We had a slow, free morning that included sleeping as late as we wanted to (9:00am!), and then a nice morning walk to the Trastavere neighborhood, just for the pleasure of walking in Rome.
One day there will be a chance to explore Trastevere further.
Our afternoon and evening were packed with the Vatican. After a nice and pretty slow lunch, we headed to St. Peter’s Square, where everyone else in Rome seemed to be. It was really, really crowded. This is our second visit in three years and it was entirely different in both good and bad ways. The good: we climbed the dome. The bad: it’s a Jubilee year and we got caught in a major press in order to see the Pieta. We had to walk through the open Jubilee door with hundreds of others.
First, the dome, inside the cupola and outside on the rim:
One of the best parts of being in the cupola was being really close to the mosaics. The best part of being outside on the rim was seeing Rome, and also St. Peter’s Square from high above.
When we returned to the interior of the basilica, we really got caught in a crowd. But we did get to linger a bit in front of the baptismal font where, my family legends says, my grandmother was baptised.
Here is the press of people who were trying to go through the jubilee door, and perhaps also see the pieta. I really do want to remember that I was in a throng, because I avoid them in all other instances. Going through the jubilee door should mean a fresh start, for me and everyone else, although apparently you are suppose to have the sacraments of confession and communion within three weeks. Oh, and actually be Catholic. Time will tell.
After a little break– a gelato plus espresso dinner, we headed back to Vatican City for a private tour of the museum and a chance to spend about half an hour in the Sistine Chapel, with just our group!
Just as the throngs were unbelievable in the afternoon, the emptiness of the museum was unbelievable in the evening.
I do want to show some art, but have no more energy left to write about it. We finished in the museum at 9:30pm. The best part was being relatively alone in the Sistine Chapel– fewer than 20 of us! But I have no photos because they are not permitted.
Here are a few images from the Vatican Museum though. One amazing thing was seeing the floors– no one else was standing on them!
