View from Piazza Michaelangelo – Florence
As usual, it has been a challenging balancing act performing my unofficial role of tour guide–trying to see as much as possible without any of us passing out from exhaustion–though I think we all came fairly close in Rome this evening.
I was able to break away for a couple hours early yesterday morning and made the walk from our apartment to San Miniato al Monte as I planned. Thankfully, the walk up the hill was much less severe than I anticipated. The experience was enhanced by the fact that I was the only person in San Miniato and this added an element of spirituality than I wasn’t expecting.
We were able to watch the Steelers game at La Botticella in Rome last night and you would have thought you were siting in a bar on Carson street on the South Side of Pittsburgh…but a block away was Piazza Navona…a juxtaposition that was difficult to mentally process. A great experience all the way around….great beer, people and a last second Steelers victory.
The Rome-Pittsburgh connection continued the next day. As we exited the Pantheon, we ran directly into Bishop David Zubik–Pittsburgh’s Roman Catholic Bishop. Kevin and Renee introduced themselves and chatted a bit and got a photo with him in front of the Pantheon. Not sure what the chances are that two Catholic Pittsburghers would run into their Bishop outside the Pantheon in Rome…wow.
It is after midnight and I have to get prepared for another long day tomorrow. I’ll leave you with a few more photos from the last two days.
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- View from Piazza Michaelangelo – Florence
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- Flower in Piazza Michaelangelo
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- Gravesite at San Miniato
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- $39 Euro Breakfast at Cafe Rivoire (really!) – Florence
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- Inside Saint Peter’s Basilica
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- Mosaic inside Saint Peter’s Basilica – Rome
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- Inside Saint Peter’s Basilica
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- Inside Saint Peter’s Basilica
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- Kevin, Bishop Zubik and Renee – Rome
