Ruins

At the Acropolis in Athens

At the Temple of Zeus at Olympia; here was where the ivory Zeus statue, one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World, stood

The Colosseum in Rome

The Theater of Marcellus in Rome, with modern apartments built into it

Trajan's Market and Forum, Rome

Public toilets at Ostia Antica, Ancient Rome's port city

Canals

as usual, click to enlarge

St. Peter's Basilica

There's no way to describe the enormity of that structure.  Even pictures don't convey it, you just have to go there.

Here are some pictures I took:

click to enlarge

 The view from the cupula top St. Peter's

 One of the Swiss Guards

 The bronze canopy over the altar is 7 stories high

I neither kissed nor rubbed the toe

 "You are Peter...", and those letters are 7 feet tall

To give an idea of the size, you can see the "Tu es" in the dome under the windows--and remember, those letters are 7 feet tall.  Look at the relative size of the people under the dome

Travel Trivia, July 20th

As my nana used to say: home again, home again, jiggety-jig.

(Answer to yesterday's question:  Venice's airport is named for Marco Polo, and Rome's is named for Leonardo da Vinci)

Travel Trivia, July 19th

Returning home today, leaving Rome's airport and passing through Charlotte, NC, on the way to San Francisco.  Speaking of airports, after whom are Venice's and Rome's airports named?

(Answer to yesterday's question:  Romulus Augustus)

Travel Trivia, July 18th

The last Roman emperor, deposed in AD 476, was named for two important figures in Roman mythology and history.  What was his name?

(Answer to yesterday's question:  Venice, Dubrovnik, Rome, Athens, San Francisco)

Travel Trivia, July 17th

Put these cities in their correct order from north to south:  San Francisco, Venice, Dubrovnik, Athens, Rome.

(Answer to yesterday's question:  the Colosseum held 50,000 spectators, while the Circus Maximus held 250,000)

Travel Trivia, July 16th

Which held more spectators, the Colosseum with its gladiators or the Circus Maximus with its chariot races?

(Answer to yesterday's question:  the Capitoline Hill)

Travel Trivia, July 15th

The English word capitol comes from which of Rome's 7 legendary hills?

(Answer to yesterday's question: the Eternal City)

Travel Trivia, July 14th

Paris is known as the City of Lights, what is Rome's nickname?

(Answer to yesterday's question: 3-1/2 hours)

Travel Trivia, July 13th

Back in Venice, and scheduled to take the train to Rome.  About how many hours is the fast train ride to Rome?  (not taking the milk run)

(Answer to yesterday's question:  no, Grigio is off the west coast of Italy and we're east of Italy)

Travel Trivia, July 12th

No stops today, we are back at sea.  Did we pass Grigio, site of the Costa Concordia wreck?

(Answer to yesterday's question:  no, Olympus is 175 miles from Olympia)

Travel Trivia, July 11th

Olympia today!  Yes or no:  does Mt. Olympus tower over Olympia?

(Answer to yesterday's question:  1687, the Venetians)

Travel Trivia, July 10th

Our stop today is Athens, and I look forward to seeing the Parthenon.  In what year was the Parthenon destroyed by the ignition of an Ottoman ammo dump inside the building, and by whom was the bombardment that caused the explosion?

(Answer to yesterday's question:  the Adriatic)

Travel Trivia, July 9th

Today we are "at sea".  In which sea are we sailing?

(Answer to yesterday's question:  Croatia)

Travel Trivia, July 8th

Our stop today is Dubrovnik, a medieval coastal town.  In which country, formerly part of Yugoslavia, is Dubrovnik located?

(Answer to yesterday's question:  Norwegian Jade)

Travel Trivia, July 7th

Today I board a cruise ship whose name consists of two words.  The first word describes something from a Northern European country, the second is a precious stone favored in China.  What is the name of my ship?

(Answer to yesterday's question: Jews were forced to live in a segregated area near the foundry, or geto, and Venice's mighty shipbuilding site was located in the district known as Arsenale)

Travel Trivia, July 6th

How did the English words ghetto and arsenal derive from areas of Venice?

(Answer to yesterday's question: Lido and Rialto)

Travel Trivia, July 5th

Venice is home to a famous beach and to a famous bridge over the Grand Canal.  What is the name of each?

(Answer to yesterday's question: Venice)

Travel Trivia July 4th

Happy birthday, America!  Celebrate your freedom as I arrive in which city, approximately 72 miles from the southern anchor of the Iron Curtain?

(The answer to yesterday's question:  US Airways)