More Madonna

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Up not too early, same uninspirational breakfast, down to the underground to catch the train to the Vatican, lots of people, glad I'm not hear in the peak. We enter ther Bassilica, take a few snaps, I'm so over Jesus by this time, then climb to the top of the dome, 320 steps, some very narrow, views inside hampered by the massive mesh fence so outside to the roof, great views of Rome although a little hazy. Down again, 515 steps this time - there is a queue for the lifts so we decide to do the 3 floors to the ground. Arrive back in the Basilica and decide to give the museum a miss not realising at the time that this is where the Sistene chapel is. Oh well good excuse to come back, we are such poor tourists, but having a ball so what the .... What else to see in Rome? Walk back across the river, a ditch really, do some piazzas and fountains, decide the Pantheon & we find a nice little trattoria share half a litre of rosso and a pizza, damn fine pizza too. Pantheon is so small we are out of there quickly, back to Trevi for espresso at same bar as yesterday (love the way you just walk in and order, stand there and finish it quicky and it costs one euro per coffee - up to 4 if you sit at a table!). We are then keen to try the pistachio gelati (yesterday she had caramel meringue, me date and nut) - we decide to share a 4 euro cup and get two flavours, we go for whisky as the second one, what else! We had picked up a flyer for an opera co ncert at a church nearby during our travels, so we decide to head out for a bit of culture tonight - we arer opera fans and were are in italy afterall. We arrive just before 8 and there is a queue around the corner and we don't have tickets yet. But all is OK and we get in. Sitting at a church felt a little uneasy, but the concert is superb and only slightly spoilt by a screaming toddler - who would bnng a two year old to an opera concert. Whole thing is over in less than an hour and a half, the highlight is a guy Julie dubbed Mario the pizzashop owner, who did a couple of Verdi and Puccini numbers to a high standard & fitting that he finished off with the Leggo's song! Dined at La Scala (at least we got to something with that name!) just a quick Carbonara (Rome's skignature dish apparently) and then back to the Trevi for a brief night view, found a bar listed as one of the "must dos" but dark, loud, too hot (the Europeans turn their inside heating up to ridiculous levels we think) so we give it a miss and back to hotel for some sleep.

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