Nine thirty and time for bed!   We had a busy day.   Up early and on the road by 7 am    Cool snack cakes and nutella for breakfast with fresh grapefruit and apples.   Most of us slept on the way to rome but the countyryside was too beautiful to sleep through.  I will put a few pictures.  The river was flooded from all the rain.   Several towns were obviously from medival times up on steep cliffs.   Villas were all over - with grapes, sheep, artichokes, olives and a few cattle.  

We arrived in Rome right on time and parked very near the vatican.   We enjoyed a quick lunch - most got a sandwich of some kind and gelato  - truly fabulous stuff here!   We did a fast paced walk around the outside wall of the vatican to arrive at the entrance.   Entertaining and informative tour guides led us through this museum of tremedous proportions.   We saw an ancient bronze statue of Apollo and Egyptian red marble tub for Nero.  Of course Michaelangelo's paintings in the Sistene chapel were a high point,   We went on to St. Peter's Basilica and ended at the oblisk in the vatican square.  

A short 7 minute walk away we had another yummy italian supper before sundown.  They normally don't eat that early and somehow didn't bring in wait staff.   Peter and Sunni (our guides) were our servers - in many ways.  :)  

I am off to bed early - battling a sore throat and I want to kick it before it gets worse.   I apologize but will put pictures on in the morning.   typically it takes at least an hour to upload and post   sometimes two.

Tomorrow am the group will leave the hotel at 9:30 to perform in church.   The church will provide lunch and then the kids will go to the coleseum, pantheon and hopefully Paul's prison