a day of 'excessives'

I guess one of the words to describe the Vatican and the St Peter's would have to be excessive - it was over-the-top, mind blowing, enormous with the crowds to match!

After two Holy days where the Vatican has been shut, we knew that Saturday would be shall we say extremely popular and it was. So much that the guy giving out the audio guides offered Sienna the chance to sit behind his desk with him instead of coping with the crowds!

However we had planned well and had reservations for the first entry which made it all that much easier. The queue outside honestly stretched for over a one km - right around the wall and nearly all the way back to St Peter's - I have no idea how long they would be standing there but it was in full sun and it was not moving at any pace. I was tempted to ask why they hadn't considered making a reservation - as any research into visiting the Vatican makes you aware that is the sensible thing to do! Anyway...it was not our reality, thank goodness.

What was reality for us, was the incredible interior although we knew that viewing had to be taken at seven year old's pace and so we only spent time in the map room, marvelled at Raphael's use of colour and animated story telling and then made it to the Sistine Chapel - which once again provided that amazing 'wow' moment as you enter and your eyes adjust to such a spectacle. With a fair bit of prior research I knew what was of interest for the children and they enjoyed searching and finding the figures, stories and artistic techniques. A dream come true for me and hopefully lasting memories for the family.

As the tour groups then use the 'escape' door to enter St Peter's we had the rest of the museum pretty much to ourselves - especially the contemporary section which was magnificent with paintings/sculptures from Matese, Bacon, Gauguin, Kandinsky, Chagall, Klee, Dalí etc etc - all ignored in the rush to the Sistine Chapel.

Then just when you think it is all over you leave via the most wonderful spiral staircase where I went overboard on taking images...because I see so few spiral staircases in my day to day life! Apparently it was even a double helix which escaped me but meant Sienna spent a long time trying to run up and down to get to the other one - to no avail!

Then it was on to St Peter's where we did have to face a long queue but in a fast moving style and where we were once again left speechless as we entered through the doors! The idea to build something so simply enormous is such a testament to the control of the Catholic church of the time - it speaks of absolute power and strength and dominance that we can't imagine today. We were defeated by the long lines to climb the dome and the waning energy of the children and called it a day at the Vatican! Off for street food by the river and good coffee and a spot of people watching!

Home via a foot soak in the cool fountains of Ara Pacis - which was bliss and back for a late afternoon of rest...

With energy recharged we spent the evening up at Villa Borghese Park where we listened to Sienna and rented a large pedal bike thing for all of us and raced around the gardens for an hour. It was great fun - although having a token steering wheel in front of you and not being able to actually turn was a bit of a mind bend!

Finished with a stroll down the Spanish Steps purchasing a laser pointer on the way - as you do, a bit of window shopping and looking in awe at some very beautiful young people going out for a night on the town - all in true Italian style.

And that for us...was Rome. An excessive, magnificent, historical, grand, fascinating, intriguing place it was. Next it's down South to Naples...

I think it goes without saying I am using blipfoto as my personal trip report for our own memories - please ignore my ramblings!