I was planning on taking a day trip to Tivoli today, but after yesterday I really wanted to explore Rome more. I didn't plan enough time here to do both, so since Tivoli would mean having to deal with buses & trains, I chose to spend the day getting lost in the streets of Rome. First I returned to St. Peter's to visit the extravagant basilica, and then climbed the dome, which was quite a feat, but you get to view the interior of the church from above, & then you climb some narrow stairs with slanted walls (very disorienting) up to the very top for views all over Rome. i spent a good part of the morning there, then walked to Piazza del Popolo, to revisit a church with 2 gorgeous paintings by Caravaggio. Followed the street above to the Spanish steps, took a break in the church on top, then got caught in the rain. I darted between awnings down the streets, and when it stopped grabbed a quick lunch, followed by gelato by the Pantheon. I wandered the streets, stumbled upon San Ignazio di Loyola which has a magnificently painted ceiling (another tromp l'oeil). I walked in circles, finding my way back to the Pantheon, then decided to return to Open Baladin for a beer. After that, back to Trastevere, where I enjoyed strolling through the pretty little streets, and stopped for one last glance inside Santa Maria in Trastevere.
