Il Vaticano
Today we had the first of our little sightseeing trips. We looked hopelessly touristy, walking about town in a giant group, with Ruggero dropping all kinds of knowledge on us. This guy is really something. Last night, he put on a little concert for us at the UW Rome center, which we referred to as Ruggero Unplugged. He sang some songs by Fabrizio De Andre, one of the most popular singer/songwriters Italy has ever seen. Anyway, we saw Castel Sant'Angelo and St. Peter's today, with Ruggero serving admirable as your guide. We walked down the bridge to the castle, which is flanked on both sides by statues of various angels, and then walked by the castle and up the street to St. Peter's Basilica. It truly is a massive structure, with its giant dome and those rows of columns. The security there before going in was ridiculous. It was like being at the airport. When I stepped through the metal detector, it made a sound, but the guys let me go through. I figured that it was the Jew alarm. They let me in, but I think they wanted me to know they were keeping an eye on me. The inside was also incredible. I don't really know what to say about it. there were gorgeous paintings and scultpures everywhere, including Michelangelo's Pieta, which was a lot smaller than I thought it would be, but still amazing. We also got a chance to go into the tomb underneath the basilica. I saw where the last pope, John Paul II, was buried, and there were people all around it deep in prayer. It was a bit surreal for me. I also got a kick out of the Swiss guard, with their ridiculous looking outfits designed by Michelangelo, which they have worn since his time. Their swords looked pretty serious though, so I wouldn't want to upset them. I just couldn't stop thinking what that place must be like for a Catholic. I've pretty much had nothing but disdain for the Catholic religion for most of my life, and I was still amazed. I can't imagine how powerful the experience must be for a Catholic. It really made me want to visit the giant Synegogue here in Rome, and eventually, the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. After that, we want back to Castel Sant'Angelo and went inside. The lower half was the tomb of the Roman emperor Hadrian, and the area above it was a fortress and apartment for the pope. It was an interesting contrast of architectural styles. There really isn't all that much to the place, but as you walk around and up, there are some spectacular views of the city on all sides.
One final note. All my life, I have despised coffee, but on the urging of pretty much everyone, I decided to try a cappuccino. At first, it still tasted like coffee to me and I didn't like it. After a few more sips, though, I really started to enjoy it. It was so mild and smooth, and the perfect temperature. I don't know if this will translate to me liking coffee when I get home, because I doubt the cappuccino's at Starbuck's can compare to one from one of the little hole in the wall places here. Plus, I tried espresso here, and it still tasted way too coffee-ish for me.
One final note. All my life, I have despised coffee, but on the urging of pretty much everyone, I decided to try a cappuccino. At first, it still tasted like coffee to me and I didn't like it. After a few more sips, though, I really started to enjoy it. It was so mild and smooth, and the perfect temperature. I don't know if this will translate to me liking coffee when I get home, because I doubt the cappuccino's at Starbuck's can compare to one from one of the little hole in the wall places here. Plus, I tried espresso here, and it still tasted way too coffee-ish for me.