[The Canals:]
[The Rialto:]
[Gondolas:]
[The Basilica:]
[In our awesome hotel. Compact and everything you could ever need:]
[On the rooftop terrace:]
[The narrow narrow streets of Venice:]
[Dusk:]
[St Mark's Square:]
[Man from Mars in St Mark's Square:]
Today was yet another hot and steamy day. I woke to the sounds of two people rehearsing opera, accompanied by some fantastic piano playing- the chords and their voices echoing up through the narrow alley way. What an awesome way to start the morning.
[View from our hotel:]
Given that we were visiting Vatican City and in particular, the Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica, dress code required that we both cover our shoulders and wear below the knee pants (note to those who go in the future, remember this fact, otherwise you’ll be refused entry by the security guards). The only pants I have in my suitcase wardrobe (besides shorts and stinking hot jeans) were these black ones that kind of look like sport track pants. They were meant to be my “travel pants” and I wear them for long train rides and plane rides. Anyway, I looked pretty nerdy, and the black brought all the heat in, but they did the job and were appropriately modestJ We took the train to Ottaviano station before stepping off into a new country, the Vatican City (smallest country in the world!).
First stop was a walk around the wall of the Vatican City before entering the Vatican Museum.
[Nuns going into the Vatican City:]
We walked through long, crowded halls of tourists and animal sculptures, a courtyard with other beautiful statues and followed the many signs that directed us to our final (and long anticipated) destination, the Sistine Chapel. When you get there, all you do is look up and up and up. It’s an amazing, amazing artistic feat and Michelangelo is said to have painted it all on the request of the Pope (he apparently refused many times, saying he was a sculptor not a painter, but the Pope insisted). In addition, he is said to have painted it all alfresco (where the plaster is mixed with the paint) and all while looking up and standing on scaffolding. He didn’t lie down and paint it from a prostrate position as popular myth claims. The ceiling conveys key events from the Bible. From when God created the world (“Let there be Light”), then his creation of Man (where the two index fingers of God and Adam are famously moving to touch), Man succumbing to temptation, and finally the Last Judgment. We sat on the side, staring up at the ceiling, listening to our Rick Steves audioguide and taking all of its brilliance in. The room, which is huuuuge, was packed with tourists and it was such a highlight to be there, and seeing it. Following its restoration, where large amounts of dirt and soot were removed, the colours are brilliant and I was tempted to take a photo. However, part of the deal with the company who undertook the restoration was, that no photos can be taken. In any case, a photo wouldn’t do it justice. You really must go if you’re ever in Rome.
[Inside the Vatican City:]
[A special view of Rome:]
[Amazing sculptures:]
[Belvedere's torso- One of Michelangelo's many inspirations:]
[The exit to the Vatican Museum:]
We then moved onto St Peter’s Basilica after a quick lunch in a cafeteria near the Sistine Chapel. Man from Mars had a salami roll, while I had what looked like pizza base (pizza dough plus tomato base). It was bland but quick, and fuel for the body, and we then walked a few hundred metres to take in the giant piazza sits in front of the Basilica. The sun was so strong that we couldn’t bring ourselves to stand in the queue that stretched into the hundreds. So we sat in the shade of a statue and waited for the queue to dwindle a little. Thankfully, entry is free and the only reason for the wait was the dress code check and the security check. While the dress code checkers weren’t too strict at the Sistine Chapel, they were out in force at the Basilica and I saw lots of girls in denim shorts and lots of men in short walking shorts, refused entry. Bummer.
[St Peter's Basilica:]
[The many pilgrims who come to see the Pope speak sit in the thousands of chairs that are arranged in front of the Basilica:]
Inside, the Cathedral is massive. Apparently, it’s the length of two football fields and it’s gold, marble, painting, sculptures everywhere. There are lots of domes, paintings on ceilings and a story behind every door and statue. In addition, there is a glass box which holds the body of Pope John XXIII. It’s perfectly preserved, if a little eerie.
[The roof of the Basilica:]
The final highlight is Michelangelo’s Pieta from 1499 which depicts Mary holding a limp Jesus in her arms. Her expression is so sad, and the way she is cradling him is tender and maternal. Here is a photo, taken of it behind its bulletproof case (added after a loony tried to smash it a number of years back):
We ended our visit at the Vatican City post office and sent some postcards to mark our visit to perhaps the biggest postoffice for the world’s smallest nation.
When he was well enough (about 9 pm), we decided to go grocery shopping because he wasn’t up for a complex Italian three course dinner. All the grocery shops around us were closed except for the one at Termini train station, so we sweated it out and walked with our backpack, to the station to stock up. We enjoyed a nice hotel room feast of honey sandwiches with fruit salad and probiotic drink and to be honest, after all this pasta, pizza and tomato, it was really really good!
Today was a full and incredibly stinking hot day of walking and delving into the history of Rome. We started off at the Metro station to buy a Roma pass (the best way to jump the queues at the Colosseum and the Roman Forum) before making our way to our first stop for the day- the Colosseum.
The Colosseum was originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre and was built in 80AD. It is regarded as one of the greatest feats of engineering, and as you walk both inside and around what remains of the building, you can certainly appreciate why.
For example, when you first walk in, there are arches along the side, framing the wall that leads you into the amphitheatre. Each of these arches were built in an ingenious way where travertine blocks were stacked up from both sides of the arch and then as you got to the “peak” of the arch, the final piece was slotted in- eliminating the need for mortar because the inward pushing force of the blocks meant that none was necessary. Incredible, right?
[The arches:]
As we walked around, both the exterior, interior and into the “arena”, it was difficult to imagine how people (without the benefit of cranes and machinery) managed to build this mammoth structure. When you look down from where the spectators used to sit, you also get an interesting insight into how it all worked. Underneath the “floor” of the arena, there was a maze of doorways, elevators and passages where animals (lions, tigers, other scary things) could be ferried up and along, before they were released into the arena (up above) through a trap door. In this underground cavity, the animal keepers would feed and tend to the animals- it was like “backstage” to a theatre production, only, down below.
The gladiator would then have to fight the beast and if he was the victor then he received superstardom status. If he didn’t, he would be eaten by the beast and the Roman public would go wild (they were a pretty blood loving lot back then).
[The floor was usually made of wood, but underneath the floor was a hive of activity:]
It was sooo interesting and probably my favourite tourist attraction of the trip. One other thing to mention is the number of Aussie’s travelling around Italy right now. When we were inside the Colosseum, we heard one fifty something Aussie bloke say to another:
Imagine playing the AFL on that! (i.e. in the Amphitheatre)
And his friend said:
Yeah mate, it’d be like a bloody sauna!
It was pretty funny and quintessential Aussie.
[Man from Mars and I at the Collosseum:]
Afterwards, we had a supermarket bought lunch of pasta salad and then tiramisu to end. In Rome, you can’t just buy your lunch from the shops and sit down on a step and eat it—Rick Steves says it’s illegal and can result in you being fined. We’ve done it everywhere and you’d presume you’re entitled to do it anywhere—but not in Rome, you have to eat at a café or restaurant, or else somewhere hidden away if you’re going to attempt a picnic/park lunch. Anyway, we took our chances and ate in front of the Colosseum near a Panini vendor and his truck. We figured we sort of looked like we’d bought it off him (even though we weren’t eating Panini!).
Full and reenergised we then spent the better part of the afternoon walking through the Roman Forum. This is an excavated site that sits below street level. It’s where Julius Caesar used to frequent in his hey day and there are reminders of ancient Rome everywhere. Lone standing pillars, collapsed walls and incredible monuments and arches that date back to the early years after Christ was born. While we were walking through this amazing area, we listened to our Rick Steves audioguide (get the app on your Iphone!) and again, you look at the relics and you can imagine how it all was when Rome was buzzing, at the top of its game and the superpower of the world. It’s sad to think that in the centuries following its peak, Rome collapsed and the area of luxe, wealth and beautiful buildings was literally buried by silt and rock. Even as you walk near the Roman Forum, excavators are still hard at work uncovering new artefacts from centuries passed.
[The Roman Forum. Can you see the Colosseum in the distance?]
[All that remains of Ancient Rome- sky high pillars showing only a hint of the grandeur and opulence of the palaces that stood on Palatine Hill:]
[The Pantheon:]
[The huge pillars at the Pantheon's facade:]
Today we took the train from Siena to Rome. We had a three hour wait at the train station, and so we ate lunch on the steps. I fooled around, trying to create the highest ponytail known to mankind, while Man from Mars diligently read up on Rome for the next leg of our trip.
[Highest ponytail ever:]
Then we completed part of Rick Steves’ night tour and visited the Trevi Fountain. If you throw a penny over shoulder, it assures you a trip back to Rome in the future and so Man from Mars and I threw our pennies in.
[The Trevi Fountain:]
[Man from Mars throws his pennies in:]
Tomorrow, it’s Rome Exploring Day!
