Roma

Dropping off the car at Ciampino and getting to the hotel Splendide Royal in Rome was all quite okay. It ran smoothly so to speak...Sad to say goodbye to Gerti and our GPS lady Caroline. We managed to hand over 'Gerti' with no dents and the shuttle bus driver drove us for free to the Ciampino airport terminal and negotiated a taxi fare of approx €50 for us...or so we thought!

The Roman taxi driver quietly suggested that it may cost us a little more than €50 and that as there was a bus strike, not entirely sure if there was a train strike as well, he would have to avoid certain roads....we did get a scenic tour and drove past the Colloseum, Caligula's palace, Campus Maximus and Valentino's villa and finally entered through the Porta Pinciana - next to the ritzy Via Veneto - where our hotel was...he charged us €75 instead and then offered us massages, trips to clothes outlets and to take us to the airport the next day as well....He paid the price though because he duped us and so he lost the next day's fare!!

After that it was off to see my favourite angels at Castel St Angelo...

The Spanish Steps on the way there...

My beautiful Angels that line the bridge to Castel St'Angelo

The view from Castel St' Angelo

Cristina at the entrance to the Castle

This is the Archangel Michael....this is for you Michael!

Here is the archangel Michael again on the top

View from the top