Rome trip day 2

It is one a.m. by my body clock, and I’m in an Italian church for Sunday Mass with Amy and Dorothy. It looks like some sort of confirmation ceremony is going to happen, with lots of young adolescents and their families milling around. Amy says she saw men as well as women doing the kiss-kiss greeting, but I choose not to believe her.
Most of the attendees are stylishly and conservatively dressed, except for a few who went over the edge with style. Example: One young woman was wearing white boots and black leather pants. Perhaps it is an attendance-boosting technique used in the church-rich Rome. There were also several black women in traditional African garb.



Trajan's Column.
Completed in the year 113, standing about 98 feet tall. According to Wikipedia: The shaft is made from a series of 20 colossal Carrara marble drums, each weighing about 40 tons, with a diameter of about 4 meters (13 ft). The 190 meter (625 ft) frieze winds around the shaft 23 times.



Il Vittoriano, monument to the first king of a unified Italy, as well as Mussolini’s palace later.



"It is absolutely forbidden to have a bad behavior?"



"Meow."

More Rome trip day 2

Unknown ruins.



Amy, Dorothy and the sexy Smart Car coupe.




The Temple of Hercules Victor, dating from about 120 B.C.


Castel Saint Angelo on the banks of the Tiber. Originally commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. Built ~139.

Still more Rome day 2.

Amy and Dorothy outside St. Peter's.


There had been an event that morning, and apparently not enough trash cans put out.


The Pope's view of St. Peter's Square.


The doors to St. Peter's Basilica.


Nice light inside.

@!%#&* Stingers!

I guess I've been stung back into action after a long hiatus from posting.

I rode the motorcyle to work today, and upon my return home this evening I had a little surprise.

I walked into the house wearing my Aerostich riding suit, put my helmet on the table and began to take off the 'stich.

Step 1: Unzip the jacket.
Step 2: Reach down with left hand and zip up (open) the zipper from right ankle to right thigh.
Step 3: Reach down with right hand, start to zip up from left ankle, wonder what puffy/leafy thing is that's on zipper tab as I'm pulling it up, then wonder no more as the scorpion I'm squeezing lets me have it with his stinger on my right index finger.

Zounds! Drop the scorpion, dance around and swear for a few moments while debating whether to squash the thing, and instead grab a glass to put over the beastie for later release into the wild.

Son of a gun--a sting by those things hurt! It's the first time I've ever been stung. The pain lasted for a good ten minutes, and eventually faded to a dull ache and some numbness.

I took the arachnid outside, gave him a stern talking to, then tossed him in the bushes. He'll stay out there if he knows what's good for him!

Anyway, continuation of Rome trip report to resume shortly.

Here's the culprit. Note the "Spawn of Satan" glowing eyes.



You can't tell from this picture, but he's a good 18 inches long. (Not really, only about 3.)