04-Feb-23
My parents are here! We lit a candle for my godmother at the Trinita dei Monti church (also known as the church at the top of the Spanish Steps.)
I feel like we just startled this saint (St. Francis of Paula.)
Wha? Who....me? No.......
Spanish Steps Groupie!
We got tickets for the Hop-on Hop-off bus to get us around. First stop - Santa Maria Maggiore.
You're supposed to go through a basic security screening - metal detector and bags through x-ray, but the guard saw me wearing Max and had me skip the line and the screening. *Shrugs*
I got to see more of the church this time. Someone was too preoccupied to whine.
Altar of the Sistine Chapel, but not THAT Sistine Chapel.
Sideways dome!
A fun art deco-esque gate.
Supposedly a piece of the manger is in here.
KC was not impressed with this statue of Phillipo IV.
Max had gotten squirrely, so we went around to the back of the church to muck about.
Max didn't want to be in the photo. She's actively trying to escape.
But she and KC had fun chasing the pigeons until the bus arrived.
Enjoying the bus in our own ways.
Fancy doorknocker.
Max was having fun at lunch. She had a fork and when grandpa got his linguini, someone reached over with their fork and stole some. Several times.
Not the Pope's elephant, but it's the closest we could find.
Apparently Pope Leo X had a pet elephant named Hanno. Who was eventually buried in the gardens at the Vatican. The elephant, not the Pope.
The elephant was probably carved by Bernini's assistant. The obelisk is from ~580 BC.
We snagged a tour of the Pantheon. I missed most of it. KC had to use the bathroom and there isn't one in here. I asked a guard where the nearest bathroom was, and they said any of the restaurants. I wasn't confident in that answer, but went to one and asked if KC could use their bathroom. Yes, certo!
So we used the bathroom and then I didn't think they'd let us back in the Pantheon, but luckily the guard I talked to recognized us and let us back in. Hurray!
Star Sphere by Jens W. Beyrich
Pantheon groupie! With our guide!
Apparently the Pantheon is the only remaining pagan temple in Rome. The rest of the them were destroyed/scavenged for churches.
GIANT candelabrum!
I enjoyed this statue/relief with it's inset jewel accessories.
After the Pantheon we got gelato. KC was VERY excited for her gelato.
Lion! Eating a...donkey?
