Today, we visited the smallest country in the world – with 550 citizens to its name, Vatican City! We saw St. Peter’s basilica, St. Peter’s square or the much cooler sounding Piazzo di Saint Pietro, the Grottoes, and the Vatican museums. We climbed all 327 stairs to the top of the cupola (dome of St. Peter’s) and had an amazing view of the entire city. Stairs are becoming a thing, a habit, several hundred stairs a day – totally the norm. I loved being with Leah on her first visit to the Vatican. Being Catholic, she was able to explain so much – it definitely made my day there. Seeing Pope John Paul II’s grave was especially memorable. I wasn’t able to see the Sistine Chapel the last time I visited Rome so we rushed to the Chapel and Vatican Museums before they closed. Do not be fooled, once you enter the Vatican Museums, you have a good hour until you reach the Sistine Chapel. It was so worth it though – very crowded inside, but amazing. It’s hard to take it all in, standing on the ground looking up.
We decided to go to the opera at Teatro de Marcello! We picked up dinner at that same corner café from the day before on the bike ride. We got extremely lucky! The same waiter who gave us directions yesterday served us today and just happened to be friends with the guy working the ticket booth for the opera. He thought he could get us a discount – turns out we got in for free! Not to mention, his friend put us in front row, reserved seats. It just made it that much better. The performance was outstanding – a seventeen year old playing the most incredible pianoforte, most pieces by Bach.
I think it’s more than safe to say Leah and I have had gelato everyday since we’ve been in Italy. I’m more a fruit fan and she’s more of a chocolate fan. This city, the Eternal City, is beautiful – it’s definitely at the top of my list. The next time I plan a trip to Roma, I’d like it to be in April or October though J
No comments:
Post a Comment