Stu's View:
Thursday arrived bright and early, and with very few kinks from the floor! By 9 o’clock Morgan and I were off and running on our way to the Vatican to take on the stairs and wander the massive basilica. After a short tram ride, and a leisurely stroll along the river, we made our way into Vatican city and arrived at St. Peter’s Basilica. But first!! Breakfast….
We found a wonderful little shop on the main drag of Vatican city that sold pastry donuts. We decided to have the sugar coated cream filled donuts, and we ate as we continued our way down the street. It was a great start to an even better day!
From there we made our way into the square and joined a line leading into the basilica. Morgan quickly became the go to person, as 4 people stopped and asked her where things were located. I realized then that I had to that point, taken for granted that I was traveling with a seasoned roman, and how lucky I was to be there with her.
We waited in line for about a half an hour before we finally proceeded through security. Yup, security at the Vatican. I really felt as though I was about to board another plan with the X-ray machine and metal detectors. But it opened into another part of the Vatican, and before I knew it we were climbing.
And climbing…
And climbing…
The climb continued until we suddenly arrived at the top of the Vatican dome! Wow! It was unbelievable! To see so much of the city in a 360 view! It was amazing! Morgan and I looked out over the city and started to point out different landmarks. We spotted the pope’s residence, and a number of different parks from our birds-eye view. We looked for sometime before we decided to make the trek back down. And did I mention that the walls slant at the top? It was like being in a fun house, while trying to simultaneously climb up and down stairs. It was all rather disorienting. I was crazy impressed by Morgan, being willing to climb these stairs a SECOND time, after an incredibly long walk the night before in heels. It was incredible.
We came outside halfway down and were placed on the main roof of the basilica. Here we were able to stop and get an up close look at the many statues that line the top edge of the building. The detail and craftsmanship of the sculptures was phenomenal. We also noticed how a number of the statues up close, were falling apart in a number of places, and were held together with iron strapping. It was interesting to see that time did still run in the eternal city.
From there we finished the stairs and emerged into the basilica’s floor. To the heart of the Vatican, quite literally. It was unbelievable. The mosaics were what floored me the most. The detail and size of the tiles were so fine I wasn’t even aware the pieces were mosaics. Until Morgan pointed out the tiles in the right light, I thought they were oil painting. But the Vatican was phenomenal, the sculptures, the gold, the paintings, mosaics, and tombs. It was incredible to see the tombs with past popes. I can help but wonder what process they used for preservation. A number of the bodies had turned black on the outside.
From there Morgan and I were off to try to find the bed and breakfast for my last two nights in Rome. It quickly became a game of hide and seek. The B&B was incredibly close to the Vatican, and we found the building complex quickly enough. But to our dismay, the individual doors weren’t marked, and weren’t able to find our place to check in.
Because we didn’t know where to check in, we had to make a 30 minute walk back to the apartment to get better directions, and the number to the B&B. At this point, Morgan stayed to study for her remaining Italian midterm, and so I made my way back to the Vatican alone. I was finally able to find the correct door, (third door on the left, after the tree), and got checked in.
The bed and breakfast was incredibly quaint. The owner’s name was Laura, a middle aged woman who spoke English and Italian. She was incredibly nice and hospitable. After a quick peak around the room, she showed me where everything was located, and where the pope resides within the Vatican. We could actually see his window from the window of our own room!
By this point I was fairly worn out, after a long week of travel and needed to recharge. After a quick shower, I promptly passed out, until Morgan came to wake me up about 3 hours later. It was a fantastic nap, and just what the doctor order. I was refreshed and raring to go.
From the B&B, Morgan and I made our way back to the apartment to meet Becca for supper. We actually ended up eating with Becca, Berkley, and Joey from the university. It was a great time! We all had delicious pasta, a little wine, and more gelato! Morgan and I split a hot dog pizza for an appetizer, and then the main course arrived. My pasta was a blue cheese, and while potent, it really was quite tasty. We had a great time, talking, laughing, and sharing. We discussed our different characters, and what animals we would be, along with an in depth conversation that lasted about a half an hour about various Disney movies. It really was a great time!
By the time the gelato was finished it was pushing 11:30, and it was time to say goodnight before all the transportation shut down. Morgan and I made our way back to the bed and breakfast and promptly fell asleep. Exhausted from another full day, with plans to see the Vatican museum first thing bright and early. It was another wonderful day in the eternal city. There is always something to see, another place to explore, and more and more walking to be done.
In the blink of an eye I had already nearly finished my time in Rome. But! There was a day left to go before the plane took off.
Morgan's Say:
After being up until two thirty or so the night before, Stu and I were rather sleepy. We slept until nineish before heading to the Vatican. We had decided to split it over two days as it is a lot to squeeze in one day. The plan was to do the dome climb and tombs/St Peter's basilica Thursday, and the Vatican museum/Sistine chapel on Friday. We stopped at a shop on the way and got cream filled pastries for breakfast, yum. the security line is always long for the Vatican, but it usually moves pretty quickly. I was able to give a few people directions to the museum entrance; I hope they found their way. The line for the actual dome climb was much shorter than when Becca and I did it, consequently we were able to climb the steps at our own rate. Stu is a very fit individual, and we climbed the five hundred plus stairs in around ten minutes. I had to ask to stop for a break at one point, I just couldn't keep up, and I take the stairs of death seven times a week! It was a beautiful day for the view. Stu lucked out in terms of roman weather, it rained everyday the week before, but was beyond beautiful for his stay, thank goodness. the viewing area was pretty clear when we first arrived, but it filled up quickly. Stu's not one for crowds if he can help it (I've only just learned this.) So we left to explore the floor of the basilica with all the tombs of popes past. There is a lot to see and it easily fills an hour. We stopped in the prayer room for a bit, something Becca wasn't interested in last time. After we had explored to our hearts content we stopped for pizza and gelato at a little shop just outside. It was cheap and delicious, next we searched for the B&B we had booked for the last two nights of his stay. We found the address, but couldn't fine the specific apartment/buzzer. We went back to my apartment to look up directions, and I stayed to study for my Italian midterm (the last one!!) while Stu went to check into the B&B and take a nap. My Italian test went well, there was one verb conjugation I did not know, and a few things I was unsure on. The toughest part was putting a scrambled conversation in order, yikes. I found the B&B after class and met the super nice old lady that ran it, before waking up Stu to hang out for a bit. We had talked to Becca about going out to dinner and went back to the apartment to see what she was up for; we ended up going to dinner with Joey and Berkeley as well, and had a great time. Going out in groups is a lot of fun. We stopped for gelato afterwards (second time that day) before realizing we only had forty five minutes to get back to the apartment, grab my stuff, and catch the tram and bus back to the B&B. After the amount of walking we had done the night before I was in no mood to miss the bus. we booked it, and made it back just in time. It had been such a long day we both passed out from exhaustion.
Thursday arrived bright and early, and with very few kinks from the floor! By 9 o’clock Morgan and I were off and running on our way to the Vatican to take on the stairs and wander the massive basilica. After a short tram ride, and a leisurely stroll along the river, we made our way into Vatican city and arrived at St. Peter’s Basilica. But first!! Breakfast….
We found a wonderful little shop on the main drag of Vatican city that sold pastry donuts. We decided to have the sugar coated cream filled donuts, and we ate as we continued our way down the street. It was a great start to an even better day!
From there we made our way into the square and joined a line leading into the basilica. Morgan quickly became the go to person, as 4 people stopped and asked her where things were located. I realized then that I had to that point, taken for granted that I was traveling with a seasoned roman, and how lucky I was to be there with her.
We waited in line for about a half an hour before we finally proceeded through security. Yup, security at the Vatican. I really felt as though I was about to board another plan with the X-ray machine and metal detectors. But it opened into another part of the Vatican, and before I knew it we were climbing.
And climbing…
And climbing…
The climb continued until we suddenly arrived at the top of the Vatican dome! Wow! It was unbelievable! To see so much of the city in a 360 view! It was amazing! Morgan and I looked out over the city and started to point out different landmarks. We spotted the pope’s residence, and a number of different parks from our birds-eye view. We looked for sometime before we decided to make the trek back down. And did I mention that the walls slant at the top? It was like being in a fun house, while trying to simultaneously climb up and down stairs. It was all rather disorienting. I was crazy impressed by Morgan, being willing to climb these stairs a SECOND time, after an incredibly long walk the night before in heels. It was incredible.
We came outside halfway down and were placed on the main roof of the basilica. Here we were able to stop and get an up close look at the many statues that line the top edge of the building. The detail and craftsmanship of the sculptures was phenomenal. We also noticed how a number of the statues up close, were falling apart in a number of places, and were held together with iron strapping. It was interesting to see that time did still run in the eternal city.
From there we finished the stairs and emerged into the basilica’s floor. To the heart of the Vatican, quite literally. It was unbelievable. The mosaics were what floored me the most. The detail and size of the tiles were so fine I wasn’t even aware the pieces were mosaics. Until Morgan pointed out the tiles in the right light, I thought they were oil painting. But the Vatican was phenomenal, the sculptures, the gold, the paintings, mosaics, and tombs. It was incredible to see the tombs with past popes. I can help but wonder what process they used for preservation. A number of the bodies had turned black on the outside.
From there Morgan and I were off to try to find the bed and breakfast for my last two nights in Rome. It quickly became a game of hide and seek. The B&B was incredibly close to the Vatican, and we found the building complex quickly enough. But to our dismay, the individual doors weren’t marked, and weren’t able to find our place to check in.
Because we didn’t know where to check in, we had to make a 30 minute walk back to the apartment to get better directions, and the number to the B&B. At this point, Morgan stayed to study for her remaining Italian midterm, and so I made my way back to the Vatican alone. I was finally able to find the correct door, (third door on the left, after the tree), and got checked in.
The bed and breakfast was incredibly quaint. The owner’s name was Laura, a middle aged woman who spoke English and Italian. She was incredibly nice and hospitable. After a quick peak around the room, she showed me where everything was located, and where the pope resides within the Vatican. We could actually see his window from the window of our own room!
By this point I was fairly worn out, after a long week of travel and needed to recharge. After a quick shower, I promptly passed out, until Morgan came to wake me up about 3 hours later. It was a fantastic nap, and just what the doctor order. I was refreshed and raring to go.
From the B&B, Morgan and I made our way back to the apartment to meet Becca for supper. We actually ended up eating with Becca, Berkley, and Joey from the university. It was a great time! We all had delicious pasta, a little wine, and more gelato! Morgan and I split a hot dog pizza for an appetizer, and then the main course arrived. My pasta was a blue cheese, and while potent, it really was quite tasty. We had a great time, talking, laughing, and sharing. We discussed our different characters, and what animals we would be, along with an in depth conversation that lasted about a half an hour about various Disney movies. It really was a great time!
By the time the gelato was finished it was pushing 11:30, and it was time to say goodnight before all the transportation shut down. Morgan and I made our way back to the bed and breakfast and promptly fell asleep. Exhausted from another full day, with plans to see the Vatican museum first thing bright and early. It was another wonderful day in the eternal city. There is always something to see, another place to explore, and more and more walking to be done.
In the blink of an eye I had already nearly finished my time in Rome. But! There was a day left to go before the plane took off.
Morgan's Say:
After being up until two thirty or so the night before, Stu and I were rather sleepy. We slept until nineish before heading to the Vatican. We had decided to split it over two days as it is a lot to squeeze in one day. The plan was to do the dome climb and tombs/St Peter's basilica Thursday, and the Vatican museum/Sistine chapel on Friday. We stopped at a shop on the way and got cream filled pastries for breakfast, yum. the security line is always long for the Vatican, but it usually moves pretty quickly. I was able to give a few people directions to the museum entrance; I hope they found their way. The line for the actual dome climb was much shorter than when Becca and I did it, consequently we were able to climb the steps at our own rate. Stu is a very fit individual, and we climbed the five hundred plus stairs in around ten minutes. I had to ask to stop for a break at one point, I just couldn't keep up, and I take the stairs of death seven times a week! It was a beautiful day for the view. Stu lucked out in terms of roman weather, it rained everyday the week before, but was beyond beautiful for his stay, thank goodness. the viewing area was pretty clear when we first arrived, but it filled up quickly. Stu's not one for crowds if he can help it (I've only just learned this.) So we left to explore the floor of the basilica with all the tombs of popes past. There is a lot to see and it easily fills an hour. We stopped in the prayer room for a bit, something Becca wasn't interested in last time. After we had explored to our hearts content we stopped for pizza and gelato at a little shop just outside. It was cheap and delicious, next we searched for the B&B we had booked for the last two nights of his stay. We found the address, but couldn't fine the specific apartment/buzzer. We went back to my apartment to look up directions, and I stayed to study for my Italian midterm (the last one!!) while Stu went to check into the B&B and take a nap. My Italian test went well, there was one verb conjugation I did not know, and a few things I was unsure on. The toughest part was putting a scrambled conversation in order, yikes. I found the B&B after class and met the super nice old lady that ran it, before waking up Stu to hang out for a bit. We had talked to Becca about going out to dinner and went back to the apartment to see what she was up for; we ended up going to dinner with Joey and Berkeley as well, and had a great time. Going out in groups is a lot of fun. We stopped for gelato afterwards (second time that day) before realizing we only had forty five minutes to get back to the apartment, grab my stuff, and catch the tram and bus back to the B&B. After the amount of walking we had done the night before I was in no mood to miss the bus. we booked it, and made it back just in time. It had been such a long day we both passed out from exhaustion.
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