Ostia was the port city for ancient Rome, at one time having as many as 100,00 residents. Covered for centuries in deposits from the Tiber River, excavations began in the early 1900’s and continue today. The Roman ruins are the most extensive and best preserved besides those of Pompeii. There are relatively few tourists, though this is a gem, giving a sense of how a Roman city was laid out: the architecture, mosaics, frescoes, sculpture. A small museum protects some of the original sculptures. We huddled at the museum door, protected from the rain, awaiting its reopening after lunch. We spent a full day in Ostia, though did not see it all. The rain made it more difficult to wander freely. Heidi related an old wives’ tale which warns that bubbles forming in puddles mean seven more days of rain. It proved just a tale; we had sunny skies for the remainder of our travels in Italy!