We had plans to visit a lot of central Rome, east of the Tiber today, using the Metro to move us from site to site. Unfortunately, we found the Metro was closed due to a strike, when we reached the Cavour station. We decided to make the same tour on foot. We did well through lunch and the walk to the Tiber, but it was a long hot walk home from there with no interesting stops along the way!

First stop was Trajan's massive market complex, his forum and Trajan's column that pictographically tell's the story of his many exploits and conquests in a scroll that ascends the 140ft spire.

Just across the Via del Fori Imperiali is the massive, brilliantly white, Victor Emmanuel II monument. He was their first king. The monument was built in 1901 to celebrate the founding of the country in 1861.

Next stop, the Trevi fountain. What a mass of humanity there and lots of security in evidence. From there it was a short walk to the Pantheon, probably the most impressive edifice we have seen here in Rome. Hard to believe that what we see today, building , floors, portico, dome has been in constant use since 120 AD when Hadrian rebuilt the original 27 BC structure which had been damaged by fire. It was the Roman invention of concrete that made this structure possible with walls 23 feet thick at the bottom, diminishing to 5 feet thick at the top.

Had lunch just behind the Pantheon at a great, simple little place called Miscellanea, for once a successful recommendation from Rick Steves!

Post lunch, we took the short walk to the Piazza Navona where there are three fountains in what used to be a Roman circus (much smaller than Circus Maximus). The most famous is the Fountain of the Four Rivers, surmounted by one of the 13 Egyptian towers scattered over Rome. The Romans liked the Egyptians and took the columns from them to show their appreciation. [ ]]] :-) ]

Figured we needed to see the Tiber before we left town, so we walked across the pedestrian bridge to Trajan's Mausoleum, now the Castel San Angelo. The River was a shallow, mucky mess, very unimpressive. Took a quick look at St Peter's from 2 blocks away, then started the trek home.

Rome is nice, but their garbage removal system leaves much to be desired. Apartment dwellers and businesses are all expected to carry their trash to recycling bins that are scattered ever 2-4 blocks, generally smelly and overflowing. There are WAY too many noisy motor scooters and of course lots of smokers. Crossing streets is often a scary adventure. All transit hubs (metros, train station, airport) and historic sites, including large churches, are manned by army personnel in armored vehicles with automatic weapons at the ready on their chests.

We're off to Greece tomorrow to start our Rick Steves tour on Monday evening. We'll be moving back a few more centuries in the modern history of man. Weather there remains warm , and mostly sunny. Letting someone else make all the plans for transport and lodging will likely be a welcome change after 10 weeks on our own.

Walked - 5.9 miles