There is a saying that "travel broadens the mind," but I would add "traveling to Europe doubly so." I was fortunate to have done so back in 2010. So, this blog is the 10th Anniversary of my trip to Italy, Switzerland, France, and England.

It is obvious that the trip pre-dated the blog, but it is a lot of the reason Tales from the Wood Booger is here. I did one blog on some of my Switzerland pictures back in 2014 to prepare for this blog, but stuff kept getting in the way. Now I am going to get this done because it was a special trip. It is even more so because I couldn't go now with the Coronavirus Pandameic and the debacle that has followed. So, I feel even more thankful I got to go across the pond.

There will be six blogs. The first two will cover Italy since we spent five days there. So, blog one (this entry) will cover Rome and Vatican City, while number two features Florence and Venice. Then blog three moves to my favorite country... Switzerland! Blog four, France, and the most beautiful city in the world Paris. Finally, the final two blogs will cover England.

These blogs will not have a lot of writing as I will put a description with the pictures, which will cover most of what needs to be covered. Anyway, enjoy the pictures of Rome and Vatican City as I enjoyed taking them!

Day Zero: Atlanta To Rome (July 9, 2010)

The first day was the nine-hour flight from Atlanta to Rome. Not only was it my first time out of the country it was my first one a plane. I will say even though it was nine hours it went by surprisingly fast. Once in Rome, it was time to head to the hotel Starhotels Michelangelo which was a few blocks from Vatican City.

Our Delta Airlines jet....

...on the plane...

...at takeoff

Sunrise over Europe!

Rome airport

Heading to the hotel...

....near Vatican City

Even the manhole covers have the motto..."Senatus Populusque Romanus (the Senate and Roman people)"

The room...

....& a bidet (right)

The garden outside the balcony

Day One: Vatican City (July 10, 2010)

The first day in Rome it was time to head the short distance to Vatican City and St. Peter's Basilica. I had seen pictures many times and always watched the Christmas Mass every year from here. So, I knew how impressive it looked, but that doesn't prepare you for it in-person. I am not a religious person but it is unbelievable!

The Dome of St. Peter's Basilica.

Stone sign on the wall of Vatican City.

First view of Saints above St. Peter's.

St. Peter's Square...

The Obelisco Piazza San Pietro Città del Vaticano...

The fountains of St. Peter's Square.

Chairs & stage in the plaza.

Yes, they enforce this!

Members of the Swiss Guard.

The Narthex

The Holy Door

Maderno's Nave.

Gold Eagle on the ceiling.

Baldacchino di San Pietro (St. Peter's Baldachin).

The Main Dome of St. Peter's

Side Dome.

Another Side Dome

Another Dome

Is it the Power of God or just sunlight?

St. Peter's Cathedral

Chair of St. Peter

Saint Helena

The Pietà

One of the Pope's...

...Another Pope.

It is a tight squeeze heading up to St. Peter's Dome Cupola

Looking down on the way up...

...looking up at where I am going.

The visit of the Eternal City from the Cupola

St. Peter's Square....

...the Dome of the Pantheon...

...the Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II (also known as Altar of the Fatherland) ...

...Castel Sant'Angelo or the Mausoleum of Hadrian

...Vatican Radio...

...Vatican Railway Station...

...& a train...

...Starhotels Michelangelo (right foreground)

It was "My Summer with Stanley" after the Chicago Blackhawks won the Cup in June!

Yes, I was up there

End day one

Day Two: Vatican City & The Mausoleum Hadrian (July 11, 2010)

On our second day we passed by St. Peter's Basicila and walking up the Via Della Concilizione to the Castel Sant'Angelo (Castle of the Holy Angel) or the original name, the Mausoleum Hadrian. It was built in the late 130s A.D. for the remains of the Roman Emperor Hadrian and would also be used to intern the ashes of later Emperors. After the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, the tomb went into decline and was plundered to decorate St. Peter's Basilica. Ironically in the 14th Century, it was turned into a fortress for the Pope and a covered bridge, Passetto di Borgo, was built to the Castel Sant'Angelo from the Vatican. After the visit to the mausoleum we met up with the Globus Tour Group, we would join for dinner. After we went to the basement of the hotel to watch the 2010 World Cup Final between Spain & the Netherlands...

Passing St. Peter's Square in the morning.

They sell stuff, including beer, across the street from St. Peter's.

The Via Della Concilizione.

Yes, they still had phone booths in 2010.

The first view of the Passetto di Borgo...

....the Papal escape route.

The first view of the Mausoleum Hadrian.

The Pons Aelius (now known as the Ponte Sant'Angelo) was built by Hadrian.

Today it looks more like its current name...Castel Sant'Angelo.

The front entrance.

Map of the the Mausoleum Hadrian...

...% what it originally looked like.

Roman-era artifacts.

One of the corridors...

...looking up a shaft....

...more brickwork...

...rod-iron gate,

"The external wall of the second breather of the Roman-era helicoidal ramp."

Large jar...

...& another.

Medieval Catapult

The Emperor Hadrian

Globe & a big fly.

Bell at the top.

The statue of the Archangel Michael on top of the castle named for him.

The vista boards on top...

...& the view towards the Vatican City...

...& looking towards the old city of Rome.

The best view of the Passetto di Borgo...

...where it heads to, St. Peter's Basicila

View of the Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II

The Pantheon

A great view of the Pons Aelius.

The top of the castle.

Cannons would replace catapults.

Now more from the mausoleum....

Inside...

...& a grinding wheel.

The last bust of the man who built this place.

Last look at the Passetto di Borgo.

Horse & carriage.

It was World Cup Final Day!

Where we were earlier in the day.

The Temple of Hercules Victor

Porta Appia

All roads lead to Rome.

Sunset over Rome (football time)!

Day Three: Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's, The Coliseum, The Roman Forum & Pantheon (July 12, 2010)

The third was by far the busiest. It started early in the morning with a trip to the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. The Sistine Chapel is in the Apostolic Place, it's the place were Cardinals of the Catholic Church chooses a new Pope. It also features the painted ceiling with the Creation and Last Judgement. Because there is a policy of no photos inside the Sistine Chapel the photos I have are from various sources to show its breathtaking beauty. After leaving here it was one last trip to St. Peter's Basilica (the tour group hadn't been there yet). After that, it was on the bus heading towards the old Roman heart of the city. I have to admit this was probably what I looked most forward too as I had always dreamed of visiting the Roman Forum and the Coliseum. Known in the time of the Roman Empire as the Flavian Amphitheatre...the Coliseum. This is an example of the incredible engineering capabilities of the Romans. Later we would visit many places including the Spanish Step and Trevi Fountain. However, my favorite place was another I had always wanted to see, the Pantheon. It is one of the best-preserved buildings from the Roman Times as it is now a Catholic Church. It still has the largest unreinforced, free-standing dome in the world. Then we finished the day at the Piazza Navona, which is on the site of the Stadium of Domitian.