Protected from the sun and other elements - these works of art are even more beautiful here than in their original location. The museum is also home to the 'secret cabinet' which houses the naughtier collection. For many years local taste kept many of these shielded from roaming eyes especially those of children and women. Today - that has changed.
In Roma after a 1 hour journey at 297 km/hr - we settle into our newest home-away-from-home the iQ Hotel Roma. It is conveniently located near the rail station and has all the creature comforts needed for our stay. Best of all - it has a laundry facility to refresh my wardrobe for the remainder of the trip.
We conclude the day with a quick 2 hour walking tour with our architect docent, Andrew. A mother and daughter join us for this 'group' tour of Roma. Surprisingly - they are from Dallas and actually live within a few blocks from my 'real' home. It IS a small world. We wander the streets and peek into passing churches along the way from Piazza Navona (an old chariot racing track) and end at the Tiber River. Throughout Italy, the piazza serves as a communal living room and they dot the city.
Exhausted and starving we stumble into Virgilio ristorante at the Piazza Campo de' Fiori for fuel and drink. The piazza is very close to the remarkable (and enormous) Farnese Villa (now the French Embassy) and the Tiber. It is a nice end to our first day in Roma.
Tomorrow - our complete group arrives in Rome and we begin the birthday countdown.
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