As usual, I hit the ground running in Rome. A little harder than I would have liked. After the red eye flight, waiting forever (and nervously) for my luggage, and navigating through the train and subway systems, I made it to my hotel five minutes before I had to use my timed ticket to the Vatican Museum. I dumped my bags into the smallest room imaginable, splashed my face and ran out the door. I ran out so fast that I realized halfway down the street that I had no maps with me at all. Luckily, my hotel was right beside the museum, and I had looked the street view of the area before I left home.
I have never been more happy to have pre-booked something in my life than I was when I turned the corner and saw the gigantic lines stretching in both directions from the entrance. One line was for the tour groups (of which there were dozens and dozens), and the other was for everyone else who didn't reserve their ticket online. I was able to go straight in, go through security, pick up my ticket and audio guide, and then squeeze my way past the tours to get inside. I went through the various rooms and galleries, half listening to the tour guides and half listening to my audio guide. There really was no choice, as wave after wave of tour groups kept coming and going from each location. It all came to a head when I got to the Sistine Chapel. For some reason, I had a grander picture in my head. The room and the paintings in it were definitely impressive, but smaller than I had imagined. I found the crowd control tactics really amusing too. This place is a chapel, so naturally they have signs everywhere to be quiet and that photos and videos were not allowed. So, of course, people were talking and taking photos everywhere. The white noise would build to a point that the guards would start shushing, and when that didn't work one of them would get on the PA system and say in a very imposing Italian tone, "SILENZIO...NO PHOTO, NO VIDEO". The noise would die down immediately, but after a few minutes would gradually build again, and the cycle would continue. I thought that was hilarious.
After the museum, I walked around to St. Peter's Square, and my need for grandiose size was satisfied. It was enormous, as was the basilica. It was late in the afternoon so the line to get in was considerably shorter than normal. While I was inside, was hit by two things: the creepiness of seeing dead popes on display in glass cases, and the sheer disrespect and disregard for the rules shown by almost everyone. No photos? No hats? No sleeveless blouses or shorts? No touching the monuments? Yeah, whatever. I may not be Roman Catholic, or of any denomination, but I try to respect the beliefs and customs of all of them. I made the decision to just take in the surroundings and not to join in the masses of photo takers.
As I mentioned earlier, I had left the hotel with no map. But, I knew where my hotel was in relation to the Vatican, so since I had walked halfway around and ended up generally on the opposite side, I thought I might as well continue around and make a full lap, keeping the city wall in sight which would ensure that I wouldn't get lost. What I failed to realize was that the other half of the Vatican was not only uphill (VERY uphill) but also not designed to be pedestrian friendly. Add to that an unusual heat wave and I basically trudged my way back to the hotel. After a much needed shower, I could only think of one thing that I wanted to eat before going to bed...
Gelato.
"Ain't it fun living in the real world"
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