Easter Friday Rambles and Madelyn's Gift

My time grows short here in Rome!  With that in mind, I made a short list of places I wanted to be sure to see in these last few days.  I don't have many more opportunities for rambling, so I set aside Friday morning for some exploration.  I started my day with morning Mass at Vatican Radio, then popped up to the bakery for breakfast, and took the metro to Piazza del Popolo to eat said breakfast.

[caption id="attachment_1674" align="alignnone" width="645"] Piazza del Popolo is located at the point of the city wall which would have been the main entry point for pilgrims coming to Rome in the medieval and Renaissance eras. Under Pope Sixtus V, this area was enhanced for the sake of the pilgrims. The church of Santa Maria del Popolo was built, so that the pilgrims could give thanks to God immediately after arriving at their destination. Sixtus himself would often come to the church to pray, as well.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1675" align="alignnone" width="645"] Besides straightening out roads and building a couple of major thoroughfares, Sixtus also had various obelisks erected throughout the city, to act as "GPS locators" for pilgrims who were coming to this huge, foreign place from who-knows-where in Europe. The obelisks mark major points to enable pilgrims to find their way around.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1677" align="alignnone" width="645"] This is the interior of Santa Maria del Popolo, with the image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1678" align="alignnone" width="645"] Okay, there is a bit of story with this sculpture (it's of the prophet Habbakuk, by the way.) I am extremely proud of myself because of this statue. When I saw it and was looking at it for the first time, I guessed it was a work of Bernini - it is so dynamic, the action caught in the moment, and the level of detail. I was therefore extremely delighted to find out that it actually IS a Bernini. See, I learned something from Art and Architecture class!!!![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1679" align="alignnone" width="645"] Slightly out of order, but here is the piazza from my nice marble bench where I sat for breakfast.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1681" align="alignnone" width="645"] I opted for two cream-filled croissants, or "cornetti" as they're called around here.  I love the bakery up the street - two cornetti only cost me 70 euro cents, and they're really good![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1682" align="alignnone" width="645"] I was overlooked by a small Sphinx during my breakfast.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1685" align="alignnone" width="645"] Obelisk, the gate from the opposite side, and on the right is Santa Maria del Popolo.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1691" align="alignnone" width="645"] Next stop was the Spanish Steps, an extremely popular tourist attraction. Even at 9:30 in the morning, it was crowded. It's fun to watch the people. :) The church at the top is the French-built convent of Trinita dei Monti, which unfortunately is rather covered with scaffolding inside for restoration.  Notice the other obelisk![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1689" align="alignnone" width="645"] I feel kinda sorry for Christ, He's just kinda stuck in the corner with scaffolding all around him.  Sorry, random tourist![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1686" align="alignnone" width="645"] This is the view from the top of the Spanish Steps. Quite spectacular![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1687" align="alignnone" width="645"] Can you tell I really, really like Egyptian obelisks?[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1692" align="alignnone" width="645"] I just had to laugh at this. Diversified trash just sounds so politically correct![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1693" align="alignnone" width="645"] My next stops were a couple of churches I needed to visit for a homework assignment. Behind one of them was a lovely cloister area that made for a good photo.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1694" align="alignnone" width="645"] Another kitty-cat spotting! I miss my animals at home.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1695" align="alignnone" width="645"] To be quite honest, I didn't realize how many obelisks I'd spotted today until I looked at the pictures again. You can see from this one, though, how well the obelisks work as landmarks - they stand out at the end of a street.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1698" align="alignnone" width="645"] On the way home, I poked my head into another little church, and was excited to see statues of two holy kings.  Here is Ferdinand, king of Spain.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1699" align="alignnone" width="645"] And Ludovic, (I think) king of France.[/caption]