Photo-A-Day Wednesday 29th May 2013

Starting in 2009, and after 20 years of always touring America, I decided I'd missed out on trips to Continental Europe and so, with my friends Daphne & Stephen, I went to Italy.

We flew directly to Rome and spent 3 days there before driving off for 2 weeks of touring the stunning countryside and historic cities of Northern Italy.

On our first full day in Rome, we went to The Vatican and when we got to the end of the Via dei Cavalieri del Santo Sepolcro and turned left onto the Via della Conciliazione, that first view of St. Peter's Basilica will live long in the memory.

But even more stunning was the classic outside view from the top of the dome and that is my photo for today. Millions may have taken it before me but this is MY view and MY memory.

I'll remember it mainly because I could hardly keep the camera steady as I was so pooped from the climb up to and then around the dome. If I'd realised that being a tourist in Rome meant such exercise, I've have trained for the trip !   

It was the first of many signs that I was 'getting old.'