Hello again. Today a welcome break from being a tourist. Just existing in this haven is enough. Plus of course I need to get you up to date. 🙂

So yesterday, Mum, Dad, the kids and I took a train to Rome to see a few sights. We caught the Eurostar into Rome which wasn’t in fact quicker than the regular train but left earlier. And we got these tickets (E9 each) which worked all day on all trains, metro and buses.

When we got to Rome we took the metro to the Vatican and walked to St Peter’s. It’s the big church with the dome. When you get there you realise what an understatement that is. You can fit 60,000 people inside AT THE SAME TIME. Mind you, I reckon it would be a bit of a squash. It took 10 architects to complete the building as they all kept dying and the design changed as they succeeded each other. A bit of controversy too. Some wanted the Christian cross shape while others including Michelangelo wanted the equal armed cross. (Da Vinci Code readers will recognise this as a symbol of balance between masculine and feminine) I don’t think Michelangelo was trying to invoke the sacred feminine power over the Vatican – he just wanted people to appreciate his dome – which he never saw completed. By the time the project was finished it was back to the long cross and I think the church were happy with the extra space.

While we were faffing around taking photos, we came across a free tour of St Peters run by an American girl. She takes free tours and then you can book her for specific tours of the museums. If you go to Rome you can meet up with Jennifer at the taxi-stand in front of St Peter’s Square at 9.30am Mon, Tues, Thurs and Friday. It is through her that the info I’ve been spouting as if I have done my research!

Anyway then we went into the cathedral. It is on a scale that has to be seen to be appreciate it. Extraordinary. Over the top. Wow. If you were in any doubt of the Catholic Church’s power this would change your mind – as I suspect it is supposed to.

There are waxworks of dead popes all around the walls. Michelangelo’s Pietro is behind glass. The paintings have all been replaced by mozaic replicas which look amazing. No piece of glass bigger than a bitten down little finger fingernail.

I could go on but suffice to say there will be photos online eventually. We even saw a church service with some VERY OLD ALMOST DEAD cardinals. Impressive but we didn’t stay for it – just the procession. There was a long line to view the dead Papi.

But we needed lunch. So we left the Vatican and headed back to Rome where we ate a mediocre and vastly overpriced lunch.

Then it was on to the Pantheon. At first we travelled along the main streets. And busy, dirty, hot streets they were to. Then we worked out that we could get to the Pantheon by taking the smaller side streets. Recommended. What a difference! Around a corner and wham. There is the Pantheon. More than 2000 years old it still stands majestically in the piazza. The columns are huge. And inside the cupola – bigger than that at St Peter’s is open at the top. The rain comes in apparently and there are five drainage holes to take the rain away.

The Pantheon was converted into a church and I can’t help but feel it has been desecrated through that action. The churchy bits look too small, too insignificant, too out-of-place. It is a great pity and I think Roma should give some thought to restoring the Pantheon to what it might have looked like when it was built. With Jupitar, Neptune, Minerva and all the other gods looking down.

It is actually a giant astronomical device telling the time of the year. The solstices and all that jazz. Stonehenge with style perhaps?

Anyway after the Pantheon and a gelati which is very good here by the way, we wandered off to find Dippity’s one request – the Trevy Fountain. She wanted to throw some coins in the fountain. Well after a while we found it. Once again it was tucked away, Rome has grown up around it. But what a joy. It was hot yeah, like around 30-32 degrees so seeing the aqua blue waters despite the crowds was heavenly. We went down right to the edge and tested the water. Cold. Obviously heavily chlorinated it was so clean. Dippity threw in her coins and made her wish and we all had a welcome break.

We’ve decided we don’t make very good tourists because we were completely tired out by then and looking forward to the trip home.

The metro was packed. Completely packed. We couldn’t even get on the train the first time. You thought Tokyo was busy – this was busier. And the trains were grotty. Covered in graffiti and hot. All in all not a pleasant experience. And we’re not talking peak hour. The main station was a joy after that and we rested while we waited for the train to Orte… and bought European Monopoli. Just for fun.

So that was Rome. This is the house we are staying in:

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