Today in Rome was all about churches. And walking. Walking, walking, walking.

The ancient Romans walked everywhere. The really rich ones were sometimes carried about in litters through the narrow streets, but even back then your average Roman loved to walk.

During our trip preparations, we read on thelonelyplanet.com that getting a cab in Rome was pretty regimented. You had to phone for a taxi or wait for one in designated taxi stands. Hailing a cab was out of the question.

So as we roamed from church to church, we waited patiently by one or two yellow “Taxi” signs to no avail. No taxis were present, and none seemed to come by.

So we walked.

Saw some pretty spectacular church innards, though. Take a look at this hand-inlaid marble floor. The detailing is unbelievable:

How’d you like that in your entry?

At Santa Maria Trastevere, the view from the pew was a row of paired columns in different marbles and granites. I couldn’t help but think how we stick this stuff in our kitchens and bathrooms, but here the materials were used to their very finest, hand-carved and polished, twenty feet high, each topped with a unique capitol, the workmanship non-paralleled.  Here’s an example:

I hope you can see it in person sometime. Truly, it takes your breath away.

Did I mention we got lost twice today? Hence the walking, walking, walking. The first time we got lost walking between churches, the second time after we walked down from the Janiculum hilltop, where we saw a great view of Rome that has scarcely changed since Renaissance times. Not a crane in sight! It blew my mind to think of the mansions that had graced this hill during Roman Republic times, and the people who enjoyed the view throughout the centuries. But we got lost among the narrow, winding streets at the bottom. Both times we managed to find our way to the river and then to a taxi. And it turns out you can hail a taxi easily when you have a lost, dumb-founded look on your face. All the taxi drivers have been delightful.

Day Three tomorrow. We signed up for an official tour. No more getting lost!