Happy Fourth of July! We are not feeling it here, but that’s okay. We had an enjoyable last day in Italy. I wanted to stay close to the Rome airport for when we leave, and Ostia Antica seemed like a great choice. It’s only 7 kilometers from the airport and is a great site. The Ostia Antica ruins go on and on and on. It would take several days to really see it all. We spent four hours roaming the grounds. There were hardly any people there, and you could really feel the Romans’ presence, or at least imagine it. Some of the best sculptures “in situ” must have been copies because we found the real ones in the museum. My favorite part was Jack showing us the bar!
Afterwards, we went to the Lido di Ostia, the beach! Black sand, cool water… a nice relaxing finish.
estateitaliana 
Sara, we’ve been in Hunt, Texas at Mo-Ranch the last five days for a small family reunion – it was so cool in the morning that I had to wear a sweater – heaven! Texas in July??? Miracles do happen. Caught up with your blog today, loved it, the photos of the street shrines, Assisi, Tuscan landscapes, swimming pools, mosaics, beaches, and my favorite – the centuries-old mummified saint! Looking forward to our lunch in a few days! Have a safe trip home!
Sandra, a sweater in the evening! Sounds like Tuscany, not Texas. Maybe we should “summer” in Hunt. I love it there. Spent seven summers of camp there. Yes, we leave today. Each day a new stress, such as returning the rental car at the Rome airport, but I’ve studied online. Some guy on SlowTrav has given great directions and tips on the rental car return. Yes, the saint was one of those moments! Also funny was when Riccardo’s mother came to meet us in the chapel. She stooped down to look at the family saint and shook her head. We thought it was hilarious. Saint Redenta. R. tried to look him up but couldn’t find anything. Riccardo says the Vatican keeps trying to get him/her back!
Lovely ruins–a very nice last day………you are on your way home now, but just wanted to thank you for all the effort you put in to sharing your amazing trip with your friends and family. It was a real treat to travel with you all! Looking forward to seeing you in person! Love, Jana