A RIVER DERCHI ROMA...

Good Friday and it's a good day to get out of the Eternal City before the hordes descend upon Easter celebrations. The girls do what any self respecting fashionista would do in Italy and try on some new threads, as does Buzzy whilst Don L patiently waits outside each store. As a refresher we decide to do the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus route around the city. Whilst the pre-recorded commentary leaves a lot to be desired (a problem with every bus company apparently), the scenery doesn't as around every corner is a breathtaking vista of ancient Rome (Travel Tip: we used the unobtrusive I Love Rome pink buses, they are the only company that has a discount fare for one circuit of the city - perfect).

We head to the last two monuments we haven't visited. All roads lead to Piazza Venezia and it's a mighty busy place at any time of the day. Towering over it is the gargantuan Victor Emmanuel Monument, erected following WWI in honour of those who lost their lives in battle, and colloquially referred to as "the typewriter".

It houses the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and an eternal flame.

Made of marble, the structure is named after the first king of unified Italy. The equestrian statue of Victor Emmanuel is the largest statue in Rome, the sword alone is 13 feet long and weighs 700 pounds, and it's so large that after completion a celebratory dinner was held INSIDE it.

There are unparalleled views from the roof but the queue is massive so we settle for views from the lower level (impressive in their own right).

Behind the monument is Capitoline Hill, the most sacred of Rome's seven hills (and where the word 'capital' is derived). The Cordonata staircase, another Michelangelo creation, leads up to the Piazza del Campidoglio.

The stairs are shallow to allow riders on horseback to reach the square. Pride of place in the piazza is an equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius 

(Trivia Point: the one in the piazza is a replica, the original from 175AD is INSIDE the museum, but few tourists seem to be aware of this!).

Time is tight, and there's only one more place we need to visit again - GIOLITTI of course.

Queue spilling out the door

Graffiti in the men's rest room - go figure!

Now THAT's an ice cream cone!!!

Once again we partake of the wondrous gelato delights, and it's a most appropriate way to wind up our Roman holiday, a great vacation for all of us.