Our trip to Italy and Sicily in 2003 covered some of the same ground as the 1997 Italy trip, mostly Rome and the Vatican. On this trip we went to a public audience of John Paul, with him riding through the crowd in the “Popemobile” and then addressing the throng from the steps of St. Peter. We had a Mass in one of the chapels in St. Peter and toured the usual sights in Rome, the Colosseum, the Forum, etc. We then traveled down the Amalfi Coast, including a visit to the Island of Capri. We drove up to Motecassino and toured this famous site of World War II destruction. The Allies decided to bombard the Basilica and the church has been restored to a great degree. It is a very impressive place and the views are outstanding. We visited Pompeii and I was struck by the vastness of the city entombed by the eruption of Vesuvius. A great deal of archaeological work has been done and it’s possible to imagine the daily life in this Roman resort city. We arrived at the Straits of Messina and took the ferry across to Sicily. We visited Taormina, Siracusa, and Palermo. One disappointment was that I had secured tickets to the famed Palermo Opera months in advance. We learned that due to problems the Opera performance was delayed until the day after our departure. Our dear friends, the Jannettas, were staying an extra day, so we were able to give our tickets to them.
