Rome if you want to

And we bid a fond farewell to Ravenna. 

In theory, the white pavers are for bicycles. But this is Italy, so...

I love what they call the area where people get dropped off or picked up.

Which reminds me: Italian parking.
(The white car and silver car are parked there in the intersection.)

Here's my room.

Here's the view from my room. Party central at night but my room has excellent soundproof windows. 

And here's the view down the street. Guess what that building is.

Yep.

Men in Uniform #1

Men in Uniform #2

Men in Uniform #3

Men in Uniform #4.
(Outside a restaurant named "La Taverna Del West." No lie.)

I see a Chia pet Smiley face that needs a haircut. Anyone else?

Paul appears ready for some serious smiting.

It's huge. You could actually park a 747 in here. (I don't know. Maybe.)

Notice the little white thing at Jesus's right foot?

It's the Pope who ordered the building of this basilica, wanting to be in the picture,
even if it sort of looks as if he's trying to tickle the big guy.

I think he's grumpy because he's got really tiny hands and he's daring you to mention it.
That's what the stick is for.

Interesting choice in a place of worship #1

Interesting choice in a place of worship #2

Interesting choice in a place of worship #3.
Do you see where I'm headed with this? (Sorry.)

Pope Sixtus the Fifth. Or is that Fiftus the Sixth?
He's the one that ordered up the Sixteenth Chapel in the Vatican.
(Old joke, I know, but it still cracks me up.)

George Clooney's eye, surrounded by flying baby heads. What was in that incense?

Part of Italy's charm - The door has been propped open and the sign reads:
"We plead strongly with you to always close the doors."
You walk inside and find that all the doors are propped open.

Off to Rome, with a train change in Bologna. My train from Bologna to Rome was a Frecciargento (Silver Arrow!) train that goes over 150 mph unless the previous train outside Florence does something they shouldn't, in which case you get to stop several times because you accidentally got routed onto the slow track and ended up behind one of the trains that travels at a more shall we say leisurely pace. Somehow we ended up arriving only 40 minutes late in Rome. 

I decided to take a tax from Termini train station to my room rather than negotiate luggage on the Metro and over cobblestones. The taxi driver knew several clever shortcuts and he defied the laws of physics a few times. I hadn't notice on previous trips to Rome that they don't bother to paint lane lines until right before a traffic signal. So however many cars you can fit in next to each other as you're going, more power to you. More than once we cut slightly over the center line but he timed it to gaps in the oncoming traffic so no problem, right? That said, I am glad that John and I updated our wills before I left.

That's it for now. (Pray that my camera isn't dying. It started acting up today. Yikes!)