Rome, Italy
St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican Museum (Sistine Chapel), Catacombes, San Giovanni church, Palace of the Holy Steps
Today was less full then yesterday, but still a lot of walking.
We started the morning off with a trip to St. Peter's Basilica where we marveled at the architecture and saints and whatnot.
From there, we got in the long line to the Vatican Museum. where we wandered through Raphael's works until we got to the Sistine Chapel. There were no photographs allowed in there, and it probably wouldn't have come out too well if there had been--as the lighting is very dark in the Sistine Chapel.
After the Vatican Museum, we stopped off for some tasty salads at a place called L'insalata Ricca.Then we headed off in search of the best gelato ever. We finally found the place, but they didn't have blackberry gelato today =/ However, I do still believe that they serve the best gelato of all. Very fruity and strong flavors. Yum!
After this, we trekked across Rome to San Giovanni Square to catch a bus to the Catacombes. We originally intended to see the San Domotilla Catacombes, but somehow we managed to get on a very crazy bus which wasn't very clearly marked. Anyhow, we wound up going nearly back to where we started before we got off the bus at San Castillo Catacombes instead. We actually met some people from Pennsylvania who also had the same misfortune, so that was a nice break.
We took an English tour through the San Castillo Catacombes. This was very interesting. Alas, no photographs were allowed here either. For the record, catacombes are kinda creepy. The one we went to is actually the most important in Rome, as it holds 14 or 16 popes...I can't recall now exactly. Nine of them are in the first tomb that you enter when you go into the catacombes. St. Cecilia is also buried here. She was beheaded for her belief in the one true God and the trinity. Her actual tomb is now located elsewhere, but a replica remains in its place. The tour was pretty neat. We actually passed a group who was holding a mass, which is an option to do at the end of the tour. There are a few little rooms which serve as chapels, just as they used to when the catacombes were used by the Christians.
After the catacombes, we hopped back on the crazy bus to San Giovanni Square where we had begun our trip. We went into the San Giovanni Church which was also very beautiful. It holds the heads of St. Peter and St. Paul encased in gold statues. This is actually the current pope's own church where he takes mass on holidays and special occasions.
Across the street from the San Giovanni Church is the Palace of the Holy Steps. Inside are four staircases--one of which is said to be the steps that Christ climbed to stand before Pontius Pilate. These steps were supposedly brought by Constantine's mother to Rome and have been in this place since 1589, according to my guidebook. This may or may not be true, as there is some debate on the age of these steps. Something interesting though is that you can only climb the steps on your knees, as many people were doing when we went to visit. They are also now covered in wood for the purpose of preservation. Josh and I took one of the other sets of stairs up.
After this, we stopped off for a fika near the San Giovanni Square to get out of the rain which had started while we were in the church. We eventually made our way to a metro stop (have I mentioned how terrible the Rome Metro is???) and hopped off at a place near our hotel. We ate a tasty dinner. I had four cheese pizza, and Josh had prosciutto tortellini.Then we headed back to the hotel because we are beat. Tomorrow is our last day in Rome (we hope). This could be just the beginning of our new lives in Rome, as there may be some volcanic activity. Keep your fingers crossed that our flight on Wednesday gets us back to Memphis!
Oh, and does anyone want to pick us up from the airport??? Wednesday at 5:10pm...assuming all goes well with this volcano business =/
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