Wrapping up with a day in Rome

Alas, our sojourn in Amalfi has come to an end. We take the ferry from Amalfi down to Salerno, where we'll catch our train to Rome.

Today, the 67 passenger luxury yacht "Le Ponant" is in port. From what I read of its history, it has a claim to fame, having been seized by Somali pirates in 2008.

The trip to Rome is relatively short, and we check in to our hotel, the Boutique Hotel Nazionale. We have a small dispute with management...the toilet is leaking on the floor in the room we are given, and the only other available room is normally reserved for emergencies. We can see why...it's large, but has no windows and is not in pristine condition. We take it anyway.

We've been to Rome several times before, so our intent for this short stay is to just catch up on a few sites we haven't yet had the opportunity to see.

We start off with the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, built on the ruins of the Baths of Diocletian. The church is quite remarkable, and has an amazing feature...built into the floor is a long brass rail that marks off days of the year. Up in a high corner is a tiny peephole. Each day, the sunlight passes through the peephole, and casts it's light onto the rail, marking the day of the year.

From there, we visit the crypt of the Capuchin Monks on Via Veneto. Unlike some other tourists, we respect the "no photography" rule, but photos are readily available via a quick web search. The tour has been modernized, and now begins with a walk through of the museum dedicated to the history of the Franciscan Friars before descending into the crypt. There are no guides anymore, which is a pity, because now there's nothing to stop loud tourists from laughing and making jokes while posing with the bones.

We spend our time wandering around Rome, looking for interesting things that haven't caught our eyes before. We happily enjoy a sandwich, carved fresh off the roasted pig at Er Buchetto....

...and stop in to the Basilca of Santa Maria Maggiore.

We also swing by San Pietro in Vincoli. A baptism of a dignitary is in process, so much of the church is off-limits, but we're able to get a photo of Michelangelo's Moses from a distance.

..and with that, our short trip to Rome is complete. Tomorrow, we'll take the Leonardo Express to the airport, and head home..but not before our annual photo of Spiderman. This time, we catch him hanging out on the Ponte Sisto.

Until next time, Ciao!