Roma: Day 2

Europe
July 22nd 2011

Published: July 23rd 2011

Roma: Day 2

I literally woke up today and said this "things aren't going to go how we want them to today". Little did I know.

We pre bought vatican tickets online, and in doing this you can jump the line here as well. This was awesome, as by 9:00 am the line was around the block. Once our appearance was approved, we were granted entrance to the Vatican. Our first stop, the museums. The wealth of the catholic church is sickening yet impressive. The museum itself is so massive there is no way to get through it all in even 2 days yet alone a morning. Rick steves didn't have an audio tour to help us find the "good stuff"so we just breezed through it. Lots of statues, Egyptian pieces, tapestries, pieces of art both modern and ancient and everywhere in between. The Rapheal rooms were spectacular and seeing the painting the school of Athens was pretty cool. But there is definitely a flow to the museum, and they certainly build the anticipation to the Sistine chapel. Every time you think you are going to walk into it, you yet again, enter another awe-inspiring room. It's suspensful in a good way.

The Sistine chapel leaves nothing to be desired. It's truly magnificent. Rick steves did have an audio guide for that and I happily sat through it, giving myself a ridiculously stiff neck. He does remind you, how Michelangelo must have felt painting it. This isn't the largest or most beautiful church, by any means, but there is a very well thought out plan telling you a story. It's allegory, story, and illusions, are truly amazing.

Leaving the Sistine chapel we headed for st. Peters square and basilica. Now, where the chapel was small and without the lavish architecture, the basilica was the exact opposite. Supposedly built over st. Peters tomb, it has all the gold, marble, and and ornateness one could dream of. The dome, the stained glass dove, michelangelos Pieta, the bronze alter, the biblical quotes from jesus to st. Peter, and the sheer massiveness, are amazing.

We went underneath to the crypt to see where the popes tombs are (very angels and demons like) then we paid the €5 to hike up the 500 and something stairs to the top of the dome. At the top, you could look down into the dome at the basilica, or exit outside to the roof, to see the view of rome. Once we got there, I momentarily freaked, remembering I was a little scared of heights. I refused to look down from the dome into the basilica. In fact, I held onto the wall, like that would save me if the floor fell out from under me. Luckily, the 500 steps were not wholey stairs, so I was able to navigate those without freaking out. The view of Rome, was less terrifying for some reason, maybe because it was in the open air, and much more beautiful. You could see ancient Rome, the river, the mountains, truly worth the 500 steps, the €5 euros and the brief panic attack.

We stopped and got pizza and wine, of course, on the way back to the hotel. It was good, not the best we had, but good. Little did i know, this is where the day takes a turn for the worse.

With a good afternoon buzz, justin and I headed back to the hotel to pick up our bags and board the train to Siena. Once at the hotel, we were informed the trains were in strike. This was annoying as we had already purchased our train tickets. Our hotel man, (like I can spell the word that it's called) hooked us up with a regional train instead, supposedly they weren't striking. We headed to the metro with a little over an hour until our train departed. As it turns out the metro trains were also striking, which left us trying to hail a cab during rush hour when no trains were running. There was about 7 people in line for a cab, and they were some seriously pushy italains. No one cared that we were going to miss our train. This ate up a good portion of our hour. Luckily we caught a cab with 20 minutes until our train departed. We could still make it. Or so i thought. We were about 1/2 way to the train station when I decided to check the cash situation. This is when I realized I didn't have my purse.

My purse had my passport, wallet, iPhone, cash, and did I mention my passport. Immediately I started crying, as this was now the second passport I lost in Italy, specifically when I was on my way to Siena. At this point I was pretty sure my lovely coach bag with all of it's rather important documents we're gone. I jumped out of the cab, left Justin with the bags and retraced every step. It was either at the hotel or at the restaurant. I got to the hotel, explained to the man, through some serious tears, about my purse. It wasn't there. I booked it to the restaurant. It's 90 degrees, I'm sweating, crying, and have no clue where I'm going and had no idea where I had left Justin. I was a mess. I finally found the restaurant, the waiter immediately recognized me, handed me my bag, with all of it's contents in tact, cash included. I hugged him, thanked him, and decided that it must have been my trip to the Vatican that morning, because seriously, there was some good shit in that bag.

I found Justin, and went back to our hotel man, who suggested we catch a bus, and so that is where I am now. 3 hours delayed, but yes on my way to Siena. I like Italy this time, I like that they didn't keep my passport, even though I tried my best to lose it there. I also have the best husband in the world, because I was even annoyed with myself today.

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