Sorrento - Rome

 “Two roads diverged in a wood and I – I took the one less traveled by.” – Robert Frost

The coach ride out of the Sorrento area was fabulous.  Traveling on curvy roads winding their way around the sheer rock cliffs is enough to get your heart rate really going in the morning (why would anyone need a coffee?).  We left Sorrento with the destination of Rome in our sites.  Rome.  There is so much history there.  One has to wonder what the world might be like today had the Roman Empire not fallen when it did.

We pulled into the city of Rome around lunch time and were dropped off in an area close to the Vatican Museum.  This is the largest museum in the world.  Our guide (local lady named Helena), indicated that if you spent one minute looking at each artifact in the Vatican Museum, took no breaks (that means 24 hours a day), it would take you over 4 years to see all of the items in the museum. If I recall correctly, there are over 11,000 rooms of items.  This is a museum lovers’ paradise (I can think of one friend of mine who will be salivating as he read this).

We walked through a few rooms in the museum on our way to a very famous chapel in Vatican City.

One we were done with that, we walked into the Sistine Chapel.  This is a chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope, in Vatican City. Originally known as the Cappella Magna, the chapel takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who restored it between 1477 and 1480. Since that time, the chapel has served as a place of both religious and functionary papal activity. Today it is the site of the Papal conclave, the process by which a new pope is selected. The fame of the Sistine Chapel lies mainly in the frescos that decorate the interior, and most particularly the Sistine Chapel ceiling and The Last Judgment by Michelangelo.  Unfortunately, there were not photographs allowed in the Chapel; and the entire time we were in there, there was a guard over the loud-speaker telling people to be quiet and that no pictures were allowed.  Our guide had prepared us in advance for a few things to look for.  I stood directly under the “Creation” fresco and just looked at it.  I’ve seen this image many, many times.  But to see the original was quite the experience.

After the Sistine Chapel experience, we left out a door and then found ourselves standing in St. Peters’ Square.  I’ve seen this area on TV a number of times, but standing there is really something.

Right off of St. Peters’ Square is St. Peters’ Basilica.  Out of any church I’ve ever been in (this includes all of the churches on the Camino) anywhere (also including Sagrada Familya) nothing even comes close to St. Peters.  The place is gargantuan and so ornately adorned that it’s almost mindboggling.  According to what we’ve been told, St. Peter was crucified right where the obelisk is in the middle of St. Peters’ Square, and that his grave is directly under the dome/alter in the church.  I did not go down below the alter to see the grave, as the guide indicated that this is something you have to book 6 months in advance to do.  However, it is interesting (at least to me) that I’ve been in the Cathedral where St. James (Brother of Jesus) is buried and now where the Apostle Peter is buried.

Once done in there (trust me when I say you could easily spend a ½ to full day just in the St. Peters Basilica) we went back into the square and I took a few pictures of the entrance to St. Peters itself.  It’s the place where when a new Pope is elected, they first come out on the balcony of the Church at the end of St. Peters’ Square.  The columns are massive and the external portion of the building is rather impressive as well.

We then walked by a contingent of the Swiss Guard that protects the Vatican and the Pope. Got a photo of them, but when a few of our group approached them to take a picture with them, the politely refused.

We stopped at a small place outside of the walls of Vatican City, and grabbed a gelato to cool off a little, and then jumped back on the bus to head to our hotel.  It was nice that tonight we did not book the optional tour, so we had an evening to ourselves.  As a result, we gathered up a few of the gang (4 couples) and went across to street from the hotel to the Restaurant for dinner.  It was a fantastic time.

After dinner, Laureen and I invited the gang to meet us in the courtyard of the hotel, and we cracked open the two bottles of wine that we had collected thus far (one from our travel agent and a second from the travel director for our combined birthdays).  Fortunately, we were able to empty those two bottles.  Now there is more room in the suitcase.

Tomorrow is the Coliseum.  I am super pumped to see it!

Curt & Laureen in Rome, Italy.