The Europe Chronicles Volume III
July 6th, Last 2 days in Rome:
I woke up on the bathroom floor becuase we found some Americans that showed us the good bars the night before. That's the morning of July 5th.
July 4th we woke up and took the metro to the Colombo beach. All the beaches are private so we had to find a public entrance and pay 10 Euros to get in. BUT that included nice chairs to lay on and the beach was right near a small bar,
SO that: Lounging on Rome beach + having some beers + Reading some Vonnegut + getting a nice upper body massage + checking out the boobies at the nude beach next store + enjoying the water = An EVEN BETTER day than the one before!
We came back and tagged onto a free tour of the Pantheon give by a genius, enthusiastic Dubliner. Then pizza at Biffeto's (said to be the best in Rome) then to the aforementioned Pub crawl starting at the top of the Spanish steps.
July 5th (our last day) was probably the best one yet. Our flight wasn't till 10PM so that gave us time to go to St. Peter's square to enjoy a tour (by our Dublin friend) of the Bascilica and Sistine Chapel. I'll have to admit, seeing all the art on the many ceilings and walls and tapestries was a little too much for me.
It just gives you that feeling like every atom in your body is buzzing, that can only be reached (and not even completely) by being in love. It really was just a Thank-God-for-allowing-me-to-be-alive-to-see-this kind of experience. Additionally, Russell, our tour guide, pointed out all the controversial things Michaelangelo snuck onto the ceiling of the Chapel like God mooning you and many pictures of people giving the ancient Roman equivalent of the finger due to the conflicts Mike was having with the Pope at the time.
Well, it's clinched buddies, Rome is the most beautiful city in the world. Paris has a lot to live up to this weekend and being that I've already been there, I don't think it will surpass Rome.
*Saw old guy trip in the Basilica:
(Wasn't written but here's THAT story):
While we were doing our tour, inside the Basilica they have the ACTUAL bodies of Pope's displayed in glass coffins for all to see. Their skin is covered in wax so as to perserve them. (They do this because in the Catholic religion, in order for a Pope to become a Saint they have to keep the body and if it doesn't decompose that means they were pure of heart. Of course if they do decompose that doesn't mean anything, it's for a different reason other than sin.)
So they have pews and kneeling benches in front of the coffins and I happen to look over as this guy probably 80 years old is bumbling fast by the coffin to take a picture. He didn't want to have to stand in line. So he's walking fast at first and bumps into the kneeling bench, but then he just SPEEDS UP and full on trips over the bench sending him crashing down flat on his knees so he ends up on all fours.
So of course EVERYONE else stops what they're doing and wants to either help the guy or make sure he's OK. So of course I'm the ONLY one laughing and trying (but not succeeding very well) in holding that laughter back.
That guy must have been totally embarassed. It was beautiful.
I woke up on the bathroom floor becuase we found some Americans that showed us the good bars the night before. That's the morning of July 5th.
July 4th we woke up and took the metro to the Colombo beach. All the beaches are private so we had to find a public entrance and pay 10 Euros to get in. BUT that included nice chairs to lay on and the beach was right near a small bar,
SO that: Lounging on Rome beach + having some beers + Reading some Vonnegut + getting a nice upper body massage + checking out the boobies at the nude beach next store + enjoying the water = An EVEN BETTER day than the one before!
We came back and tagged onto a free tour of the Pantheon give by a genius, enthusiastic Dubliner. Then pizza at Biffeto's (said to be the best in Rome) then to the aforementioned Pub crawl starting at the top of the Spanish steps.
July 5th (our last day) was probably the best one yet. Our flight wasn't till 10PM so that gave us time to go to St. Peter's square to enjoy a tour (by our Dublin friend) of the Bascilica and Sistine Chapel. I'll have to admit, seeing all the art on the many ceilings and walls and tapestries was a little too much for me.
It just gives you that feeling like every atom in your body is buzzing, that can only be reached (and not even completely) by being in love. It really was just a Thank-God-for-allowing-me-to-be-alive-to-see-this kind of experience. Additionally, Russell, our tour guide, pointed out all the controversial things Michaelangelo snuck onto the ceiling of the Chapel like God mooning you and many pictures of people giving the ancient Roman equivalent of the finger due to the conflicts Mike was having with the Pope at the time.
Well, it's clinched buddies, Rome is the most beautiful city in the world. Paris has a lot to live up to this weekend and being that I've already been there, I don't think it will surpass Rome.
*Saw old guy trip in the Basilica:
(Wasn't written but here's THAT story):
While we were doing our tour, inside the Basilica they have the ACTUAL bodies of Pope's displayed in glass coffins for all to see. Their skin is covered in wax so as to perserve them. (They do this because in the Catholic religion, in order for a Pope to become a Saint they have to keep the body and if it doesn't decompose that means they were pure of heart. Of course if they do decompose that doesn't mean anything, it's for a different reason other than sin.)
So they have pews and kneeling benches in front of the coffins and I happen to look over as this guy probably 80 years old is bumbling fast by the coffin to take a picture. He didn't want to have to stand in line. So he's walking fast at first and bumps into the kneeling bench, but then he just SPEEDS UP and full on trips over the bench sending him crashing down flat on his knees so he ends up on all fours.
So of course EVERYONE else stops what they're doing and wants to either help the guy or make sure he's OK. So of course I'm the ONLY one laughing and trying (but not succeeding very well) in holding that laughter back.
That guy must have been totally embarassed. It was beautiful.