This excursion in Italy was one of my favorites. We saw the coliseum, passed the roman forum, and went to see the Vatican and its museum. It was awesome to see the coliseum after having read about it in history books for so many years. When you just read about a place, its hard to imagine it actually existing - it starts to seem almost imaginary. To see the actual place makes you start to see on a deeper level that the people who lived there thousands of years ago were real people with the same problems, hopes, ambitions, and fears as people today. Their lives were just as tangible and just as important as ours today. They went to the market, went to see shows, ate dinner with their families, paid taxes, etc. I must admit though, their idea of entertainment is a bit gruesome to me.
In visiting the Vatican, it struck me how meaningful that particular place is to so many thousands of people. Although I'm not Catholic, Frank is, so I tried to see it as he would for him. I've always been interested by religion in general. Devoted individuals of any faith fascinate me. I want to know where their conviction comes from, how they keep it alive, and how they find the unselfishness to live their lives in devotion to a higher power.
