Day 2 was another screamer. We had booked a 9:45 am timeslot at the Vatican Museum and Sistene Chapel, which by the way, was an excellent idea because it saved us hours in line in the blistering sun and gave us the sinful satisfaction of strutting to the front and going in like a rockstar.
Anyway, we had to wake up early, breakfast, and scoot. We passed briefly by Piazza Navona and decided to come back later. We made our way through a winding narrow street to the Ponte d'Angelo. This is one of the many bridges that cross the Tevere river and is lined with huge Bernini statues of angels: each one different from the last.
At the end of the bridge is the Castelo D'Angelo built by Hadrian around the year 150 AD. This is the prison castle that Bienvenuto Cialini escaped from in the 15th century. All this was amazing and overwhelming but it was just the tip of the iceberg. Turn left and there before us, the Vatican City and St. Peter's Basilica. We assumed a quick step as the museum entrance is around the back, about a quarter mile away. There were huge crowds milling all around, which would somehow double and then triple as the day wore on.
When we arrived at the museum entrance, well more like three blocks away from it, everyone came to an abrupt halt. The whole crowd was craning and looking around to see what the hell was causing the back up. This caused a slight panic that was quickly put to rest as a helpful worker person came asking if anyone had pre-booked tickets. Ho ho! So we popped out of the slow line into the express line with a collective groan from the idiots who didn't book online. Step right through into another hall of people and then into another line and finally you're in the museum. Yeah, another huge museum filled with priceless statues, tapestries and paintings. Amazing architecture, marble everywhere, and loads of Americans. I really liked the maps of Italy hall: super old frescoes painted all over the walls, of all the different regions of Italy. It was funny to overhear the familiar voices of Americans; honestly, in two days here in Rome we heard and saw more Americans than in our entire trip combined... a thousand times over.
Wizz bang, through the Rafael's, more crazy old paintings and statues and bam! Sistene Chapel. Yep, old Mike himself, and Adam and God and a whole other ceiling full of colorful dudes and chicks doing different stuff. It's just like in the art history books except really crowded with everyone looking up and pointing and saying really intelligent things like, "How long do you think it took?" and, "Jesus Bill, the guy said no pictures!" Anyway, I was impressed and it felt cool to see it in person; it made it feel so real.
Well, we reconnoitered outside the building at the hotdog cart and the boys got hotdogs. I got a Budweiser. No open container laws; you can just waltz around outside the walls of Vatican City drinking in public, thank God.
We were pretty spent by then and the sun was hotter and the crowds even bigger. There were long lines to get into St. Peter's with like 100 people in each, just to get through security. I said screw this and we split. [Editor's Note: much to my dismay!] However by some Vatican miracle, just as we rounded the corner, I spotted a security dude all alone... no line. No way, but let's see what happens. Sure enough, go on right ahead Mr. ImportantDude, and have a nice day. So we were in [Editor's Note: much to my delight!] but the crowds were crazy and there were chairs all set up and a band and stage and what? The Pope! Yeah, old Benedicto himself, all wavy and white. He came rollin' through in the Popemobile cart and then split. After, we noticed some signs in Italian that said Benedicto XVI blah, blah and put it together: security, people, midday mass, ah ha, light bulb.
Now, security was shooing us away and St. Peter's was closed for who knows how long, and honestly we would have gone had Diego not needed to use the toilet. In my best Italian, I asked the copper if my kid could use the bathroom. He immediately replied, "yes, go there," pointed to a long line of people and said sternly in perfect English, "Go right in, don't wait in line!" Okay dude. This gave us the perfect excuse to hang back while all the crowds were swept off. When we came out, the cop was gone and there was a lull in the atmosphere. Just then, they opened up St. Peter's again to the public. Across the courtyard, a steady flow of people began barging the gates. We acted swiftly. We crossed the courtyard through a temporary alley the crew was using to put away the hundreds of chairs, and in a flash, we were in with the first few hundred folks to get into St. Peter's.
St. Peter's Basilica. I tell ya, we were all worn out and I really didn't want to go in. Well, it was pretty incredible. More huge statues by really famous people and just gold and ornate. There was a massive wooden altar, a museum, and a positively gigantic throne. Of course, a zillion snappy tourists as well, which we were a part of. I asked a security guy if we could get any holy water here and he told us to check around the corner, but that it was probably closed. Behind one giant metal prison-like door was a huge marble bathtub. I thought that must be it. Oh well. We were about to leave when I saw a much smaller birdbath-like basin out in the main area... sort of camouflaged up against a wall. No one seemed to be taking any notice of it as it seemed puny and weak compared to all the other stuff around. However, in this little basin was probably the most powerful stuff around. 100% vampire wounding holy water baby! Blessed by the Pope and everything. So, I opened up the empty bottle I brought just for this purpose and scooped up a few ounces. Inevitably, this was seen by some of the more observant sheep and caused quite an excitement. I glanced over my shoulder as we left to see a swarm converging on this not-obscure-any-longer basin.
Back outside in the heat of the day, we decided to find gelato. Our quest took us back to Piazza Navona, to a busy little shop. We ate the scoops in the sun overlooking the crowded plaza and huge fountain in the middle. Then we took an hour break before heading out again. Gasp! Hey, we had to make the most of it and were fueled by gelato and café.
This time we started by making our way to the Trevi Fountain, about a five minute walk from our pad. I am sure you know the legend of the fountain, so suffice to say, we chucked in our coins and ensured our return trip to Rome. Here we also found a small church on the corner and went in. The boys wanted to light a prayer candle so I got one from the priest and said thanks. He asked if I was here with my family (all in Italian mind you) and told me to go up front. Okay, you don't argue with a priest. So another priest pops out of a little door with a bible and a cross wrapped in bay leaves. He asked me if I knew "Our Father." I said yes and he replied, "go on then." I did my best to remember what I could, and by the time I got to "name" he held up his hand in a signal that that was sufficient. He took it from there. He blessed us in Italian first and then in English, touched our foreheads with the cross, and that was that. We had just been blessed. [Editor's Note: Although we aren't Catholic or Christian, it was a moving and lovely experience for us all.]
Now it was time to head for the Spanish Steps... Located about ten minutes by foot from Trevi fountain, these famous old steps were heavily clad with tourists like ornaments on a tree. Diego and I climbed to the top and raced down again, nearly bashing at least three different groups in our carelessness.
Another ten minutes further and two more churches later, we were at the Piazza Popolo. This Piaza houses a huge Egyptian obelisk in the middle of the square surrounded by a fountain. At the four corners of the square were almost identical churches. We went into three. In the last one, Isaiah and I inadvertently crossed some sort of barrier we weren't supposed to. Oops. Before a kindly old priest politely asked us to leave, we saw a beautiful Caravaggio painting of Michelangelo on the wall... rad.
On the way home, we had more gelato becasue we had to. We passed Augustus mausoleum, (remember King Mausolos?) and looked into a final church where we found an African priest giving a mass in Latin. We sat for awhile with a couple other people in this old church. The priest took a wafer and a bit of wine and wiped the glass clean with a cloth before we left and the others went forward for communion. We limped the final twenty minutes home fully worn out and starving.
We got back to our B&B around 8pm and reserved a table in the ground floor restaurant. We ate steak, pasta with clams, salad, pork chops, potatoes and wine. We hauled out of there for gelato one last time in Rome and again passed out.
One hell of a two day itinerary, especially with two kids in tow. We pretty much went at our own pace though... the exception being the morning of the Vatican, and if we were worn out at the end of the day, we had good reason. We left Rome wishing we had been here a week or three, but glad we didn't just pass it up without a glance.
Next up: Tuscany and AsvaNara
