Day 8 - Rome

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Due to the nature of today's activities, today's wake up call came at 5.30am and we left our hotel at 7.15am for the Vatican museum, sistine chapel and St. Peter's square and bassilica. We were amazed to find thousands of people queing outside the vatican museum so early in the morning and even though we were in a group, we did not enter the museum until after 9am.
We would hate to think how long you would have to que entering via the individual que instead of the que for groups. It really pays to do a tour for this very reason.

The vaticum museum was amazing. Beautiful tapestry's, mosaic's, ancient roman statue's and paintings lined the walls. We spent many hours admiring it all under the direction of our tour guide, who was very enthusiastic, considering the amount of times that he had been through the complex (Around 3500 times)

The sistine chapel was breath taking with it's roof covered in biblical scene paintings done by Michaelangelo over a four year period. The detail of the artwork was just amazing and inspired us to learn more about the art and history behind the works of the many artists.

Moving into the St. Peters Basilica was another story. Being the largest in the world, The Basilica stands tall and attractive in the city Skyline. It has various small chapels off the sides of the main building and hosts many memorial plaques, tributes and even some momified bodies of various past popes housed in glass coffins. There are also underground tunnels adjoining the Basillica to the Vatican museum, popes residence and the tomb where all the bodies of past popes RIP. Interestingly it is possible to be married in this mighty and beautiful cathedral, however the waiting list is 3 years! One visit sure does not do this place any justice, although there are so many places that we have visited, that this has been the case..

The afternoon was spent crossing the city to visit the Mighty Colosseum & the Roman forum. The roman forum is the original building and city of rome founded and built by romulus according to legend in 753 bc. The roman forum was born and took its place as the political, religious, legal and administrative centre of the ancient city. It stands today partially destroyed by human means not by time or natural causes as opposed to many other ancient roman buildings which have been destroyed as a result of either volcano, earthquake or war.

The colossium however was also spectacular, Built in 80 AD and taking 8 years to build, it was the MCG of the time housing many gladiator specticles, including sporting events, and animal fighting. This arena to was destroyed by humans too, by removing the Brass rods within the structural blocks, and was not an issue until an earthquake hit the region and damaged part of the Colosseum.
It was amazing to be standing there amongst such history and we could not believe that we were firstly actually overseas in Europe and secondly that we were seeing all the sights that we had seen in magazines and brochures whilst booking this tour.

Tomorrow we leave Rome for Pompeii, on our way down to the southcoast town of Sorrento. We are making some great friends, and finding out about all people that are on tour.

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