Rome - vēnī vīdī vīcī

Rome - I came, I saw, I conquered... Or perhaps it conquered me. The temperature is currently 33 degrees and is supposed to get to 36! We are trying to stay out of the heat as much as possible today as we all got a bit too much yesterday. Even Jo had woozy spells while we waited 40 minutes for the last tour bus yesterday - although she had been walking around in it for 10 hours. In the morning we went into St Peter's Basilica and then around to the Sistene Chapel - which is a 1km walk around the outside of the Vatican walls, which doesn't sound much, especially in the context of how much walking we have done in the last 5 weeks, but you try doing it in jeans in this heat and see how much fun that is - to view Michaelangelo's masterpiece ceiling. Packed into a small chapel - and I mean like sardines - with about 2000 other people, shoulder to shoulder, all looking up. Jo cracked me up when she said in a hushed tone "is that it???". But she was referring to the whole artwork, as the entire ceiling and walls tell a story, but she thought it was only going to be the hand of God reaching out to Adam, which is only one part of the story, but is the centre piece. No photos allowed, and there are about 10 guards around the small chapel, constantly saying "ssshhhhhhhh" and "silencio" as soon as the noise level got above a murmur. We found it quite amusing, but NO LAUGHING! :-)

We have seen so many incredible sights in Rome, as Grant mentioned in his last blog. In addition to the colosseum, I went into the Roman Forum and walked up Palatine Hill. Yesterday we saw Trevi Fountain, which while a very impressive piece of art in itself, is not located in a massive piazza like I thought it was. We were able to Grant down to the mid-level but no further as it was packed with tourists. So Jo gave him a 2 euro coin to throw in to the fountain... I warned her that it was a dangerous idea, as Grant's eyesight is not the best. Well, if the tall guy sitting on the fountain's edge hadn't stood up and moved just at the moment he had, he would've copped that coin right between the eyes! It missed him by about two inches as it sailed past into the fountain.







The only major sight on my wishlist I haven't seen are the Spanish Steps. Will try to get there today but probably won't venture far from the apartment. Have spent most of the day indoors - i love aircon - but we'll see.

The Vatican - in its own right a separate country - is near to becoming the country I've been to most! Every time we leave our apartment, and head back to it, we pass thru St Peter's Square. So technically I've been to Vatican City 8 times now :-)



And one of my favourite things about Rome has to be the food. I've always enjoyed Italian food and this has been an amazing culinary experience. Eating genuine lasagne (my personal favourite), spaghetti, pizzas, other pastas. Delicious! Oh, I'm definitely coming back to Italy!

We fly out to L.A in the morning, where Jo will enjoy the trip the most I think. More shops than she can poke a stick at.

Next update from The Land of the Free and everything oversized - including the people!

Ciao!

Troy

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Location:Via Aurelia,Rome,Italy