Roma

I have arrived in Roma--- stepping out of the train station the heat of the cement jungle hits you square in the face and takes your breath away. We jumped in a taxi heading to our B&B.

We arrived at the B&B and was faced with stairs and a very small lift and 5 big Aussie boys ahead of us. We moved ourselves and our bags to the 4th floor (MOVE #1). After a 40 minute wait the guy at the front desk tells us we are at a different location--- REALLY why did they just not tell us that in the first place. So we head down the stairs down the street to the second location which is located on the 3rd floor again--- UP we go we get there (MOVE #2) and our room is across the street in another location---- (MOVE #3). By this time I have turned in to the ugly american for the first time.

We go back down in the lift and across the street then up the street and up in the lift (MOVE #4) to our room.

Now on the bright side the Colloseo is right down the street, and the buses will take us to all the places that we want to go--- So if you are going to Rome the Happy Hotel is in a great location--- just be prepared to move you and your luggage around before you get to your room.

The Colosseo was HUGHE---- I stood there amazed at the aritutecure how it was built hundreds of years ago. I was walking on the same cobble stone that the ancient Romans walked.




Off to see the Pope

My first question is “Why do people not tell you the Truth about visiting Vatican City??? I will explain my question and ask it again at the end of this post.

We got up early and headed to Vatican City---- the bus stop was outside our door and dropped us off outside Vatican City. We had morning tickets to tour the gardens before heading to the Sistine Chapel. The ground were very nice and our tour guide was very knowledgable but the tour lasted 2.5 hours in the hot sun, and no breakfast--- which spells disaster for me. After touring the gardens we head to the Sistine Chapel we thought-----------another 2 hours pass as we are herded through each room of the museum. People, there is no direct route to see the ceiling and there is not just one painted ceiling there----- REALLY

As people pushed past me our bare arms touching I became light headed but there was no escape I had to move forward. At this time I thought about turning back but once you start the journey to the Sistine Chapel there is no turing back----
At this time I was thinking about Temple Grande---- you know the woman in the HBO Special and how she created the humane way to lead cows to slaughter--- that is how I felt as I moved from one room to another.
Along the journey to the Sistine Chapel there would be sign pointing this way but it was just another cruel joke.

After and hour or two we finally make it the choosen spot. I can see the ceiling, but I am being yelled at by the guards “to move down the steps, to keep moving, and NO PICTURES.

This was not the same moment I shared with David in Florence----
There was no moment at all----- Before I knew it I was pushed toward the exit door or what I thought was the exit--------- it was another 30 minutes before I had moved through the next set of rooms where there just happened to be a stands selling items about the chapel chapel that you might have missed as you were herded through the room.

This is what I learned
Thank God for PBS, History Channel, Discovery that have given me a great appreciation for the Sistine Chapel
Choose the garden tour or the Museum
Eat a hearty breakfast
Don’t go Back

So back to my original question---- “Why do people not tell you about visiting Vatican City???

They want you to experience the same pain that they did.









To see if you can escape the place with out becoming a Catholic which I believe if you do there is a quick route out of the building.


Ciao