After the breakfast buffet (we need to teach European cooks how to COOK scrambled eggs and bacon, I think we could have sucked the scrambled eggs up through a straw and the bacon was damned near raw), we walked 4 hours and several miles to various piazzas-squares, for which Rome is famous. Actually, every European town we've visited has several squares. 92 degrees and very humid. Bought hats one place because we were so hot and sweat running down our faces. 15 euros each-we tried to get him down. 2 hrs later saw the same hats in a shop for 5 euros each. Always get worked over one way or another, it seems. He told us they cost him 20 euros each and Tom said sure they did.
Looking at all the concrete ruins we eventually found, we wondered how in the world they constructed them close to 2000 years ago. And they're still standing! How many slaves died doing it?
Saw several beggars around. Several looked needy. Two others had 2 dogs apiece. I suppose they are protection. Some of them have a bed of blankets and whatever else they own, on top of a concrete abutment or somewhere. We are surprised that some store owners let them camp right out in front of their windows.
I read last week that there are so many young people unemployed in Italy that many live with their families until they are 30 or older.
"When in Rome", eat a burger and have a Coke and beer at the Shamrock pub! It didn't offer outdoor seating, but there are so many all over Rome, as in every European city. I wish there were more in America.
We had a fun gathering evening for the tour. A one hour meeting with the tour guide. A neat 40 yr old guy named Igor. He said it is a Russian name, but I am totally Italian and studied art and history and guided all over Europe and now decided to remain as a guide only in Italy. Speaks very good English and has a cute laugh.
Then the 44 of us went to a big Italian restaurant. What a fun time! We sat with a family of 6 from Ohio and Texas. The guy is a 43 yr old Brett, same as our son. 6 course meal: seasoned tomatoes on crustini, a slice of cantaloupe and slice of prosciutto. Stroganoff, pasta in white sauce, turkey slices and broasted potatoes, then a salad, and then gelato with strawberries. Meanwhile, a guitarist and flutist played for us. One couple is celebrating their 50th this week and another couple in their late 60's are on their honeymoon. So, special music was played for them and they each received a bouquet of roses and each of we women received a rose. The wine kept flowing and we drank lots of it and still left 2 full bottles on the table. What a shame!
295 steps!
Monday 6/9:
Up at 6, breakfast, and get on bus at 7:15. We have 8:00 reservations at the Vatican.
Romans invented cement.
We passed a 6 story shopping mall that was built many hundreds of years ago-the first mall in the world.
A tall column was built 1800 years ago. A huge church was built in 1500 and later 40 carat gold from America was added to the ceiling. Guide said there are 450 important churches in Rome and 1000 parishes.
We know some friends and relatives wonder why we take so many trips in a short time-China, Panama Canal, 7 European countries last year, Caribbean cruise, and now this. It is because of the extremely exhausting days like we had today. There is no way that we feel we could do this trip even 5 years from now, with Tom's knees and my hip problem. Like our tour director told us: this is a busy tour, not a relaxing cruise. Today we were on the tour for 6-1/2 hours, with being on our feet 5-3/4 of it and we walked 532 stairs on it! Everywhere outside was cobblestone walkways and even an old Roman road composed of huge rocks. Everyplace is uneven. We always wear tennis shoes and spend a lot of time looking down. One tourist fell on the cobblestones before she could even enter the Vatican. Big bump on her head.
Just climbing on and off the bus' tall steps is tiring. Beautiful, new bus, with plenty of leg room. We'll ride in it the whole tour of Italy.
Because we are on the tour, we had tickets to go to the front of the line at all the places today. Most people would be standing in line for hours in the 92 degree, humid weather. The humidity is very hard on us again this summer since we haven't lived with it for 24 years.
Vatican City. Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica, then on bus to ride to the coliseum and the forum.
Vatican City
44 acres hosts 6 million visitors annually. Has its own embassy, newspaper, radio station, post office
It is supported by charities and the bulk of the money comes from New York City.
For 312 years, thousands of Christians were killed there. 168 popes are buried there. The Pope's lodgings are a huge building. This current Pope refuses to live there, like a king, but stays in the residence with the Cardinals. The guide said the people absolutely adore this Pope.
We walked a long ways - 2-3 blocks? through the Great Hall, which is lined with fantastic paintings, painted ceilings of incredible art, and the best collection of tapestries in the world. There is 24 carat gold, silver, and silk in them. There is major cleaning and repair work being done-costing millions. The bulk of it is being paid by a wealthy woman in Ohio and another American family is paying for the rest!
Sistine Chapel (No photos allowed inside the Sistine Chapel)
The Pope told Michaelangelo to paint the ceiling and he kept refusing, until he was told to paint it or go to jail. It took 4 years of grueling work. The tapestries we saw had many people and their faces were plain and bland, with no expressions. That is how people were painted-until Michaelangelo. His faces had expressions, feelings, etc. He had no models, but painted 399 different faces. He said some were of people he knew. One spot has a hole. The guide told us a soldier accidentally shot a cannon from another building and it went through this roof and beautiful ceiling. The ceiling was cleaned in the 1970's and cost billions of euros (dollars), which were paid by patrons of the arts.
St. Peter's Basilica This is the "mother of all churches."
Ceilings and columns, and various chapels are so high. Imagine building them with no electricity, no cranes, etc. Must have had some kind of scaffolding, obviously. Building is designed like a cross facing Jerusalem.
A large red disc on the floor is where Charlemagne was crowned and where the Pope stands to give his blessing. There is a 2000-year old, intact cemetery below the floor. The guide said most of the best part of Rome lies underneath it.
All over the walls are what look like beautiful oil paintings, but they are mosaics, done with ceramic tiles.
The Pieta statue (Mary holding dead Jesus) Tom brought me a small replica from his '70's trip here.
It was sculpted in marble by Michaelangelo when he was only 23. A few years ago a jealous sculptor somehow gained access to it and struck it 20 times with a hammer, damaging it in 58 places-broken arm, fingers, nose, etc.
There is a door called the Jubalae (spelling?) door. It is only opened once every 25 years by the Pope and the next opening will be in 2025. 11 million people have already made reservations to see it open.
More Rome tidbits:
2 million cars, 1 million scooters, 360,000 parking spaces
the present mayor promised more parking and then only provided some for scooters
Romans pay 50% of their wages in taxes
Like all big cities and capitals, it is very expensive to live here
It has been thought for a long time that Rome was started in 753 B.C., but recent discoveries suggest it was more like 1200 B.C.
On the bus for a couple of miles to see:
The Coliseum
Built in 70 A.D. by 10,000 war prisoners. The alive gate is where the gladiators entered. Thousands of them and thousands of beasts were killed over time. Of course it is huge and has some crumbling walls.
The Forum
The Circus Maximus held 250,000 spectators. Guide said it was the original Yankees stadium and the chariot races held here were the original Formula One. Interesting place, too.
Exhausted!!! Got off the bus and went to McDonalds down the street from the hotel and back to room for a short nap. Sweat has been running down our faces, even with our hats on whenever we were outside.
20 more steps in hotel, so a total of 552 for today!
Time to pack. We leave early tomorrow for a fun day and evening in Tuscany! More blogging whenever I a able to get on a computer. Caio!
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