We started out Friday morning with our sights on the Vatican. Really, it was the only thing I was concerned about doing, the rest was just extras, i.e. the Colloseum...and the Pope. But not before we stopped at Kitty Kingdom, aka where Julius Cesar was killed.
We then took a bus to the Vatican and were greeted by tour guides looking for tourists. To get into the Vatican Museum you have to stand in a very long line, so in order to avoid the long lines, tour groups cut the lines for free and walk right it. We all thought it was worth the 40€, than wasting time in line. We were persuaded to join a small, intimate group that was leaving in only a couple minutes. So we joined, paid our 40€, and then realized that our "small, intimate" group was 38 people, and your's truly was number 38.
We started our journey to the Vatican museum, where we passed the long and unbearable line and walked right in. We went through security, we picked up our head sets and our guide grabbed our tickets.
We then headed inside of the museum and saw more statues than I could EVER count. We saw Athena, Hercules, King Triton, you name it, we saw it.
Not only do I have hundreds of pictures of statues, but always ceilings. What was wrong with all of these artists? Why the ceilings??
(this last one is my favorite because it looks like it is 3dimensional, but in reality it was just painted to look like it's 3d)
We then went through a hallway with nothing but tapestries and maps. And due to our "small, intimate" group of 38 I have no idea what all of these maps mean. I caught myself taking pictures of them, but then I thought, what am I really taking pictures of, and then i stopped.
(the pope radio)
We then proceeded towards the apartments that are inside the museum...I think. Either way, I'm pretty sure...Pope John Paul II (??) purchased them under his "reign" and they are now apart of the Vatican Museum. Maybe he didn't, but some pope did. But not before we saw some Da Vinci paintings...or Michelangelo...that I can't remember. Oops! (I'm 100% sure Arlene knows)
Our last, and final stop in the Vatican Museum was the Sistine Chapel. First, it was packed with people taking pictures. And the only rule that the Sistine Chapel is no photos. Whoops!
Our next stop was St. Peter's Basilica, which was insane. The tour ended here because to get into the basilica you have to stand in another line, so being with a tour got us to the front of the line. So I guess the 40€ was worth it.
Our next stop was the Vatican Post Office. So I wrote some postcards and sent them via Pope Post. But not before I snagged some photos of the Swiss Guards
We were all hungry, so Sierra took us to her favorite restaurant and we all had delicious Italian food.
I guess I should let you all in on a little secret: I love priests...as in taking pictures of them. All of the priests in Rome have to know the Pope, therefore I figured if I photographed ALL of the ones I saw, I would eventually snap a picture of the Pope. Also, I look at Vatican City as the Disneyland for Catholics, ergo all of the priests are either Mickey, Donald, Goofy, etc.
Sierra then led us to her favorite cannoli place, that just happened to be right next to her school.
Tour Guide Sierra then took us to a piazza, which apparently is a plaza. There were all these painters selling their paintings, doing caricatures, and drawing people. It was really great to see all of the different style of art in one place.
(this one was my favorite. look at the girl's face. priceless)
We then headed over towards the Pantheon, but unfortunately it was closed for "Holy Service."
(more priests!)
So we decided to call it a night, we were all pretty tired from the day, went to dinner and headed to sleep.
The next morning we woke up a little later than planned, so our first meal was lunch at the Pantheon. It was amazing, to say the least.
After lunch, we finally made it to the Pantheon...and it was just a room. Granted it was pretty cool that the "Da Vinci Code" had been there, but still, I expected greater things. Like the whole in the ceiling because of the pineapple, who in their right mind thought that was a bright idea?
Anyway, our next stop was the Colloseum! I guess you can't really say you've been to Rome unless you've been to the Colloseum. I had seen pictures, but it was a lot better in person. Sierra had just had a field trip to the Colloseum, so she knew a lot of information about it.
Outside the Colloseum were some gladiators, so of course we had to take pictures with them!
(gladiator with the peace sign = idiot)
(needless to say mr. red gladiator was a complete idiot)
Our next stop was the Roman Forum. Let me tell you, Sierra warned me that it was just a pile of rocks, but my dearest mother said that I should definitely make it to the Roman Forum. I'm sure it was great 75 years ago when she was there, Julius Cesar was probably a ticket taker at the entrance. But when I got there, there were simply piles and piles of rocks. Thanks, Mom! We spent a matter of minutes there, but not before we went to Julius Cesar's tomb. I'll give props to my mom for that, but otherwise...it was a fail.
Just a short walk from the "must-see," according to Dorothy, Roman Forum was a cake looking building, and that's what I'm gonna call it. We did see a changing of the guard. Which was pretty sweet, but the view from the top was really great, I wanted to spend all day up there.
Next stop, the Trevi Fountain which was literally PACKED with people. I had to fight my way to the front (I had learned a thing or two from the millions and millions of pushy asian tourists). It was amazing. The water was so blue and the fountain itself was everything I thought it would be.
Apparently, it is a tradition or some sort of luck to toss a coin over one of your shoulders. I really don't wanna know which shoulder, because if I tossed it over the wrong shoulder I may never make it back to the states.
After battling the crowds at the Trevi, we made our way towards all of the other tourists, who weren't at the Trevi, who were at the Spanish steps.
(nuns are almost as good as priests; priest : mickey, nun : minnie)
We called it a day and headed for dinner. And since I hadn't had real pizza in Italy, of course I had to have it.
(sierra went for the seafood platter)
On Sunday morning Sierra and her mom left early for their flight to Paris for the week, and since my flight wasn't until 8pm I spent the day wandering throughout the city. Sierra had circled some things to do on the map, I was good to go.
When we were at the Vatican I had forgotten some addresses on the postcards, so I figured I would head back over to the post office and drop them in the mailbox. And then, (for all you Catholics, I want you to sit down) I had stumbled upon Sunday mass. I figured, "hey, I'm in Rome, it's Sunday, I guess mass is kind of a big deal." And since I am a Catholic, and I didn't have anything better to do, I stayed for mass; I figured Aunt Mary would kill me if she found out I skipped out on Sunday morning mass in Rome. St. Peter's Square was packed with people, there was a security check and a mound full of palms. I then cam to the conclusion that it's just an italian thing to have all of these palms at Sunday mass. And as the priests are singing, and the four big jumbo-trons are showing the priest that's leading mass, I think to myself, "man, that guy looks a lot like the Pope. But it can't be him, I would have heard someone talking about it." So I stood there, googling on my iPhone what the Pope looked like, where he was in the world today, etc. I pulled up a picture of the Pope and thought, "I mean, they look a like, but definitely not the same." It wasn't until an hour and a half later that the main priest got in his POPE MOBILE. I had been standing there for two hours...Sunday mass..PALM SUNDAY MASS...with the POPE. The Pope drove by waving to people and I stood there, with my camera up in the air, snapping whatever photos I could get. Luckily, I got a picture of the back of his head, but I did manage to actually see the Pope through the crowd. RIDICULOUS. I had just gone to Palm Sunday Mass with the Pope. Shamwow.
(i was FIGHTING for a picture)
By the time mass was over and I had mailed my postcards it was already 12:30 and I was hungry. In search for pizza, obviously, I stumbled upon a family-owned restaurant and dined on yet more delicious pizza.
After mass with the Pope, the rest of my day was just boring. I headed over to a museum and saw, yet more statues. It was a fine collection of statues though. These were my favorites, I won't bore you with all of them.
I left the museum and headed towards the train station, I went a little early because I had finished the book I had brought with me, "Dear John," and I needed a new book since I was traveling by myself. I was on the next flight to Geneva, Switzerland.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chasecarrie/sets/72157623761070884/ (Rome)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chasecarrie/sets/72157623635875633/ (Vatican City)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chasecarrie/sets/72157623760299862/ (Palm Sunday)
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