Europe cruise

We were blessed to enter two beautiful churches in Portofino!
The first was Martino Church. It is a historic gem that stands as a testament to the village's rich cultural heritage. Its distinctive Romanesque architecture, characterized by a striking striped façade and intricate details, draws you in.
Once inside the church, we were blown away by the religious artworks, creating a serene and reflective atmosphere. Situated on a hill, San Martino provides stunning views of the picturesque and surrounding landscape!!!
We came across some fellow Aussie travellers who pointed us to another church and told us you have to climb a "few" stairs.......... Well, it was a bit more than a few!!!!
San Giacomo Church is perched atop a hill, offering breathtaking views of the village and the Mediterranean Sea. This quaint church, first built in the 12th century, has simple but charming architecture and exudes a peaceful atmosphere that invites you to pause and reflect. The climb to San Giacomo, was definitely worth the effort and made us feel blessed to have experienced its beauty.
Halfway down i realised that i left my bottle of limoncello i have purchased earlier in the church!!! I flew back up those stairs so quick and left carol-lynne crawling on the floor with laughter🤣🤣🤣Lue lisää

Rome was so much to take in, but what struck me was regardless of which denomination we belong to, all over the word we all serve the same amazing God!
The detail and art in the facades of these churches are breathtaking and difficult to capture in a photo but something I have not taken for granted to experience in person!!
The first stop was the Roman Forum, where 2000 years ago, the Romans had their markets. When we arrived at the Forum, a street performer played the most beautiful haunting performance, which I included in the video.
The next stop was Venice Square, a central hub in Rome. It is a monument to King Vittorio and the Unification of Italy.
In blistering heat, we continued on to the Trevi Fountain, where we only had one coin to throw into the fountain, so we shared the coin. Our other coin was used to get into the ladies room😂 nothing free these days!!
At the Pantheon, we had 15 min to spare, and carol-lynne bought us each two of the most expensive gelato's at a grand total of $49 AUD, but worth every cent!!!
Last stop after a very hot and long day of walking, we reached the Vatican State and St Peter's Basilica, another beautiful church. We were surprised to learn that the Vatican City mints its own coins, prints its own stamps, and has its own army of Swiss Guards 💂‍♂️
Stendhal once said about Rome. " When you find yourselves in the great company of these masterpieces, you should always behave as if they were individuals who demanded your respect, waiting in silence until they have chosen to speak to you." I could not agree more!!Lue lisää