435 Feet Above Ground

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Another day for the books! This morning I got up at sunrise (5:45 am) because it was a hot day and we wanted to beat the crowds at the Vatican.

Once we arrived to St. Peter's Basilica, we paid 8€ for the elevator and stairs. The elevator took us up about 200 stairs, and the rest of the 350 stairs needed to be climbed to reach the top of St. Peter's Dome. Also, as you look up on the inside of the dome, the artwork is all mosaics!! These steps were narrow, small, and up an endless spiral staircase. However, since we got there at the opening, it was cooler and not crowded!

Since I get claustrophobic in tight spaces, the walls felt like they were closing in on me. Once we got to the top of the basilica, I could breath. It was breezy and a breathtaking view of Rome. After spending about 15 minutes wandering, it was time to go down. Going down the spiral stairs was sickening and made a lot of us dizzy.

After this early morning workout, we were able to relax on the roof, grab a coffee and explore the gift shops. Also, a cool feature was mailing postcards to friends and family from the roof of St. Peter's!! Thankfully I arrived back to campus around noon and took a long nap before philosophy!

For dinner, we went to Ristorante Il Chiodo Fisso, which is very close to campus and on the cheaper side. I ordered the mushroom risotto, which was very filling and delicious!

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Comments

[Craig Auge]

Breathtaking
A breathtaking (literally and figuratively) view!

[Phyllis Auge]

435' Above Ground
You're getting up early like Grandpa does (every day)! Makes for an early bedtime! Leg cramps after climbing all of those steps? The view was definitely worth it, based on your pictures!