day 25 - rome

14 june 2009


andree and i were very excited to hit up the vatican today and it was a got one again. security checks were on at the entrance to st. peter's basilica (built on the tomb of st. peter) and  then andree got stopped at the next line closer to the basilica because she had to cover her shoulders. so we went and bought a 5e "roma" shawl which was fine. this time though her knees were showing a bit, but she quickly pulled her little summer dress down a bit more and it was ok. good move.


hit up the tomb of popes and saw one lady at the tomb of the predecessor to john paul II, and many at john paul II's tomb. interesting thinking how in 100 years, people will likely walk by his tomb without too much recognition, much like we do today with unfamiliar popes. accidentally exited and had to go through security again before entering the premises.

noticed that there were guards dressed in what looks like clown uniforms and then what we think are the swiss guards who were all dressed very sharply in their own suits. went to the "cupola" and saw a view of the basilica from dome height (designed by michaelangelo) and then up the remaining steps (551 in total!) to the highest level with wicked views of st. peter's square and rome in general. the final steps got very thin, curving to the dome that we were walking right next to. down to the interior of the basilica itself, which was absolutely breathtaking and opulent. interesting contrast with preservation of vatican vs that of the colosseum and forum. there was a service going on so an area was blocked off, although if you just said you wanted to get in for the service, the swiss guard would have let you in for sure. there is a stature by michaelangelo behind glass because someone attacked it in the 70s, a statue of st. peter with worn smooth foot from people kissing it, a dude with sebulba goggles from the pod racing scene from phantom menace and a huge bronze "baldacchino" placed directly above st.peter's tomb which is cast from metal taken from the dome of the pantheon!


then we wanted to hit up the museum but today was the one sunday in june that it was closed! sheesh.


so instead, we strolled across ponte sant' angelo (a bridge) and andree wanted to take me on a boat ride, but next one wasn't coming for 50 minutes!

we walked to piazza navona and dipped our feet in the cold cold fountain (so refreshing!), then off to the pantheon which had an open hole in the dome, the tomb of the first king of italy, and a timber roof as the entrance. andree bought some italian pasta for us to have back in toronto, and i looked for a fiat panda to get for nusbaum, but to no avail. then we headed to the trevis fountain which was huge, although didn't have the cold water i was anticipating and hoping for to dip my feet into again!


back to the hotel for a quick shower and nap, followed by a 5e bottle of white wine that we brought up to the 5th floor terrace of our hotel to drink and enjoy each other's company :)


talked about GMAT prep, how we want a terrace like the one we were on, progression of housing, whistler and paris dreams and surfing.

met nusbaum for dinner (along with beer at spar... andree opened our coronas with a pillar edge) and continued my search for a carbonara pasta in italy to rival the toronto meal andree once took me out for.


other:
- zipping through crowd to vatican, complete with speeding car race sounds
- we were on the terrace level of st.peters during pope blessing time, so could hear but not see
- SPQR! senatus populus que romanus - the senate and the roman people