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Hotel Metropole and Ville April 22/18 Napes F. Primicino Prop. Dear Mother At last I have got down here for my leave in "Sunny Italy" only just now it is far from that and is pouring figuratively cats and dogs. We spent yesterday in Rome and made excellent use of our time. Saw St. Peters but on account of sanitary reasons failed to kiss the toe of St.Peter. However there were plenty others ready to do it so I don't suppose he missed us very much. The tomb of St.Peter is in the very heart of the church under the great altar and pulpit where the Pope comes and says mass once a year. Some of Michalangela's finest sculptures and mosaics are in that building. St.Peters is huge and massive and awe inspiring but I feel quite positive if I could see San Marco in Venice uncovered of her sandbags it would appeal to me far more. Then we went for a drive out on the Appian Way, straight as the crow flies toward Rome's ancient port. There are many interesting places and tombs on it but the most interesting of all is the "Catacomles of Calixyus". We didn't have the time to go in. We also saw the "Quo Vadis church built on the spot where Christ appeared to Peter when he was fleeing from Rome. The Colosseune and forum are wonderfully interesting and remind us of the glory and grandeur that was Rome's I stood down in the arena and when I thought of the horrible and thrilling things that took place there even after all these centuries it made me shiver. The vast number of cells and passages underground and beneath the tiers and tiers of what once were seats must have often been filled to overflowing. I can imagine Nero sitting in his box at the most advantages point