Sept 13 Rome

 Rome, the Eternal City. It's 90 minutes from the port to the city so we're lined up for a looong day visiting the city and its embedded country, the Vatican.

A building, designed by Benito Mussolini, with the arch motif from the Coliseum. Our tour guide mentions during the drive from port to Rome that Rome has 99% sunny days. Tour guides are art history majors and not meteorologists.

Umbrella pine tree

Pyramid of Cestius

We did a drive by of several Roman sites -- Circus Maximus

Baths of Caracalla

There was lots of construction/rebuilding underway since next year is a Jubilee Year for the Catholic Church in Rome.

Coliseum

Fountain of Naiadi

Porte Popolo, where we leave the bus for a stroll through a portion of Rome. Finding lunch is also part of the journey.

Fontana dei Leoni with an Egyptian obelisk

Piazza Popolo

Interesting juxtaposition

Spanish Steps. It's morning, it's mid-September and it's still crowded.

Trevi Fountain. The police have roped off the seating section near the fountain so everyone can push/shove towards the rope line to take their pictures/selfies. Lots of coin throwers also.

We had some lunch and went back to Piazza Popolo for rendezvous with the bus. It poured rain for about 30 minutes, leaving us soaked from mid-thigh down (we had ponchos, but only lightweight plastic ones. See the pictures of our arrival two hours earlier to see why we hadn't taken anything more substantial.)

The Vatican Museum.

Sphere within a sphere in the courtyard of the museum

Rivaled only by the British in bringing everything interesting back to their museum, the Vatican has lots of stuff.

Tapestry

Ornate building, amazing art, crushing crowds. No pictures allowed in the Sistine Chapel. Buy the book.

St. Peter's Basilica

The actual church is not crowded, but then it is huge.

Reproduction of the Pieta by Michaelangelo. The original is being refurbished because Jubilee. At least there was no bulletproof plastic separating us from the reproduction.

Obligatory picture of Vatican Swiss Guard

And it was raining again as we left for the long ride back to the boat.

Sept 12 Salerno Italy

 Today was an unplanned stop at Salerno. We were scheduled for Amalfi/Positani, a port that requires tendering. Wind and waves were too much, so we went a few kilometers down the coast and docked at Salerno. Most excursions were able to go, but we had nothing planned. And we've never been here before so we walked off the ship and explored Salerno.

The Amalfi coast as we made the short cruise to Salerno.

Next to the new and modern cruise terminal is this apartment complex facing the harbor with a large open courtyard.

And a lovely park along the coast

But the town quickly becomes more vertical as it climbs up from the sea.

We began climbing up heading for a "must see" botanical garden, passing through narrow streets and steps. At one point there was even an elevator available to lift us about 40 feet further up. But the gardens were closed when we got there.

We headed towards the cathedral through more narrow streets, fortunately without having to gain anymore elevation. It seems impossible for a stranger to move through this city without GPS. And it was tough even with. We did end up in a couple of dead ends.

The cathedral -- money required for admission. Not a particularly ornate church for Italy.

Through the shopping streets

Back to the ship -- Salerno beach. The apartment complex center right is the same as the one pictured above.

At the port, here's an innovation I don't think we'd seen before. The handrail is recessed within the wall. Provides security when walking without getting in your way.

Sept 11 Palermo, Sicily, Italy

 Nothing special planned for today, just a walk into town.

This is the palace overlooking the harbor in the picture above. Built in 1928-1933.

We walked down the Via Roma

Chiesa di San Domenico

This is a chain restaurant, offering standard American fast food. We didn't eat here.

Piazza Pretoria

Chiesa di San Cataldo