09-JUN-2011
Family Photo
In the Gardens of Augustus at the former villa of German steel tycoon Friedrich Alfred Krupp.
It is a beautiful garden with a magnificent view.
10-JUN-2011
The Rise of the Roman Empire
The maps on this wall show how Rome rose from a single city to a vast empire completely engulfing the Mediterranean Sea.
Benito Mussolini's Fascist regime added this outside wall to the AD 312 Basilica of Maxentius.
10-JUN-2011
Entering Vatican Museum
The turnstile entrance gates, similar to most subway systems, allow fast and efficient entry.
We can keep our ticket stubs as souvenir.
10-JUN-2011
World’s Most Famous Ceiling
At the Cortile del Belvedere, our guide pointed out interested facts about Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling fresco. Since speaking aloud inside the Sistine Chapel is prohibited, the Vatican Museum set up quite a few such displays in this outdoor courtyard for tour groups.
Photography is strictly forbidden inside the chapel, I have to settle for taking photographs of other ceiling paintings along the way.
10-JUN-2011
So Many Art Works, So Little Time
The Gallery of the Candelabra in the Vatican Museum was packed with more statues than we could appreciate. It held even more tourists.
10-JUN-2011
Short Cut to St. Peter's Basilica
We immerged from the Sistine Chapel to the north side of St. Peter’s Basilica with its dome way above us. This area was dedicated in 2008 as the Patio of St Gregory the Illuminator, after the Armenian Patriarch.
Because we already passed through security prior to entering the Vatican Museum, we could skip the long line and enter St. Peter’s directly from its
portico. 
Two of the four statues in niches can be seen under the portico. Here is
one of them. 
10-JUN-2011
Fun Time at Dinner
We enjoyed our dinner at the Le Grotte Dell Imperatore (aka La Tana Dei Re).
We had good entertainment and interesting food.
10-JUN-2011
Game Night
We spent our last night together at the lobby of the Hotel Princess Roma
10-JUN-2011
Parting Song
We ended our last night together at the lobby of the Hotel Princess Roma with a Chinese folk song.
With the Colosseum behind us, our local guide, Maria, showed us how the area looked during the peak of the Roman Empire. This huge arena was originally named Amphitheatrum Flavium. The name we now know came from the nearby Colossus of Nero, a bronze statue of the megalomaniac emperor at least 30m tall.
and the entrance to the Roman Forum. 
toward the Sistine Chapel.
