UPDATE: Italia #7

Just to put things in perspective, the Ancient Romans were not the first guys in town. The Etruscans had already been there and done that. If you don't believe me, just go to the Museo Nazionale Etrusco, which has the world's largest collection of Etruscan artifacts. They're about two-and-a-half millennia old, fragile as snowflakes, fascinating, priceless treasures, and all guarded by one sleepy guy named Luigi. When the metro train goes by, the whole building shakes. Of course, the Etruscans never got any respect from the Romans, who conquered them and then trash talked them. I liked the many animal figures that decorated their pottery, especially the cats. And they developed an alphabet and coins (see photo of ancient Bitcoin below). Flash forward 2,400 years at the Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna, and you see the new kids on the block - sculptors Bartolini, Giacometti, Balzico, painters Modigliani, expat Twombly, and some other out-of-towners: Van Gogh, Miró, Monet, Pollack, Mondrian, Rodin, Klimt, et al.

Had the best cannoli of my life - really! And spaghetti with meatballs, more tortellini, more espresso, and much more gelato.

Photo of the Day