tour ended so we decided to grab lunch and then wander around some more.  Our day continued with the Capuchin Monk Crypt.

The monks moved the remains of other deceased friars and in 1870 created this crypt of 6 rooms decorated with bones.  Creepy, but also very cool.  In the last crypt there is a message on the floor which reads: "What you are now we used to be; what we are now you will be..."

Our day ended with a trip up to the top of the Vittoriano.  There is an elevator in the back that you can take to emerge on top of the building that spills out all of Rome below you.  Matt and I went just a dusk and it was perfect.

 There are two winged Victories on chariots at the top. Nike actually means victory in Greek and thus the shape of their logo (the Nike Swoosh) is the shape of the Victory's wing.

 Matt and I had fund trying to spot different landmarks from the top.  Here is the view of the Pantheon, one of the easiest things to find.

Here is the view off of the other side, yet again with my wonderful new panorama photos!


It was a wonderful way to end the day and we geared up for Piazza del Popolo and the Vatican for the next day!