Spending the Ides of March in Rome
It seemed like an ill portent when I awoke on the morning of my travels with a sore throat. Things went from bad to worse, of course, when I realized in the airport that didn't need to worry about checking any liquids because I had completely forgotten my toiletry kit! And, finally, as we touched down in Rome and were greeted by the blazing sun, I realized that I had over-packed on layers and under-packed on sunglasses. Of all the times not to have sunglasses...
Still, if those are my problems for this trip, I'm glad I got them out of the way. Right now, I'm coming to you from the internet terminal in the Alissandro Palace Hotel (actually a hostel) in Rome with a quickly retreating sore throat and a head full of the most interesting sights I have seen in a long time (if ever). That said, I have naturally clicked my camera button so many times that I've nearly sprained my index finger.
My friend, Tommy, and I arrived on Thursday around 3:00 and set about to scan the city. We saw the Forum and the Colloseum from a distance and had possibly the best pizza of our lives. Yesterday, through the good graces of my father, Mr. Ring, and the Bard Corporation, Tommy and I were treated to our very own private tour of the Vatican with the very friendly and very knowledgeable Luigi Venditti. We were simply dumbfounded, not only by the sheer vastness and marvel of the Vatican museums, but even more so with Mr. Venditti's encyclopediac knowledge of every inch of the ancent history and art contained within. We spent the better part of four hours with him, meandering first through the endlessly impressive halls of the museums, followed by a visit to Sistine Chapel (which included a private viewing of the "Room of Tears," a place not normally open to the public, and where it is customary for the newly elected Pope to go after Conclave to weep over the death of his predecessor). We were allowed to take pictures of the chapel by the graces of Mr. Venditti, eventhough this is normally forbidden.
Next, he took us to the crypt beneath St. Peter's, where we saw the tombs of each of the previous Popes, including John Paul II (his was very crowded with pilgrims and the like), and of course, the man himself, St. Peter. He then led us behind some roped off area and past a guard something of a hidden staircase underneath a grate where we could see into the cathedral. We then followed him up the stairs and into the cathedral itself. For anyone who has ever seen St. Peter's, you'll know what I mean when I say that it alone is worth the trip to Rome. Only one word can describe it: gargantuan.
After our minds were duely blown there, Mr. Venditti took us outside to St. Peter's square and then proceeded to outdo himself. He lead us over to the left side of the square, toward the private apartments of the Pope. Let me just say that until this point we had seen no Swiss Guard, not so much as a pocket knife. But as soon as he lead us between a few columns and up a flight of apropriately epic stairs, we saw them, one saluting Mr. Venditti (everyone working at the Vatican knew Mr. Venditti) and the other standing stock-still like a Buckingham guard and holding a spear. And, of course, they were wearing silly renaissance uniforms with colors stolen from an old-timey lolli-pop. And yet they still commanded a huge amount of intimidation!
After a brief chat with a guy behind a desk, Mr. Venditti lead us up yet another flight of stairs and into the courtyard of the Papal estates themselves, showing our security clearence to all the Swiss Guards along the way. He then lead us inside the building and up through an elevator, all the while greeting and chatting with every guard, priest, and papal official we saw along the way and giving us an extremely detailed history of the elaborately decorated hallways we were making our way through. Finally, the pièce de résistance, he lead us out onto a balcony of the papal estates where we could look out over St. Peter's Square and Cathedral and the WHOLE OF ROME! At the risk of sounding cheesy, I'll barrel into the following superlative... it was the most beautiful sight I've ever seen... the sun setting over the hills of Rome, the sun blasting out from behind St. Peter's, and no one but me, Tommy, and Mr. Venditti to enjoy the sight! Of course we took a few pictures and stumbled over ourselves thanking Mr. V, but he managed to put it all into perspective when he pointed a few windows down and told us that that was where the Pope slept (these are the windows through which he gives mass blessings).
Okay... with all of that said, I only have 2 minutes and 43 seconds left before I get kicked off the internet here, so I will end with this... we also saw today Santa Maria della Concezione, where the entire crypt was decorated with the actual bones of Capuchin monks... creepiest thing ever (it's superlative day, apparently). More on that later... until next time! Stay tuned for more of Rob's Italian Adventures!
Still, if those are my problems for this trip, I'm glad I got them out of the way. Right now, I'm coming to you from the internet terminal in the Alissandro Palace Hotel (actually a hostel) in Rome with a quickly retreating sore throat and a head full of the most interesting sights I have seen in a long time (if ever). That said, I have naturally clicked my camera button so many times that I've nearly sprained my index finger.
My friend, Tommy, and I arrived on Thursday around 3:00 and set about to scan the city. We saw the Forum and the Colloseum from a distance and had possibly the best pizza of our lives. Yesterday, through the good graces of my father, Mr. Ring, and the Bard Corporation, Tommy and I were treated to our very own private tour of the Vatican with the very friendly and very knowledgeable Luigi Venditti. We were simply dumbfounded, not only by the sheer vastness and marvel of the Vatican museums, but even more so with Mr. Venditti's encyclopediac knowledge of every inch of the ancent history and art contained within. We spent the better part of four hours with him, meandering first through the endlessly impressive halls of the museums, followed by a visit to Sistine Chapel (which included a private viewing of the "Room of Tears," a place not normally open to the public, and where it is customary for the newly elected Pope to go after Conclave to weep over the death of his predecessor). We were allowed to take pictures of the chapel by the graces of Mr. Venditti, eventhough this is normally forbidden.
Next, he took us to the crypt beneath St. Peter's, where we saw the tombs of each of the previous Popes, including John Paul II (his was very crowded with pilgrims and the like), and of course, the man himself, St. Peter. He then led us behind some roped off area and past a guard something of a hidden staircase underneath a grate where we could see into the cathedral. We then followed him up the stairs and into the cathedral itself. For anyone who has ever seen St. Peter's, you'll know what I mean when I say that it alone is worth the trip to Rome. Only one word can describe it: gargantuan.
After our minds were duely blown there, Mr. Venditti took us outside to St. Peter's square and then proceeded to outdo himself. He lead us over to the left side of the square, toward the private apartments of the Pope. Let me just say that until this point we had seen no Swiss Guard, not so much as a pocket knife. But as soon as he lead us between a few columns and up a flight of apropriately epic stairs, we saw them, one saluting Mr. Venditti (everyone working at the Vatican knew Mr. Venditti) and the other standing stock-still like a Buckingham guard and holding a spear. And, of course, they were wearing silly renaissance uniforms with colors stolen from an old-timey lolli-pop. And yet they still commanded a huge amount of intimidation!
After a brief chat with a guy behind a desk, Mr. Venditti lead us up yet another flight of stairs and into the courtyard of the Papal estates themselves, showing our security clearence to all the Swiss Guards along the way. He then lead us inside the building and up through an elevator, all the while greeting and chatting with every guard, priest, and papal official we saw along the way and giving us an extremely detailed history of the elaborately decorated hallways we were making our way through. Finally, the pièce de résistance, he lead us out onto a balcony of the papal estates where we could look out over St. Peter's Square and Cathedral and the WHOLE OF ROME! At the risk of sounding cheesy, I'll barrel into the following superlative... it was the most beautiful sight I've ever seen... the sun setting over the hills of Rome, the sun blasting out from behind St. Peter's, and no one but me, Tommy, and Mr. Venditti to enjoy the sight! Of course we took a few pictures and stumbled over ourselves thanking Mr. V, but he managed to put it all into perspective when he pointed a few windows down and told us that that was where the Pope slept (these are the windows through which he gives mass blessings).
Okay... with all of that said, I only have 2 minutes and 43 seconds left before I get kicked off the internet here, so I will end with this... we also saw today Santa Maria della Concezione, where the entire crypt was decorated with the actual bones of Capuchin monks... creepiest thing ever (it's superlative day, apparently). More on that later... until next time! Stay tuned for more of Rob's Italian Adventures!
posted by Rob at 11:25 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home