Rome in the rain

We started yesterday morning, looking for breakfast, hoping to also do some people watching. There was a place near us, so without looking at the menu, we just ordered two lattes, two small pastries and "oh, did we want some orange juice?" Of course. Well, remember our breakfast in Paris when we didn't look at the menu? For those who don't know Italian, it is the spremuta that took us over the top. 6€ for a glass of orange juice!!! Fortunately, I can laugh this off, but Les had a little more trouble letting go.

And before we could go any further on our day's adventures, we had to return for raincoats and umbrellas. And then we headed out to the Basicllica of San Giovanni, which was the original basilica for the Pope, before they moved to Avignon for almost 100 years. Beautiful building and except for the lack of domes, very much like St. Peter's. It is the official basilica for Rome, while St. Peter's is the basilica for Vatican City.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archbasilica_of_St._John_Lateran

We had a terrific time admiring the paintings and sculptures, the cloister, etc. and also went across the street to the Scala Santa http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scala_Sancta. And we also went to the Basilica di San Clemente, going four floors underground, first seeing 11th century frescoes, then further to a 4th century basilica and then further to a Roman house and a dark temple of the Mithras.

Today we started off early. We'd spoken with two Australian women at the hostal who had booked a tour at the Vatican. It had never occurred to us, but we booked one as well for 9am this morning, so we were up at 6:30, breakfast of yogurt and coffee/tea and a walk to the Termini to catch the No. 40 bus to the closest stop to the Vatican. We arrived early, followed the wrong line but quickly sorted that and were directed to walk the km around the walls to Museum entrance. As we walked, with our lovely prepaid voucher, we passed about 2,000 people, waiting in line in the rain and I may well be underestimating. Les and said it was kind of like having a reservation for the ferry lineup. Anyway, after the security search of knapsacks, etc., we sashayed up the stairs, presented our voucher at the wicket and were told to go to area B (10 ft away), which we did. It was only 8:20 and we didn't have to be in our group until 8:40, so we were both pleased and surprised that we were early. By 8:45, "B" didn't seem to be doing anything, but "E" did, so I wandered over and spoke to the chap handing out earphones, etc, and sure enough that's where we were supposed to be, AFTER we had gone back to the original wicket (where I had been told to stand at B) and exchange the voucher for two tickets. Done! Fortunately, because of the rain, they waited five minutes for all 25 of us to arrive.  The tour guide was great! She gave us a 20-30 minute lecture on the Sistine Chapel, with illustrations, etc., before we started the tour. Thus, when we finally reached the chapel about two hours later, we had some context and knowledge to really enjoy the artwork, because of course, there is to be silence in the chapel, so she would not be able to provide any interpretation.  I have never ever been on anything like this. We were literally herded, quietly and slowly from one room to another and the whole time, the guide continued to be helpful and give us great historical info. Even though, in each room, we were cheek by jowl, it was okay as mainly we were looking at the walls and ceilings. Admittedly, it was a bit difficult to appreciate the mosaic floors.

This statue was fabulous. It was carved around 40-30 BC, and found in 1506 on the Esquiline Hill in Rome. It was identified as a masterpiece from Rhodes and quickly bought by Pope Julius. The story that goes with it is that during the Trojan Wars, Laocoön, a priest of Apollo in the city of Troy, warned his fellow Trojans against taking in the wooden horse left outside the city gates by the Greeks. Athena and Poseidon, who were favouring the Greeks, sent two great sea serpents to kill Laocoön and his two sons. The guide pointed out to us how the sons are looking to their father for help and he is helpless to save not only them but himself. As she was telling us this, and advising us to look for the emotion in the marble, I thought she had tears in her eyes. 

As we exited the Basilica and St. Peter's Square, we noticed dark clouds.....

so, after being on our feet for over five hours, we followed Neville's advice and dashed a couple of blocks to Il Papalino, where I had a fabulous eggplant parmigiana with prosecco and Les had pizza and beer, while the rain landed on the awning above our heads.  We then toddled back in the rain, for a rest.

Since it was continuing to rain/pour, we spent time planning tomorrow, our last full day in Rome and had dinner at the hostal. Fabulous food and reasonably light after our lunch.