Sarah's 2nd Morning in Rome: Fountains, Pantheon and Castel Sant'Angelo

I had just dropped off into a deep sleep last night when I heard someone crying. Sarah was a little homesick, couldn't sleep because Grandpa Sonny was snoring and there were too many noisy cars outside. A little comfort, few hugs, poked Grandpa to make him stop snoring and she fell asleep. For the next two nights, the two of us will use ear plugs.

Up around 7:30 am for breakfast. I came equipped with Honey Nut Cheerios , Cocoa Puffs, individual packs of Jif Peanut Butter, lunch-size packs of Doritos and Potato Chips AND one Kraft Easy Mac n' Cheese just in case Ms. Finicky Eater didn't like the food. Sure enough. The bread was okay, she didn't like the milk and ate Cocoa Puffs dry and I nuked the Kraft Easy Mac n' Cheese in the B&B's microwave.

approaching the Pantheon

Signor Giancarlo Ricciardelli told us to visit the Pantheon first since it was RAINING (Rats...) The Pantheon was on our "must see list" for Sarah and originally was built as a temple to all the gods of Ancient Rome. ...View image... The Pantheon is currently the oldest standing domed structure in Rome built in 125 AD.

The rain enters the Pantheon through a central opening in the dome, falls on the floor where there are 20+ little holes for drainage. By the time we got to the Pantheon, it had stopped raining but Sarah enjoyed the Pantheon regardless. It is a beautiful, imposing building.

light coming into the Pantheon through the dome

Pantheon floor with drainage holes

Italian teenage school groups at the Pantheon

We always carried backpacks with water bottles, a few snacks and the collapsible umbrellas. We also started each day by wearing rain jackets/windbreakers and stuffed them in the backpacks when it got too hot. And then I had maps, guidebooks, etc. Grandpa carried the heavier loads which got heavier each time Sarah added to her "present stash."

From the Pantheon to the Piazza Navona without getting lost. The Piazza follows the plan of an ancient Roman circus but with the famous Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers) in the center covered with scaffolding for restoration, it was difficult to really communicate the scale and purpose to Sarah.

Fountain of the Four Rivers all covered with scaffolding

But the other two fountains, Fontana di Nettune (Neptune Fountain) and Fontana del Moro (Moor Fountain) were spouting away and it was still quite a scene with painters, tourists and locals ...now enjoying the sunshine....

Moor Fountain with pigeons sitting on heads

artists setting up in the Piazza Navona

...with one cute little "yorkie" sitting on his owner's foot and watching the crowds...(Sarah pointed that out...)

cute dog with his own seat

A walk across the Tiber to Castel Sant'Angelo, originally Hadrian's Mausoleum and later a fortress. Appoaching, we saw mimes...

Sarah and Grandpa Sonny with Statue of Liberty mime

..and people up on the terraces.

Castel Sant'Angelo entrance

Sarah decided she wanted to go up there too. ...View image... We really lucked out money-wise this week. It is a "Week of Culture" in Rome and almost all the museums are FREE but the Vatican. This made traveling with a teenager a lot easier. If she wanted to see something...we went in. If she was bored...we left. Into the FREE Castel Sant'Angelo with walks around the ramps and up to the terrace for beautiful scenes of St. Peter's close by, all of Rome, Tiber River and mountains in the distance. ...View image...