Vatican City & Rome
We caught one of those hop-on, hop-off buses, and headed for the Vatican first thing in the morning. The lines were very long, but we were able to get into St. Peter’s Basilica and walk around inside, with the help of an audio guide. 
The grandeur of the Vatican, and its influence on Catholics around the world can be felt as we visited St. Peter’s Basilica. The breathtaking beauty of Michelangelo’s Pieta greeted us just as we entered. The lines were so long, and on Saturday, the Vatican Museum closes at 1 PM. So, we did not get into the Sistine Chapel.
The grandeur of the Vatican, and its influence on Catholics around the world can be felt as we visited St. Peter’s Basilica. The breathtaking beauty of Michelangelo’s Pieta greeted us just as we entered. The lines were so long, and on Saturday, the Vatican Museum closes at 1 PM. So, we did not get into the Sistine Chapel. We got back on bus and headed for the Trevi Fountain. I threw in a coin, to make sure that I would come back to Rome! Very impressive in a very small space... with lots of people. 
We continued on our tour to the rest of the route, and then walked over to the Pantheon. This is a fascinating building, built in 125 AD. We returned on the bus to our hotel so that we could pick up our rental car. Tomorrow, on to Tuscany.
It seems appropriate that our trip started in Athens, with one of the stops in Egypt, which pre-dated the Parthenon, and will end in Rome, with its huge impact on the Western World. If I wanted a course on the history of Western Civilization, this trip provided the authentic resources.
My Travel Blog
Saturday, May 27, 2006
