Rome 4 - Arrivederci Roma - the Vatican City, Sistine chapel, Trevi Fountain

Rome 4 – Finale  - Arrivederci Roma!

Well, of course, all holidays must come to an end and most quickly those we enjoy the most. My daughter, with whom I had enjoyed this holiday asked me  - ‘What if we don’t go home? What would you most want to see if we just stayed here?’ We decided that, for this trip, if it could be arranged, we had a couple of things to see in Rome then we would hire a car and head out into the hills surrounding the city and explore – perhaps stay forever and never return to real-life. Well, I would have to contact my cat carer!

We started our morning with our last forlorn farewell to the Trevi Fountain then caught a bus the The Vatican City – well really, you can’t go to Rome without a visit to it. And I know it is a separate State but......

Although we knew the City opened for business at 7.00am, we had thought that getting there about 10.00am would be okay. Well, take it from me, it isn’t. Plan to be there for 7.00am.

The queues for tickets are stressful which was possibly why this was the only place in Rome where we found people to be aggressive, unfriendly, rude and unhelpful. That included our fellow tourists and the people who worked there. Dare I say it – the most entertaining incident which happened while we were queuing was a group of young clerics who were being ushered through a ‘fast-track’ into the Vatican City. When the group was half way through a ‘gatekeeper’ very vociferously stopped the process and entered  into a lengthy and acrimonious, high-decibel discussion on whether or not these young priests could be allowed to queue-jump. I don’t think they won and I’m sure that, although they must have been seriously looking forward to this visit, this very public row must have affected their enjoyment of their trip. We might never know but, perhaps the future Pope at some time in the future, might have been in that group and have been affected by his reception to the Holy City!

After our long queue for tickets we went into the queue for St Peter’s Basilica. We decided to go up to the top of the Cupola. There is an elevator which will take you up part of the way and at that level the photographic opportunities are probably better that at the top. You can come out at a level at the top of the Basilica, allowing you a bird’s-eye view of the central area of the church. And this for me was definitely the most unimaginablely wonderful site I’ve ever seen. I could have stayed there for hours drinking in this sight.

The top of the cupola is accessed by a staircase – 320 steps beyond the elevator, there are many warnings about attempting this feat – Really! Don’t even attempt it if you are unfit or are claustrophobic. The camber of the climb into the shape of the dome and the very narrow passage could defeat the strongest will or physique.

We unwound with a coke after our climb, feeling that the sugar as much as the water was necessary to revive us. It was a pity that the surly service was somewhat deflating. We then visited the Basilica of St Peter. not quiet as amazig as it was from just below the dome but, nonetheless, that hideous bronze Baldachin over the High Alter to St Peter and of course the Michangelo Pieta was remarkable. I'm sorry about the poor reproduction.

Wanting to see the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel – or even Sixteen Chapel, we very much wanted to see the ceiling painted by Michelangelo. By now it was mid-morning and we looked with some dismay at the crowds heading in the direction of the chapel. As it was hot we decided to stop for a coffee in a nearby caffetteria. They did eventually serve us with some very mediocre coffee but really – they were rude, intrusive upon our space, dismissive and over-eager to take our money. If you would like a coffee in the middle of all of this melée – go somewhere else.

We joined the queue for the Sistine Chapel. My daughter scouted the queue and reckoned it was then about 500metres long. During the hour we were there, it had probably moved about 10 metres – in very hot sunshine. At all times, you will be bombarded by sellers of water, umbrellas and sellers of tickets to skip the queues. We were tempted except for the fact that we had already visited St Peter’s and, we had a plane to catch.

Having talked to people since my return from Rome their description of the Sistine Chapel is reminiscent of my visit top Versailles’s Hall of Mirrors – nose to tail with little opportunity to see anything.

We returned to our hotel by the Fountain of the Four Rivers - Piazza Navona, another of Bernini's creations. The Fountain depicts the four major rivers at that time - The origins of the fountain are somewhat ambigious but the statuary is interesting nonetheless.

The next time I return to Rome – and there will be a next time, Good Grief I’ve paid my three coins to the Trevi Fountain – I will be in the queue fir the Sistine Chapel at 7.00am when it opens to the public.

Our hotel booked us a taxi back to the airport – expensive at 50euros but, oh so nice and well worth it – it was a long journey home, with dreams of the wonderful city, exquisite food, delectable wine and future explorations.