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Europe

A 27-day adventure by PSGK-A. Read more
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    21

    More final day in Venice pics

    July 1, 2016 in Italy

    Went to the Liberia Aqua Alta bookstore...gets high reviews. I heard one woman say it was one of top 10 most interesting bookstores in the world! Maybe if i was looking for an old, Italian book in a damp, cramped room i would have agreed. I need to read up on it some more in order to appreciate it, I guess.Read more

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    Biking the Appian Way

    July 3, 2016 in Italy

    Riding along the 1700 year old Appian Way. Peter is said to have met Jesus along this road.

    It was nice to ride on this ancient road but I'm glad they improved how they make roads!

    Maybe some day I'll spend more time walking this road but this was supposed to be a day of rest for us so I didn't push to see too much.Read more

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    Trevi fountain

    July 3, 2016 in Italy

    We made a quick stop to see this famous fountain that originally supplied wayer to ancient Rome. It was determined to be "insufficiently dramatic" by Pope Urban VIII and was eventually made into what it is today,

    G&K did the traditional throw a coin into the fountain over your left shoulder using your right hand. According to wikipedia, about 3000 euros go into the fountain each day and the money is used to feed the needy!

    These pics don't do it justice but they're the best we got with the large crowd.    Read more

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    Vatican Museum

    July 4, 2016 in Vatican City

    We perused this as part of a tour with Walks of Italy. The guide was great but the tour was long and exhausting (maybe because we had to be up at 6AM for it).

    The pics are of:
    - an early (before the cross) symbol of Christianity
    - the ceiling of one of the halls
    - us with St. Peter's Basilica in the background
    - the tomb of St. Helena (mother of Constantine)
    - painted ceiling with a bird that looks like a drone taking video
    - view of St. Peter's Square from the Basilica    Read more

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    St. Peter's Basilica

    July 4, 2016 in Vatican City

    We came here at the end of our Vatican tour. St. Peter's Basilica, sometimes called the "greatest church in Christendom", is believed to be built on the burial place of St. Peter.

    This is a spectacular place but also, like many of the orher churches we've seen, makes me question the motives of the church on earth when compared with the actual teachings of Jesus. I somehow think Jesus would be disgusted to see the size and expense that was taken to build these cathedrals while the poor went hungry.

    The first picture is a 13th century bronze statue of St. Peter. People walk by and either rub or kiss his foot for good luck, I guess.

    The second picture is the tomb of Pope John Paul II.    Read more

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    Climb to the top of St. Peter's

    July 4, 2016 in Vatican City

    - a mosaic that is on the wall of the dome
    - some of the 6 foot tall letters that look much smaller from the floor of the church
    - a couple of views from the top
    - still happy on the way down
    - a viee of the Basilica from the squareRead more

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    Pantheon

    July 5, 2016 in Italy

    The Pantheon has the worlds largest, unreinforced concrete dome - pretty amazing since it was built over 2000 years ago! There was some pretty amazing ingenuity and engineering being done thousands of years sgo!Read more

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    Basilica of St. Mary

    July 5, 2016 in Italy

    We didn't intend to go here but we went inside looking for a bathroom and it was interesting nonetheless. Another immense cathedral that seems, in my humble opinion, th go beyond what's necessary to worship God. I, personally, don't think God is looking down with joy on these cathedrals.

    Straight from wikipedia: "The shrine is known for housing some of the famous relics, such the ones belonging to Saint Helena, mother of Emperor Constantine, various minor relics from the Holy Sepulchre and the Santo Bambino of Aracoeli."    Read more

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    Scala Sancta

    July 6, 2016 in Italy

    This was an interesting stop where we observed many Christian pilgrims ascending these holy stairs on their knees. This picture was taken prior to a large group beginning their ascent who may have arrived to attend mass. This seemed to be a very emotional experience as you could hear some folks wailing as they reached the summit. Since we are not of the faith, we ascended a separate staircase on our feet.Read more

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    Papal Archbasilica of St. John Lateran

    July 6, 2016 in Italy

    We stopped here as it was adjacent to Scala Sancta. We didn't realize this was the top Papal Basilica in the world and is the oldest christian church in the west.

    I'll let wikipedia explain it: "The Papal Archbasilica of St. John in the Lateran (Italian: Arcibasilica Papale di San Giovanni in Laterano), commonly known as St. John Lateran's Archbasilica, St. John Lateran's Basilica, St. John Lateran, or just The Lateran Basilica, is the cathedral church of the Diocese of Rome and the official ecclesiastical seat of the Bishop of Rome, who is the Pope.

    It is the oldest and ranks first among the five Papal Basilicas of the world and the four Major Basilicas of Rome (all of which are also Papal basilicas), being the oldest church in the West and having the Cathedra of the Bishop of Rome."    Read more

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    Basilica of Saint Clement

    July 7, 2016 in Italy

    This was one of my favorite sites! I think it's important to think about how societies have approached and absorbed religion into their culture over time. This church is a physical example of that layering as it is a 12th century Basilica built over a 4th century Basilica which was bulit over a temple to Mithrias which was apparently built over an early clandestine christian church.

    The pics include the sanctuary of the cult of Mithrias church, as well as other pics of the old and current churches.    Read more

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    Colosseum

    July 7, 2016 in Italy

    This was another of our favorires! We took a tour that included walking on the floor and going underground to see and hear how events were orchestrated. This was very interesting and enlightening. The Colosseum felt much smaller than it looks but we also learned that there were 60 trap doors that could be used to "enhance" the show by injecting additional adversaries into the ring.

    We also learned that events were carefully orchestrated all day affairs with animals slain in the morning, criminal executions at mid-day and gladiators fighting at night as the main event.

    Historians do not believe christians were martyred here.

    The pics include a replica of a trap door that, apparently, was added to the Colosseum for a visit by Obama!

    Since the tour was at night, some of these pics are from the tour and others are pics we took on other days as we strolled in the area.    Read more