No Comparison

Grimsby won't compare to Italy but it still has moments of beauty.  This week was the annual lighting ceremony.  The Christmas lights in town are turned on and the community gathers with wonderful vendors of food and giftware.  There were rides for the children, a bandstand, Church fair, and reindeer.  It really was so enjoyable.

Earlier in the week I had the joy of walking through People"s park, Holly is everywhere.

People's Park

Liquorice 

Fudge in soooo many flavours.

These two were so much fun to watch, two old granny's racing on these motorized carts.

An acting group.

Mobile carts of light up toys were on every corner.

Grimsby Minster all lit up with a toy helicopter shooting up on the right.

A light parade with beautiful rice paper lanterns.

Ironically I did not wait to see the lights, I had been there a couple hours and I was getting cold.

Rome - London

Back in London after a day of travelling.  we opted out of sightseeing in London last night due to excessive exhaustion.  The nice thing about showing someone else the city is that they want to experience the things you have not done, such as the London eye.  I HATE ferris wheels, give me the biggest scariest roller coaster any day but not a bucket that wobbles back and forth on one cotter pin.  But because Kristina wanted to I sacrificed myself and it really was not so bad.  The engineering that has gone into this was a joy to watch and the scenery was not to be outdone.  I really do possess a "Canadian Factor" as my friend Amy called it.  Every day in London has been sunny and warm, Kristina is going back to Canada with a very warped idea of British weather.

What a sky, it's one worth painting

That's all for now folks, I can't wait to curl up in my own bed tonight.  Thanks to Sangita for being such a generous and gracious host and to Kristina for being so adventurous.  I am blessed with friendships.
I've had an incredible holiday.

Thurs - on the mend

We took it easy this morning and set out after lunch.  We visited the same sites as last night so we could appreciate them in the daylight.  First the most inconspicuous church from the outside holds paintings which I find more incredible than the Sistine Chapel.  This is the inside of Sant Ignazio

The 3D effect of the ceiling gives the illusion that the height is infinite but it is just a rounded barrel.

This is just a painted circle on the ceiling, giving the illusion that there is a dome.

Front of Sant Iganazio

The Pantheon, it's hard to believe this was built before the days of Christ.

Inside the Pantheon.

360 degrees inside the Pantheon

Walking to one of the most beautiful fountains in Rome.

The four rivers fountain in Piazzo Navonna by Bernini.

After our sightseeing we went to vista Sangita at her work.  She works for the Food and Agriculture department of the United Nations and this is the view from onto of her building.

Then early friday morning we headed back to London, this I believe is France.

Wed - still sick

Despite my unwillingness to give into this cold I am physically wearing down.  We went to the Vatican/St. Peter's/Sistine Chapel today.  The Pope had an audience just before we got there, 12,000 were in attendance.  We arranged a spur of the moment guided tour and it was fantastic.  We have been so lucky to have our accommodations provided by my friend Sangita that we don't mind spending a bit more on things like the guided tours and then later in the evening we went on a guided tour of Rome at night via a Segway.  This could not have been more jam packed with beauty and fun.

Courtyard of the Vatican Museum

Top of St Peter"s

Modern art in the courtyard, a world within a world.

Mosaic floor tiles.

This is on a ceiling. It is not a sculpture, rather a flat painting.

A ceiling joining the rooms.

Painting inside a dome.

Michelangelo's Pietre, the tomb of St Peter.  I've wanted to see this for a long time and it did not disappoint.

another ceiling

A door over a basement in St Peter's. wow.

This was the most surprising.  Many altar pieces have these pictorials over them.  I thought they were paintings but Kristina pointed out that they are mosaics. 

incredible.

This sculpture of a pope is only visible from this window and I love the way the bars frame his face.  Note his glasses.

Vatican police.

The wedding cake building, built by Mussolini, it has a better name but it's known as the wedding cake.

side of the Pantheon 

Front of the Pantheon

So much fun!!!