Monument-al overload

Superlatives cannot begin to describe what I've taken in over the past two days or the thoughts and emotions that accompanied what I saw.

Pompeii was much bigger and more spread out than I imagined. Again I was flooded with the thoughts that I was walking on the same stone roadways and entering the same homes and stores of people who lived 2,000 years ago. Public parks, bakeries, banks, fast food restaurants, vinegar and oil emporiums, vegetable stands, roadways with steps in place to walk across the certainly accumulating day-to-day muck. And the homes - gorgeous entry archways, central gardens, generous living rooms....and the mosaics, oh my goodness, the mosaics! We saw reproductions of the originals in their original settings - on the floor, and then saw the original 2,000 year old mosaics in the Archeological museum in Naples. Each one is absolutely breathtakingly detailed with subjects that range from "beware of the dog in this home" to "we sell fish in this store" to reenactments of great battles to inctricate geometric designs.

Then today was the grandeur of Rome - the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, St Peter's Basilica and the Coliseum. I am awestruck at the intelligence and inventive nature of those Romans. Breathtaking to actually see those two fingers just barely touching each other on that ceiling, to take in the stunning Bernini altar.....and, by complete and total surprise, to see the Pope in person!!!!! By mere happenstance, he was getting out of his car in a motorcade and entering his apartments just as we walked by. So many people were screaming his name and taking his picture. There are two simply huge TV screens permanently erected in St Peters square to capture his every move when he is in the public areas and everyone was transfixed.

Tidbits -- there are very strict rules regarding living and working in Vatican City. Tour guides have to be Catholic (of course), baptised, married, never divorced. Normal everyday people are allowed to live in Vatican City, but apartments and homes are very expensive. One of the perks to living there is that there are no taxes, including on gasoline. While outsiders pay the normal 1.30 Euros per liter (approx $8.00 per gallon (!!!)), Vatican City residents pay much much less.

I came full circle at the Coliseum -- While in Morocco in April, I saw the replica where The Gladiator movie was made and today I saw the real, real thing.

I've thought a lot about Bob these last two days. He was so much a fan of history and military history in particular. He would have loved Pompeii and the Coliseum. I know his catholic upbringing would have made the visit to the Vatican extra special, too. I bought his mom, Helen, a Peace Cross, commemorating John Paul II. Her 93rd birthday was October 1.

Tomorrow is Monaco and Monte Carlo. They tell me the table games (roulette and blackjack, my favorite) are only open at night, so I'll have to place my Monte Carlo bet at the slots. Wish me luck!