Rome and Tivoli

It's Sunday morning, and that means that the Chiesa Sant'Ivo della Sapienza is open! It's an undisputed Borromini masterpiece, and we admire its spiral spire from the rooftop bar of the Senato. The inside, of course, is equally innovative and lush, all in white stone and plaster. The interior dome is made of six alternating convex and concave apses. It's glorious to behold, and we sat there for quite some time before continuing on our way.

We had some difficulties today. We wanted to see the gardens of the Quirinale, which are usually open on Sunday mornings. However, as the kind carabinieri explained to us, "they are closed today for security reasons because they will be open specially next Saturday." Um, OK. Anyway, we took a cab to the bus station and then a packed public bus way up into the hills to Tivoli, where the Villa d'Este so majestically flows down the hillside. Did I say flow? Well, there are supposed to be thousands of fountains jetting into the air, but today, they were shut off! Ira and I have both seen them, so it wasn't a tragedy. we still enjoyed the gardens and trees and statuary on a beautiful late spring day. Ira did a lot of crayon sketches.

Now it's a final dinner and then home tomorrow! See you in the States soon!