The Vatican

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I went to the Vatican today. I climbed up the cupola of Saint Peter's Basillica. The walk is quite exhausting as there are many steps which curve up, some of which are steep and narrow. The top offers a great view of the Vatican and Rome.

I got to see the Pope (one has to get tickets beforehand). He holds a general audience on Wednesdays, and the room is completely packed. I got in an hour before it started but I still got seated at the back. That ended up being great, because the Pope enters through the back, and allowed us in the back to get right up close to him (a few people touched him). The atmosphere was wild, like a rock concert: people were screaming and shouting wildly and standing up on chairs to get a look at the Pope. A speech and blessing were recited in several different languages, and gave thanks to certain groups who had come. One group broke out into a loud chant that startled us in the back. It was quite wild.

I also went to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, which are very beautiful.

A few more things different in Rome from home:

Unlike home, McDonalds are not dirty, awful places. I was surprised to see Roman McDonalds look like regular eateries here and offer (more expensive) better food. Were it not for the logo, I would have had no idea it was them.

Pizza here is paid for by weight. You order by the etto (100 grammes) and it is weighed like in a deli. The pizza is thin, folded up and eaten like a sandwich.

Gas stations are very tiny, consisting of usually two pumps, which are just put up against the road. There are no convenience marts or big area for the cars.

Mopeds and motorbikes are extremely common here, a few will be seen on every block. Likely due to Europe's high gas prices.

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Photos

The Pope
Pope Benedict XVI, taken from about 5 feet away as he entered the building to give his general audience.

Saint Peter's Basilica
Saint Peter's Basilica in The Vatican. You can enter it as well as climb the dome, the latter requiring a fee.

The Vatican from Above
The Vatican as taken from the top of Saint Peter's Basilica.

Comments

[lloydwaluye]

the pope a rock star eh?
So, how does your viewing of the pope make you feel about x-tians now? Feeling more sympathetic, or tolerant? hehe... When I was in Rome, all I could think about was the laborers of those magnificent buildings.. All the wealth stolen from their colonies that supplied all that labor and time and...money and.... It was hard for me not to see anything through that kinda lens.. I was amazed at how huge, the columns were. After reading your blog, I was wondering last night were there still people there with big poster boards that said they were Americans who needed money to get home. I wondered if those people ever got home..Then I thought, that must've been a racket and they were probably living there still off the pity of sympathtic Americans..

[A Pseudonym]

It made me understand how fanatically people believe in their religion. I can understand how people can suspend logic and disbelief, as their beliefs are amazingly strong.