Saturday, June 4, 2016
Civitavacchia, Italy - Rome, Italy - End of Cruise
We woke up around 6:30, got ready, had breakfast, then met the Harrisons at Concerto Dining for disembarkation. We left the ship around 8 a.m. It was really smooth collecting our bags making our way to the Civitavacchia train station (bus from ship to front of port, then another bus to the train station). Charlie used his credit card to purchase six tickets at 5 euros each and we scrambled to catch the next train to Rome (after punching our tickets in the activation machine). Our train stopped for about 40 minutes, which was just fine with us as it gave us more time to reminisce about the cruise. The Harrisons left one stop before us. We said our goodbyes, hoping we might meet up for dinner later that night but realizing after our Vatican tour that we had no energy left for any evening plans.
Alice, Austin and I arrived at the main terminal around 11. Our hotel (Hotel UNO) was only a block away. We checked in and went out for lunch at a nearby restaurant called the Condor. We had pasta, salad, water and dessert for 10 euros each. The pasta was delicious.
Our Vatican Museum tours began at 2:30. We took the A metro to Ottaviano and met our tour guide at a set of steps near the Vatican Cafe. Dario was our guide and he was very knowledgeable and gracious. We walked for several hours through one grand room or hallway after another. The museum was enormous and the collection over-the-top, a treasure trove of art through the centuries collected by popes, princes, kings, queens, countries, Europe's most powerful figureheads. The history was overwhelming.
Our tour ended at 5:45. After taking several pictures, we headed back to our hotel, had dinner at Amedeo, a nearly restaurant, then called it a night.
Civitavacchia, Italy - Rome, Italy - End of Cruise
We woke up around 6:30, got ready, had breakfast, then met the Harrisons at Concerto Dining for disembarkation. We left the ship around 8 a.m. It was really smooth collecting our bags making our way to the Civitavacchia train station (bus from ship to front of port, then another bus to the train station). Charlie used his credit card to purchase six tickets at 5 euros each and we scrambled to catch the next train to Rome (after punching our tickets in the activation machine). Our train stopped for about 40 minutes, which was just fine with us as it gave us more time to reminisce about the cruise. The Harrisons left one stop before us. We said our goodbyes, hoping we might meet up for dinner later that night but realizing after our Vatican tour that we had no energy left for any evening plans.
Alice, Austin and I arrived at the main terminal around 11. Our hotel (Hotel UNO) was only a block away. We checked in and went out for lunch at a nearby restaurant called the Condor. We had pasta, salad, water and dessert for 10 euros each. The pasta was delicious.
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| Side street near our hotel |
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| Lunch outside at the Condor restaurant |
Our Vatican Museum tours began at 2:30. We took the A metro to Ottaviano and met our tour guide at a set of steps near the Vatican Cafe. Dario was our guide and he was very knowledgeable and gracious. We walked for several hours through one grand room or hallway after another. The museum was enormous and the collection over-the-top, a treasure trove of art through the centuries collected by popes, princes, kings, queens, countries, Europe's most powerful figureheads. The history was overwhelming.
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| Fontana della Pigna (the Pine Cone), a former Roman Fountain |
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| Our guide Dario, next to the Sphere within a Sphere sculpture |
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| One of many Vatican Museum hallways filled with Roman treasures |
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| Apollo Belvedere, 120 AD, Roman copy of bronze original |
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| Laocoon and his Sons (27 BC - 68 AD) |
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| The Belvedere Torso |
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| Ceiling from the Map Room, Vatican Museum |
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| Mary |
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| Raphael, School of Athens |
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| St. Peter's Basilica |
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| St. Peter's Basilica |
Our tour ended at 5:45. After taking several pictures, we headed back to our hotel, had dinner at Amedeo, a nearly restaurant, then called it a night.
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