Beatchick and Cigale, we're on the same page! curious enough to want to see EVERYTHING, informed enough to assimilate it, but human enough to find the human condition in much of the world really depressing. don't even get me going about my trip to Peru. (and that's nearly tame, comparatively)

the near east - all too depressing to contemplate. I am afraid to watch the news in the next few days lest I hear of that poor Margaret Hassan be the "first" woman kidnapped to meet the horrible fate of the other men who were murdered. or, I should say "first" in this particularly gruesome manner - and EXPLOITED in this way by these men with an agenda.

so many of us here at fodors are so blessed - we share a common love of travel and can indulge in it - and better yet, without needing to "ask permission"! unlike those poor unfortunates who are not so blessed to be able to even have common creature comforts, or autonomy, let alone to travel far and wide on a whim.

Walter, as gruesome as it is - fascinating, thanks! sounds like stories from the Tower of London - another favorite which still sends shivers down my spine, for the half dozen or so times I've been there (yes, EVERY time I go with a 'newbie' I take 'em there... which means - tada! another visit in the works in a mere 4 weeks)

Underhill - LOVE HV Morton. I only have 3 of his books currently, but, his "In the Steps of St. Paul" (did I get that right?) I intend to follow one day!!

Crypt of the Capuchin Monk... hmmm.. shall look this up too. (we visited a crypt in Lima - YIKES! they even separated all the skulls, from all the arm bones, from all the leg bones! not connected anymore, for sure!!)

"Death takes a holiday" - I like it!! hmmmm, do I see a guidebook in the works... :)

LOL, flygirl, glad you are taking it in stride!

Thank you, Walter, for the excellent historical information. I am printing out this thread and adding it to my Rome file, in anticipation of my return to the Eternal City.

flygirl - Out of all the sights we saw in Rome, our favorite, by far, had to be the Crypts of the Capuchin Monks. The artwork that those monks made from the bones was simply exquisite - the rosette flowers made with fingers were beautiful. I would highly recommend it, unfortunately, I think the crypts might currently be closed for renovations.

Like many others here, I, too, tend to navigate towards the gruesome and have always enjoyed wandering through cemeteries. Perhaps it comes from playing in the cemetery when I was a kid....I enjoy having the souls of the dead around me....Happy Halloween....Peace.

Robyn

Oui, oui, mademoiselle flygirl! Definitely on the same page. We 3 are the ones who love to read up on strange and interesting stuff. I am glad to share literary pursuits with both you and Mimi.

You are taking a newbie to London soon? Somehow I have missed out on that. I will e-mail you.

Yes, 'twas dumbfounded to hear about Margaret Hassan. Seems they are getting more desperate ~ they must be to kidnap and threaten to kill someone who has spent her life's work helping the Iraqi people. I've been praying for her. Each day I dread opening up the on-line news pages for fear of bad news about Margaret.

And I know this is off-topic, flygirl, but I feel you will indulge me this. Did you read/hear about U2 getting their lost lyrics back after all these years? I remember hearing about it years ago and always hoped they'd get them back. It sorta reminds me of how Hadley lost Hem's writings at the train station. Scott Fitzgerald commiserated with her and said he'd have been glad if Zelda had lost his earlier bad works and Ernest had to admit it made him a better writer. As for Bono, though, he was under the gun to write all-new lyrics when they recorded <i>October</i>.

oooh, U2 found their lyrics? somehow I missed this. will have to check it out.

hey, are they touring soon??? wouldn't it be fun to get a little trip together to go watch them play somewhere cool like Dublin? I saw them in Berlin in 1993, for their Zooropa tour. would be great to see them live again!!

Flygirl, I just e-mailed you the story. There's a commercial out now with U2, maybe it's IPOD? I pointed out to my Megs that THIS BAND is from Dublin. Maybe we'll see some of the band members out and about when we go (when we DO go)? I understand several of the band members live in Dalkey, just south of Dun Laoghaire.

I have NEVER seen U2 live - SIGH! I had tickets to see them years ago on the Joshua Tree tour with a boyfriend. But my boss had scheduled me for that night after I had asked for it off. I was too young and shy then to say something about it to him until later on that night. When I mentioned it turned out he had scheduled me on the wrong night. Arrgh! I think back now that it would've been better to have quit that job just to see them live.

I did get a t-shirt out of it, though. My then boyfriend bought me a beautiful black Joshua Tree t-shirt that was lettered in gold ink. Unfortunately, my brother borrowed the shirt, took it to a swimming pool, got chlorine on it, left it hanging out to dry on the fence and it bleached it to a dark grey. My beautiful Joshua Tree shirt! Even today, when I mention it, my brother hangs his head in shame.

For anyway else interested in the U2/Lost Lyrics saga, here's the story:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...ople_u2_lyrics

Flygirl, thanks for your indulgence! :D

You and your Roman blood, KismetChimera! ;)

Here's the website to download the book for free. Is this what you were looking for?
http://www.gutenberg.net/catalog/world/results

thanks for the book link Beatchick!

Merci Bien Mon Amie Beatchick, but I cant get through the site..My old PC keep freezing up..
Quel Dommage!!
Ciao Bella,
AnnaMaria

I was once a Vestal Virgin. It was so long ago I cannot remember anything about it now. Actually, it is a &quot;recovered&quot; memory my therapist helped me with. I am still in recovery.

--Marv

LOL ~ Infotrack!

Quel dommage, indeed!, Kismetchimera! If I had a printer I'd print it out for you and mail it to you. :)

Flygirl, thank YOU for telling us about the Vestal Virgins and showing us how interesting it is. There's always something new to learn on Fodor's!