Rome Day 2
Trip Start
May 14, 2008
1
15
17
Trip End
May 30, 2008
Rome,
Italy
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Today was our big day at the Vatican City. The Papal Audience was at 10:30AM. We arrived at the Vatican City around 9AM. By the time we go through security and found seats it was about 9:30. It was already very hot out and very sunny. We sat using an umbrella as shade until the Pope arrived.
The Pope entered St. Peter's Square on a white truck. The truck circled the square a couple times and he passed a few rows in front of us twice. Then the truck dropped the Pope off on a stage in front of St. Peter's Basilica.
We sat about a quarter of the way back from the stage to the end of St. Peter's Square. We couldn't see the Pope too clearly but there were video monitors that we could see as well.
A few prayers were said in English and other languages, I'm not sure which languages. Then the Pope gave a speech in Italian. We couldn't understand it but he spoke about Gregorio a lot. And he said the numbers 5 and 8. But beyond that we aren't sure what he talked about.
Then various priests representing different languages took the podium. For example, an English speaking priest took the podium and addressed the Pope and the English speaking audience. That priest then told the Pope which English speaking groups were represented. Then the Pope addressed that group in that language, in this example he spoke English. This process went on for just about every language possible. And it lasted a long time.
After all groups had been announced, the Pope and the crowd said the Our Father in Latin. The prayer was printed in Latin on the back of our tickets.
After the Papal Audience was over we needed to get out of the sun so we left the Vatican City to have lunch. After lunch we went back to the Vatican City and went to St. Peter's Basilica. The Church is massive. The ceilings are very high and the dome is even higher. The high alter is under the dome and is 7 stories high. There are various tombs and memorials to past popes throughout the Church.
We then climbed the 511 or so steps to the top of the dome. It was the highest climb we have done so far and in the heat we were exhausted and dripping in sweat by the time we reached the top. We had a great view of St. Peter's Square from the top. And we could see the domes of other Churches and one giant monument that I'm not sure what it was. But it was hard to make out the Colosseum and the ruins.
The Vatican Museum was the next stop. It was getting late so we hurried through the museum until we reached the Sistine Chapel. We had downloaded a podcast for the Chapel so we were able to pick out the meanings of the different scenes on the Chapel ceiling and walls. My neck hurt after looking at the ceiling for only a few minutes. I can't imagine how Michelangelo did that for 4 years.
We caught a Metro train to the stop near the Spanish Steps. There was scaffolding covering the building at the top of the steps so the view wasn't picture perfect. But I sat on the steps for awhile and then we both sat near the fountain at the bottom of the steps for awhile.
Then we walked back to our hostel and grabbed a gelato on the way. Greg is getting annoyed with the European streets. There apparently wasn't any sort of planning done when they mapped out the streets. The streets aren't clearly marked. But Rome seems to be a little better than Florence in one respect. In Florence each street had two names so you had to search the side of the buildings to make sure you found the right name that matched the name on the map. Oh, all of the street names are on the side of buildings about 10 feet off the ground and are often faded. So we wander around a lot but we eventually end up somewhere.
Only one more day in Rome.
