Pearls in Rome, Day Eight (Arrivederci, Roma!)

Wednesday, March 27

As I come to the end of this series about our fabulous Roman Holiday a little over a month ago, I realize that there are so many pictures I never even got around to sharing, pictures of some of the most iconic sights in Rome--such as Il Vittoriano, or the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II (National Monument of Victor Emmanuel II), the famous white marble edifice located in the heart of the city that has been nicknamed  "the Wedding Cake."

I took a few quick pictures of this impressive and imposing landmark (including the requisite selfie) when we passed by it on our second day in Rome, as we were making our way over to the Colosseum for our tour (my head was on a swivel, I'll tell you, and my eyes were just about popping out of my head, taking it all in!).

There are other places, too, that I never got around to talking about--such as the Castle Sant'Angelo on the bank of the Tiber River. This structure was originally built by the emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum but later became a papal refuge.  There is a secret corridor that connects it to the Vatican, so that the pope can flee to safety if Vatican City comes under siege.

I took some photos, including this one, of the Castel Sant'Angelo on the days we visited St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums.

Actually, this might be a good time to tell you that if you haven't been following along and want to catch up with the "Pearls in Rome" series, here are links to Day One, Day Two, Day Three, Day Four, Day Five, Day Six, and Day Seven.  (Even though these posts have a lot more pictures than words, going through so many of them probably seems a bit daunting.  So suffice it to say that we saw a lot of amazing things and it was just about the best week ever...and I have fallen head-over-heels in love with Rome!)

I chose a travel-friendly outfit for the long flight back to the US.  I almost always dress in a skirt and tights for air travel, a holdover from my husband's early days with the airline (way, way back in the late 1980's!), when there was a strict dress code we had to follow if we wanted to take advantage of the perk of free stand-by flights.  But for this day of sad farewells, I chose a casual ensemble of jeans, a flowy, loose-fitting top, and a soft, open-front blazer. This 3/4-sleeve jacket was a staple of my wardrobe for our week in Rome, and it even fit nicely under my roomy trench coat on the cooler days.  (It was an inexpensive Walmart find--and if you haven't ever shopped for clothes there you should really check it out!)

Our bags were packed and sitting by the door.  [Sniff!]  Before we walked out that door for good, we did one last quick check of the apartment to make sure that we hadn't left anything behind and that the place was as immaculate as possible.  (As VRBO homeowners ourselves, we know how much it is appreciated when guests treat the property respectfully!)

There was a taxi stand right next to the Pantheon, which was a few minutes' walk from "our" little apartment.  So we left at 7:00 a.m. and dragged our roller-bags over the cobblestones toward the Pantheon to catch a cab to the Termini train station.

That's my guy up ahead.  I was lagging a bit...reluctant to leave!

Good bye, Pantheon!  I'll miss you!

We boarded the Leonardo Express, and I couldn't stop taking pictures (from my seat on the train, through the window)--even as the city rushed past us in a blur.

Before we knew it, we had been assigned seats on our flight-- together up in First Class (woo hoo!).  That's all I needed to feel safe and comfortable on the trip across the big, blue ocean: my OBALP (Old Building and Loan Pal) sitting right beside me.

Actually, I needed one other guy with me, too.  I always hold this St. Joseph holy card in my hand when we take off, and I say the Unfailing Petition to this powerful saint that is printed on the back of the card.

(I say all I needed was those two guys to feel comfortable...but the cocktails, four-course meal, dessert cart, and movies-on-demand didn't hurt either!  I can't lie.  Those things definitely helped to take the sting out of having to leave my beloved Rome.)

I watched a couple of movies.  I read a book on my Kindle (Ornamental Graces by Carolyn Astfalk--I recommend it!).  And before I knew it, we were back on American soil.

I still can't believe we went on this trip!  We had talked about it many times over the past 15 years or so, and had even started to make plans on several occasions; however, more important family-related matters came up and we had to put our dream of a Roman Holiday on hold.  But we finally did it!  We actually made that dream come true.  I have to pinch myself sometimes.  Ask my husband how many times I've said recently, completely out of the blue, "Thank you so much for taking me on that trip!"  (His reply is always, "No, thank YOU!")

Our meals since we've been back home in VA have had a heavy Italian influence.  LOL!

I know I'll never forget our time in Rome.  But I also think that these blog posts documenting our days there will help to keep the memories fresh for me.

I hope you enjoyed my little trip down memory lane!  And if it is your dream to visit Rome one day, I hope you get to do it.  You will not be disappointed!