CLASSIC ROME TOUR

Again I started early by waking up at 6am. It was my third day in Rome and there was still so much to see. I had seen I had covered six out of top ten and I was to see three more today. As I reached the greenline tour agency, I saw that this tour seemed to be the most popular and there were 10-15 people in the group. We started the tour from the Trevi fountain and this time I threw one coin with my right hand over my left shoulder to come back to Rome.

Then we started walking towards the Pantheon and saw the President's house on the way, also the parliament and other government offices. We could see soldiers standing outside these buildings and also they had two flags one of Italy and other of EU. There was a third empty shaft for the flag of guest country. As I was walking I suddenly saw the old couple with whom I had had dinner 2 days back. Seeing me the lady just dropped her hands. They waved at me franctically with the same joy which my parents would have after they see me after an year. I too was thrilled. We exchanged greetings each in their own language. The man asked group? I said yes and then they did ciao again waving hands joyfully. I was touched to receive such warmth, I felt loved.

We continued to walk from Pantheon to Piazza Navona. At Pantheon another man from the group came to me and asked where I was from and if I was all by myself. He said that I was very brave to be doing this. Pantheon was the most well preserved ancient monument. The ceiling had a hole for light to come in and it was a perfect circle. I wonder how in that period, the architects used to be so technically sound and perfect. What a genius and power of human mind. Piazza Navona was a huge square with lots of painters and paintings on sale. It was surrounded by restaurants and sit out places.

We got into the bus and continued to goto Vatican to St Peters Basilica. I had already seen th pope here the previous day. This time I went inside the church and looked around at the highly decorative ceilings and walls. The sculptures were gorgeous, the most notable one being 'The Pieta' of Micheangelo which is at once graceful and mournful. There is so much life in that piece of stone and so much pathos that its difficult to be not moved by the ethreal structure. At the end of the tour I asked my guide to drop me at the spanish steps from where I decided to walk to the Galleria Borghese and then to Piazza del Popolo from where the food and wine tour started at 5pm.