PhotoHighlightsofJohn’sandBarbara’sItaly/AdriaticSailingAdventure

May–June2018

WebeganourtripwithfivedaysinRome–theEternalCity.

OurobligatoryphotooftheColosseum…

…andtheRomanForumjustacrossthestreet.

AdetailfromtheArchofTitusdepictinghistroopscarryingawaythetreasuresoftheTempleinJerusalem.ThesetreasurespaidfortheColosseum.

TheArchofConstantine,315AD,asseenthroughanarchoftheColosseum.

St.Peter’sBasilica.JohnwonderedifthisiswhatJesuswouldhavedesignedifhe’dlivedlonger.

DinnerintheRomanAntiquitiesroomoftheVaticanMuseum–aspecialtreat.

Nero’s“GoldenHouse”isbeingexcavatedbyarchaeologistsandwewereamongtheveryfewprivilegedtotakeahard-hattour.

WetookaweeklongguidedtourofTuscany.ThisisthehilltoptownofSanGimignano.

Leonardowasborninthistown,Vinci.Ithasn’tchangedmuchsincethen.

Florence–acityabsolutelypackedwithtourists…andhistory.

AhighlightofFlorenceforJohnwasavisittotheGalileoMuseumwherewesawtwoofGalileo’soriginaltelescopesfromabout1610.Thesearetheonlytwothatsurviveoutofabout30thathe

madeandgaveaspresentsorsold.

Thesecondhalfofourmonth-longadventurewastwoweeksaboardtheRoyalClipper,thelargestsailingshipafloat,with220otherguestsaswecruisedfromRometoVenicesoutharoundItalyand

thenuptheAdriaticSea.

Anotherviewofourshipwithits5mastsand42sails.

Themastslitatnight.Thismustbequiteasightfromshore.

Thesailsoutatnight–howgrand!

BarbarainthebownetaswepassSicily.

WespentmostofourshiptimeoutsideontheSunDeckbutintheshade.

SowehadawonderfultwoweeksaboardtheRoyalClipper.Followingareplaceswesawfromtheship–shoreexcursions.

BarbaranegotiatingastreetinPompeii.Thesteppingstonesletpeoplekeeptheirfeetcleananddrywhencrossingastreet,whichwasalsothesewer.

CeilingdetailinabathinPompeii.

TypicalstreetinDubrovnik,Croatia,onawarmifnothotsunnyday.

ViewfromthecitywallsofDubrovnik.Ourshipisinthedistancejustrightofcenter.

OverlookingtheresorttownofHvar,Croatia.Againourshipisrightofcenter

AnentrancetoEmperorDiocletian’spalace(305AD)inSplit,Croatia.

Diocletian’sMausoleum,nowachurch,butvirtuallyintactfromtheearly4thcentury.

ThebasementofDiocletian’spalace,hereconvertedtogiftshops…

…andhereleftasitwas1700yearsago.Thecountlesspillarsaremassive.

Diocletian’sprivateTempleofJupiter.Likemuchoftherestofhispalace,itremainsinbasicallythesameconditionaswhenitwascompletedin305AD,includingdetailsoftheceiling.

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WehadonedayinVenicebeforeflyinghome.ThisismybestshotoftheGrandCanal(fromtheRialtoBridge).

OurfinalviewofVenicewasfromawatertaxiaswecruisedthruthecanalsonthewaytoMarcoPoloAirportshortlyaftersunrise.TheVenetians(andItaliansingeneral)surelikethewornlookto

thesidesoftheirhomes.