Mmmmm, gelato!

Wow, Rome is HOT in July. Thank goodness for the endless number of public fountains and, of course, gelato!

Our two days in Rome so far have been great. Shortly after our last post we hit the street to begin seeing the sights: Pantheon, Piazza Navonna, Spanish Steps, and Via Condotti. A map posted outside a soon-to-be Louis Vuitton store was very helpful in finding the Pantheon. A free tourist map has been too much of a nuisance to find, so we've been using the maps in our Lonely Planet book (and the LV map!).

The good food has continued from Florence into Rome. Delicious reasonably priced pizza and pasta can be found almost everywhere. It makes one wonder if Romans ever bother to cook at home. Oh, and for David especially, there is gelato everywhere. Sharon has managed to keep David in check, having only visited the famous Gelateria della Palma, which is so popular that you need to buy a ticket for your ice cream!

Today was just as hot as yesterday, and just as much fun. Our day began with 9AM Mass at the Vatican. Yes, that Vatican! The Basillica of St. Peter is an awe-inspiring place to attend Mass. Following Mass, we (yes, David too) climbed another dome! The "Cupola" of St. Peter is a mere 537 steps to the top, and affords spectacular views of Rome and the Vatican (especially the Vatican Gardens).

Our next stop was the Colosseum. Russel Crowe was nowhere to be found. The capacity of the original Colosseum rivals that of modern stadia (80,000), and it remains quite impressive today.

Two important Churches followed the visit to the Colosseum. First was St. Clement, which is a church built over a church, which was itself built over an ancient temple. All three can be visited for a mere three Euro per person, what a deal! The second Church of the day was the very famous St. Maria in Cosmedin where the "bocca della verita" is found. Stick your right hand in and tell a lie -- the "bocca" will bite off your hand. Four hands here, check!

Our day ended with a refreshing visit to the Trevi Fountain. Coins were tossed over shoulders, and wishes were made.

Sharon's arms are uncharateristically covered in bug-bites and David has been out of clean clothing for a couple of days, but we are having a fantastic time.