This started as a challenging day because we had to get to Termini then find our lounge area , then the platform all with our luggage. We had attempted the day before to book the Guide and Porter service from the station entrance. So we were concerned.

Our Blacklane driver arrived at 9.45am and we then began an amazing day. The Mercedes E350 glided through the traffic and he decided to give us a guided tour of several of the key sites such as Coloseum, The Forum, the Gariboldi building, the white wedding cake, then through some of the beautiful side streets.

We arrived at Termini and our driver had a pass to a special parking area and then he volunteered to act as our porter and guide and got us to the ticket area and upstairs to our waiting area. It just made it so easy and Ken tipped him generously, but he had solved our problem. There was no platform notification until 20 minutes prior to departure and we had to find our way to platform 7 which was about 5 minutes walk. We entered the ticket entry area, then walked to our carriage car4 which was Premium with seats 4 and 5 A and B . Ken stored our luggage easily. The ticket inspectors visited us and verified our tickets. All in order.

The train our Frecciarossa departed on time and we were soon gliding almost silently. It is exciting but also a sense of relief that this has all gone well. The next challenge arises at Venice S. Lucia in about 4 hours.

Our carriage only has about 12 people in it for almost the entire trip although more come on at Bologna and Padua. We are served snacks and drinks but elect to pass the meal offer. We have a “special “ dinner planned for this evening. We are soon out into the Italian countryside where there is much activity ploughing etc.

This is a wonderful way to travel in comfort with the train travelling at almost 300km per hour. We do experience a strange sensation as we travel for almost 75 minutes then enter Virenze Station, and after 5 minutes we then reverse , or should I say the train then departs and travels through another line initially heading from whence we have come before branching off towards the north east and eventually Venice.

Our arrival in Venice is exciting and exhilarating as our cruise ship Ocean Riviera is already in port, although we don’t board until lunchtime on 6th November. We arrive at Venice St Lucia Station almost on time, the doors open and there to meet us is our guide and a porter. Ken gets our luggage out on to the platform, the porter loads it on his large trolley and our guide then escorts us to our water taxi, but this turns out to be a luxurious cruiser with white leather seats. We are escorted comfortably aboard with a small step from the pier to the craft. The porter then disappears, our guide signs off and we are now set for the spectacular 20 minute launch cruise across to Kempinski San Clemente Palace Hotel on its own island. My words fail to describe how special all of this is, just unbelievable.

We arrive and are escorted from the launch to the podium, where we are greeted by the hotel concierge, our luggage disappears, then we walk through beautiful gardens into a stunning portico and hotel entrance. We sign in and Melissa one of the Red Ladies, comes to meet us and will guide us to our rooms. In addition, the senior concierge comes to meet us and apologise for the problems which arose with our bookings. We now have 2 nights here then transfer to the Marriott on another island before we board Riviera on lunchtime of 6th November, 2017.

We are ushered to our room/ suite 333 which has the most unbelievable view out across the lagoon to St Marks Square. The suite is a very large King bedroom, separate bathroom with large bath, separate toilet and shower areas, then a further walk-in robe and luggage storage area.

The Hotel has been aware that this was a special birthday celebration for Jeanette, there are several items including a plate of decorated strawberries, a beautiful birthday cake and champagne. It is an exquisite way to start our stay.

Ken has also booked dinner at the “ starred “ restaurant and of course they do the right thing with a table in a corner by the window again overlooking the Lagoon across to St Marks. Our dinner is an exquisite 3 course selection completed with a superb crepe brûlée. Ken enjoys 2 glasses of top range Italian Merlot from the year 2008. All in all this has turned out to be one of the most amazing days that we have ever experienced. All arrangements have worked out well. The transfers were made easy. The launch ride across the Lagoon is something I will never forget.

The Hotel is out of this world. Hard to describe. Would have loved to have stayed the 3 days. But the hotel closes tomorrow for the period from 5 November 2017 until March 2018.

Breakfast is taken outside overlooking the lagoon or internally.

Later we will travel by the Hotel launch across to St Marks square and explore the area. We have visited Venice on several occasions but the magic and intrigue never changes.

Again the weather has been just excellent and we had breakfast quite excited as to the prospects of today’s tour booked through Viator.

We departed the hotel following breakfast on th3 first shuttle, which again dropped us off at the entrance to the Vatican City, where we were greeted by several of the many ticket sellers, but we had made an excellent decision to book through Viator ahead of the visit. We were advised to report to the area beside the stairs near the Vatican Museum. Our tour was scheduled to commence at 10.00am but we were Marshalled into our groups by 9.35am and departed at 9.40am.

Now whilst there is a cost in skipping the long queues, believe me when I say it was absolutely necessary and we wizzed through the whole security section in about 10minutes and were walking through the first areas by 10.00am. Our guide was an exuberant and passionate middle aged, senior lecturer in history, who takes tours as an add on. She was informative and worked hard over the next 3 and 1/2 hours to give us an insight into the history and both the catholic framework but also the fundamental influence of the Vatican and the role of the respective Popes throughout modern civilisation from the time AD and post the Roman Empire.

The wealth and riches in materialistic assets as well as intellectual control has been fundamentally significant in the preservation of the leadership of the Roman Catholicism throughout so many areas of the geopolitical landscape.

But we also are amazed at the a cumulative value of the leading artists and mathematicians and theological leaders who have worked within the Vatican.

Of course, the influence of Plato, Archimedes, Aristotle, Michelangelo, Raffael, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci are only the highest profile art and other leaders who have played an intrinsic role in global and Roman life through their art and intellectual qualities.

We walk for almost 3 hours through the various galleries, each level and approach from sculptures, through to rugs and then ridiculously expensive paintings, all serve to depict the influence, wealth and accumulated wealth in every sense of the Vatican and The Roman Catholicism. It is hard to deny the significance and influence of the Church and their leaders from Popes to Archbishops is all countries where they have built influence and communities.

we have walked up and down ornate stairs and into various ante rooms and galleries depicting everything from statues, to large wall hangings, to art of every dimension. The wealth and beauty displayed is staggering appreciating that this is only a small representative sample of the immense collection.

But nothing could prepare us for the 3 ante rooms painted and decorated by Raffael before we enter the stairs and ante room of the Sistine Chappell. This is our a Third visit to the Vatican City and to the Sistine Chappell . On the first occasion, it was dark and grim with smoke stains of several hundred years staining and discoloured the ceiling and walls. Our second occasion was during the cleaning and restoration period , when it was extensively shrouded in covers , whilst cleaning and restoration was undertaken, with a promise that Michaelangelo’s work would be presented in all of its glory.

Suffice to say that the restoration has delivered unbelievable artistic brilliance which matches everything predicted. It is a stunning ceiling of. Classical art. The walls similarly portrait all of the Popes from that period as well as other wonderful symbols.

Attached are several photos from th3 ante rooms painted by Raffael. Simply amazing.

From here we conclude our tour of the Vatican, simply amazing and the wealth is staggering almost embarrassing.

Our next stop is the Basilica of St Peters, th3 largest church in the world. We have been through this amazing building on at least 5 occasions, bu5 never get sick of it or fails to appr3viate the scale, dominant architecture, the mammoth internal domes, the gold and tiled influence. But most of all the scale and again the wealth of the presentation.

We walk through the grounds out into the forecourt with the columns and shaped arms reaching out to its people.

Simply an amazing 4-5 hours touring the Vatican, then the Basilica, followed by th3 forecourt.

Our photos are brilliant but don’t do it justice.

We then have lunch of a Panini each plus a drink.

Jeanette and Ken are too tired to do anything more. We do go to catch a cab. We get in and ask the cost Euro 38. But will come down to Euro35. We get out but they want to negotiate and we are down to Euro 25. But we walk away.

We continue to another rank of official cabs with metered charges, not fixed price. We jump in and our driver like Sterling Moss or Andretti, drives a manual one hand, changing gears whilst talking on his phone, but gets us to the Hotel with meter showing Euro 11.80 and we tip him €2.50. A great result.

Ken goes out to collect his laundry of 7 shirts and returns with it all beautifully washed, ironed and packed in plastic bags all for €21. We have had a wonderful stay in Rome, yesterday with the Hop on Hop off and today with the tour. All worked wonderfully.

Dinner tonight is our special dinner here at A.Roma Hotel. It is an around the world dinner. They have 10 different cooking stations from around the world with chefs presenting quisene from 10 different countries.

Tomorrow we are picked up by Blacklane transferred to Termini, then we travel in Business class Francorossi from Rome to Venice St Lucia. We arrive around 2.00pm and are transferred by the motor launch to San Clemente Island and the Kempinski Hotel for 3 days in Venice.