Rome

We took the train to Rome from Salerno, after arriving by bus from Amalfi. The buildings in Rome are gargantuan, scaled so large because every builder in history wanted to outdo their predecessors. Many contemporary buildings were built on ancient ruins or foundations, creating a patchwork urban scene, each crowding out the other. There are many beautiful baroque architectural treasures, Roman ruins, and the venerated St Peters Cathedral in the Vatican. We watched as Pope John Paul II gave his blessings in many languages to weddings. Rome was definitely built to impress throughout its history, even our hotel had front doors that are two-stories high, seemingly designed for a race of giants. The forum of Trajan and the Pantheon were the spots that we found to be especially evocative.