Monday was the day that we had set aside for visiting
Vatican City. We knew that this would be a long day filled with tons of people
and long lines. After a hearty Marriott breakfast we set out to the Vatican. It
was colder and a little rainy today so this also reinforced our idea that this
was the perfect day to visit!
Our thoughts were to visit the Vatican Museums first. They
open at 9 am and we got into the line around 8:20 or so. There was still a line
but not nearly as bad as it would be as the day went on. My understanding is
that there is never a time when there are no lines. So plan accordingly.
There is a charge to get into the Vatican Museums (I think
it was 13 Euro) but no charge to get into St. Peter’s Basilica (more on that
later). Once inside the Museums you pay your admission fee, go through airport
like security and head up the escalators towards the museums. Now there are
TONS of things to see in the museums. I can’t even describe the artwork,
tapestries, and general overall cool stuff to see there. There is way too much
to see in one visit. Knowing that my back would not handle everything that we
planned I wanted to go all the way to the end and visit the Sistine Chapel and
then work back to some of the other things. We did that (scouting around the
large Asian tour group) and although we did stop along the way to see some
rooms, our main focus was heading to the Chapel.
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| Gigi is so excited about the escalator! |
And it didn’t disappoint. Words can’t really describe how
lovely this place is and how amazing Michelangelo’s ceiling is. You can see it
on TV but that doesn’t do it justice.
******Alert**** Alert**** Ugly American sighting**** Alert
We interrupt this blog post to discuss the ultimate Ugly
American Sighting. While in the Sistine Chapel, there are multiple signs (in
different languages) that tell you NO pictures are to be taken and please be
silent. It’s a holy place, after all. There are benches around the long walls
of the chapel where you can sit and gaze up at the ceiling. I was sitting there
with Gigi on my right quietly discussing the Apostles or Saints or something
like that. When we hear/see probably 25 fee in front of us a very upset Italian
museum guide reprimanding this larger American man of about 30ish. I mention
that the American was larger because the Italian museum dude was about a head
shorter than said American. The conversation went as follows:
Italian dude: “hey, didn’t I tell
you just a moment ago NOT to take pictures”.
American: “umm, yeah”
Italian dude: “then WHY are you taking pictures? Let
me see your last picture on your phone. Why didn’t you listen?”
American: “dunno”
Seriously, this was the conversation. American dude just
shrugged like he didn’t have a care in the world. Italian dude was getting more
and more angry by the second. And since Italian dude was a head shorter he kept
straining his neck to look up at Ugly American. And let me tell you, Italian
dude was kind of scary. My money was on him!!
The entire place went silent when all this was going on.
SILENT. We looked on in amazement as Italian dude then dragged off Ugly
American out the gates to the back of the chapel and to God knows where. I
assume that he was going to have the Pope pull out his fingernails and then be
turned over to the Dementors.
So! After that little performance we kind of just wandered
out to the rest of the museum. Because once you gaze at the Sistine Chapel and
see someone dragged off by Italian dude for being an idiot, well that was all
there was to see. After a quick snack and bathroom break in the café, we headed
outside and around the museum towards St. Peter’s square and the Basilica.
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| Public praying? |
There is no admission fee to get into the Basilica, but you
do have to go through security and the lines are incredibly long to get in.
People come from all over the world to see the world’s most famous church and
the head of Catholicism. Being Catholic myself I know that seeing this church
really was something that was a lifelong dream. It’s important, it’s holy and
dammit I am going to stand in line for as long as it takes!!
Turns out it takes about an hour in line. Approximately. I
can’t even imagine what this looks like in the summer or warmer months. And my
back was killing me for standing in line on those cobblestones! But we made it
and it really was amazing. Another one of those “words cannot describe”
moments. There were quite a few people in the basilica but honestly I didn’t
feel crowded because it is such a huge church.
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| The famous Michelangelo status "Pieta" |
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| Swiss guard doing their thing! |
After our St. Peter’s visit we knew we needed food and a lot
of it! I also needed to sit down before I fell down! So we headed out to one of
the side streets near the Vatican. I know that these places are often touristy
but we knew that. Gigi negotiated us down a couple side streets until we found
a lovely little sidewalk café/restaurant (it had stopped raining by then).
Let me tell you, this place was amazing! For just stumbling
upon it we made an excellent choice. Gigi’s mastery of Italian helped out the
grandmotherly-like woman who owned/served the restaurant. I could just see her
in the back whipping up the spaghetti sauce in this tiny little kitchen. We had
a wonderful buffalo mozzarella with tomatoes and basil and then this amazing
type of spaghetti. Such an amazing way to top off the Vatican experience. We
sat out on the sidewalk and took our time and ate, and ate, and then ate some
more!
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| Amazing! |
Bellies full and back slightly rested we headed back to the
hotel. By now it was probably 3pm and we knew that we were meeting some friends
(again!) for dinner. Ricardo and Fabio wanted to take us to their most favorite
pizza place in Rome. Yes, please!!
Once sufficiently rested ( I am pretty sure I took a nap) we
headed out again in the evening. Our dinner reservations were for 8 but we set
out early because I wanted Gelato! I had been in Rome 2 days and had not had
any yet and by God, I was getting my gelato!! We found a place a short distance
from the restaurant and proceeded to partake of the gelato. A tiny little park
was close and we sat on the benches eating gelato and generally watching the
world go by. Lovely!
The pizza place is called Alle Carrette and the TA link is
below. We sat and had amazing food (although I was slightly full from the
gelato) and chatted and had a general good time. I know that I mentioned that
meeting up with the locals and going to less touristy places are the way to go
but I’m going to say it again. Because it is. It really is! And bonus is that your new friends can
give you a ride to your hotel in their snazzy Italian Mini Cooper!
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187791-d1231075-Reviews-Alle_Carrette-Rome_Lazio.html
***Michelle’s tip:
Get to the Vatican Museums early
and for the love of God, don’t take pictures!
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