Dreaminations: 2019

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Vatican City

St. Peter's Square

St. Peter's Basilica (Nave)

St. Peter's Basilica (Dome)

We also visited the Vatican Necropolis, no pictures allowed

but more information can be found here, including how to book a tour:

Ufficio Scavi

Vatican Museums

Rome, Italy

St. Angelo Castle and Bridge

Piazza del Popolo

Piazza di Spagna

Pantheon

Piazza Navona

Fontana di Trevi

St. Ignazio de Loyola

Largo di Torre Argentina

Sta. Maria Maggiore

St. Pietro in Vincoli

Porta Maggiore and Baker's Tomb

Santa Maria del Trastevere

Santa Cecilia del Trastevere

This church has a small but very interesting catacomb which is accessible for a very small fee and is the only catacomb where photography is allowed. Access to the crypt is though the catacomb.

Tiber Island

Bocca della Verita, Square and St. Maria in Cosmedin

Orange Garden and St. Sabina

Sto. Stefano Rotondo

St. Giovanni in Laterano & Scala Sancta

Victor Emmanuel II National Monument

Campidoglio, Capitoline Wolf & Ara Coelis

Colosseum

Palatino & Circo Massimo

Foro

Via Appia Antica

St. Sebastian

Extremely interesting tour of the catacombs here, highly recommended.
No pictures allowed.
(I personally enjoyed it more than the Vatican Necropolis)

Quo Vadis

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Italy 2019 - bags ready!

Yes! We're on the move again!

This time we're going to Rome, Italy.

It's our first time in Rome and we are super excited.

Our packing is conditioned by three factors:

1 - It's going to be hot - around 80ºF/30ºC

2 - Our Airbnb is equipped with a washer, and

3 - Our extremely cheap plane ticket allows one piece of carry-on only, under 8 kg (17 lbs).

Piece of cake!!

In the plane, I will be wearing my comfy gray yoga pants, a gray sporty top and a black long-sleeved cardigan, with black and gray sneakers.

I have packed two more bottoms and 5 more tops in a black/navy/turquoise colorway...

From left to right: short sleeved cardigan, sports top, 2 short sleeved t-shirts, 1 sleeveless blouse, 2 below-the-knee leggings. (Remember: no showing knees, shoulders, or bare midriffs in Rome's churches!)

...which fit in two gallon-sized Ziploc bags (you know I love Ziploc bags!!)

Another bag for the underwear:

...one for the liquids/gels - I just have not found a convincing solid alternative for body mist and toothpaste :(

... a couple more bags for solid toiletries, miscellaneous and first-aid stuff...

(I'm almost out of solid shampoo!)

(you guessed it, I don't go anywhere without my tatting)

...and of course, electronics :)

(what would I do without my Kingston MobileLite?)

So there you have it. All I am taking on this trip.

(included in this picture but not on the previous ones are my trusty super-light windbreaker, my disposable pedicure slippers and my maps and printed reservations.)

All of this goes into a 26-liter backpack and a medium-sized duffel bag:

When airlines allow one piece of carry-on only, I place those items we will both need during the flight in the backpack (travel documents, cameras, entertainment, medicines, etc), and place the backpack inside the duffel bag. Once inside the plane, I take the backpack out and place it under the seat in front of me, and leave the duffel bag in the overhead compartment.