Wednesday 17  September

Another sightseeing day so up early and into town via bus 35, change to bus 64 for St. Peter’s Square and the Vatican City. Walking across the vast square, it is possible to imagine the Pope blessing the crowds (his window is top row second on right in the square building to the right of St. Peter’s). Inside the Basilica di San Pietro on the right just past the 15th century bronze doors is white marble “pieta” carried by Michelangelo at the age of twenty-five. 

This is a high church – the dome, again created by Michelangelo in 233 feet in circumference. The main altar is directly under this high dome with 7 smaller altars leading off. Downstairs in the vaults we saw tombs of Popes gone by. Next I went into the Vatican Museum (A had been before so sat outside reading). Here for 500 lire (how the church is “poor” and continues to beg for money is beyond me – the treasurers in this museum alone would feed Africa). I walked through the beautiful Sistine Chapel and Raphael Room plus picture galleries and apartments. Very beautiful.

Had lunch sitting on the pillars of St. Peters and then walked to Castle Sant’ Angelo. We could not of course use the famous escape corridor of popes last used during the sacking of Rome by troops of Charles V in 1527. This castle, first built in AD136 and later extended by Bermini. From the roof we saw a wonderful vista of Rome and the Tibes River.

Next over the river to the Piazza di Spagna. By this time we were so tired that we could not climb the Spanish steps only sit at the attractive fountain at the foot. On then to the Cometerum Capuccinorum on the Via Veneto near the Piazza Barberini where the monks have made decorations out of the skeletons of their dead brothers – morbid but worth a visit. A quick look at the famous Via Veneto and then a bus back to the Termini to catch our 35 to the tent. A long two days in Rome – very exhausting but oh so worth it.