Roma!!!

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Ah Roma.
We spent Wed night at Lake Trasimeno and travelled to Siena yesterday. On the way we stopped at an old mediaeval village called San Guimignano (spelling is probably wrong but can't be bothered looking up). Beautiful with yet more of those ubiquitous markets.
Before we left for Siena we visited the battle field to see Hannibal's victory site (will not trouble you with pictures. Liz stayed in the car)

Then it was Siena. You park outside (in huge carparks) and enter the walled city. We visited the mandatory chapels etc. But the highlight was the town square. Liz sat there while i visited the museum of torture (fascinating. wait for photos). While she was there she realised that this is where the famous horse race takes place each year around the square with each rider representing a village/team.
We then drove to Rome.
Have i mentioned that driving in Italy is stressful?
We got lost. Of course. We knew we were on the wrong link road. So we pull over at a petrol station. I ask for directions and then realise that i should have asked Liz to do it from the beginning cause all it does is make my head spin. Liz comes over. By this time all 4 employees of the service station are standing around looking at our map arguing about which way we should go and whether it's the 1st or second exit. (did i mention that most places in Italy appear to be dramatically overstaffed? Cr Buman would be ranting and raving about overstaffing every day - oh hang on...)
Anyway by the time Liz gets there two of the customers in their cars have joined in and it's like a meeting of the Labor Left: 6 people and 12 different opinions. Finally we get the right instuctions and we're off. Except there has been a lot of freeway constructions since our map was printed so the exit we need no longer exists. We get off and come back the other way and find the exit. Then we weave our way through a maze of streets with people honking their horns behind us cause we're not going fast enough. Eventually we're driving down this street looking for the final turn into the street with the B&B in it when liz yells: STOP: THAT's IT!!. She's recognised it from the photo on the web (did i mention she's clever?). We're still in the street before the one we're supposed to turn into but this is it. I pull over and Liz organises for the driveway gate to be opened. I back back. The street is so narrow that the only way i can get in is to reverse in. I'm reversing back (this is a narrow street. I've seen night cart lanes in Carrington that are wider). I'm reversing back and (I swear i'm not making this up) A BUS appears behind me. This is a main road!!!!! Eventually we get parked. (am not ready yet to contemplate leaving) And we get settled. Nadia our host briefs us on what to do with our 3 days and we set off to St Peters and the Vatican. The train like every bit of public transport we've travelled on is crowded to the point of being uncomfortable. But it's only 4 stops. We go to the Vatican and visit the tomb of the POPES (Bob ball will have a choice). Then we go to St Peters basillica.

In our day-to-day use of language we have tended to debase words and phrases of enormity and power by over use. We throw words like "majesty" and "grandeur" away and apply them to that which we see every day. And we talk about being in "awe" of things too often.
Let me say that the word majesty in its orginal meaning might just convey the grandeur of St Peters.
We have seen a lot of cathedrals in the past 3 weeks. Nothing compares with this. When we get to these places I tend to wander and seek out points of interest. Yesterday i wandered about just looking, drawn to the altar at the front. There was a mass in progress. A male choir was singing a capella. I sat down and listened to the mass which was partially in latin. Incense filled the air I was transported back to when i was 14 years old stuggling with my faith (and losing). The decades of catholic guilt came flooding back to me. This was for me a spiritual experience. Not religious but spiritual. I was in the truest sense of the word awestruck.
The Hall of Mirrors at Versailles was meant to intimidate those visiting Louis 14. Foreign Dignitaries were made to walk down the hall before finally coming to the throne and the king. This was more than edifice. This was meant to cause those making the journey to reflect on the wealth and power of the King of France and cower in awe of that power.
There is a similar feel to St Peters. This ostensibly was built in deference to God but one of the first popes you come across in the tomb is a Borgia. Enough said. St Peters is both celestial and of the earth: To the glory of god but just remember who's in control here.
One of the highlights of the trip.

We then left and found one of the few free toilets in Italy. We then went to the Pantheon. Outside was a political demonstration by the DESTRA party. I assume this is a party of the right (Destra is Italian for right). We've seen a few of these in the past week (elections are on sunday and Monday here). The pantheon is a working church. There are signs about respecting the church and remaining silent. And this amplified political meeting is blaring away outside blasting straight into the church. What's amazing is the capacity of the speakers to keep talking and whipping the crowd up almost without breath. I swear last night there was a female speaker who went on for the entire 40 minutes we were there.
Then we found a restaurant and caught the train home. Except the train was 45 minutes late.
This morning i found out the Italian word for cup: TASA

Liz is washing this morning si i'm doing this blog so it will only be me today.

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