Wednesday 15th September

 

15/09/04    Day 74

I got off rather lightly yesterday, leaving the nitty-gritty events to Heather's largely and illegible hand. So today our roles are reversed, which is fortunate really, as today was a day that, to put it mildly, I got quite passionate about.

The morning was our first test of the 'let's do it without an Alarm clock' philosophy and I suppose, was largely successful. It was events outside our control that delayed our arrival at the Vatican to 8:45, the when the queue is just reaching its peak. The only event worthy of note - very worthy for that matter - is the metro system. We were boarding the train in rush-hour, at the main train station, so it was bound to be busy - Indeed, the platform was full, so we prudently moved to the far end. My choice of words when the train pulled up was. "I do hope some of those people are getting off here". Well I would say about three people exited each door, and their space was swallowed up instantly by the throng that remained. So for the first time in my long and prosperous life, I was unable to get onto a metro. The next train arrived and the same happened again and we realised that there was a distinct queuing system on the platform. We made it on the third time, jammed in like sardines, definitely not needing to hold on, and slowly began to breathe as people got off. Success town.

So, to continue, the sight of the queue at 8:45 was not heartening. So and initiated a slight restructuring of plans, putting St Peters first. I spent the walk to St. Peters Square trying to remember who I was with when I looked around an Art Gallery where there was a children's chair singing, and where the building is with the famous Sistine room with the 3D paint job!

We were surprised to be funnelled through x-ray security checks as we passed under the huge rim of pillars that encludes St Peters square. My pen knife was removed and they almost had my spoon too! The security in front became apparent, though, on on seeing the security of the Basilica. Selling up for the Pope's Wednesday public audience. And it turned out you didn't need an reservation, so we grabbed some seats - rather hesitantly, and near the back. I might add - and sat surrended by tourists, pilgrims and, I suppose, a few localss who were acting more like spectators at afilm premiere than so-called respectful worshipers. + I was busying my self with clang writing in a vain attempt to ward off the rage, but I still couldn't help noticing the large numbers of we think, Mexicans who chanted and sung like they were at a religious political protest. Also plenty of groups with custom-made T-shirts bustling around like excited children trying to find their perfect seats. A fair number of brides, oddly enough; their reason for being there was never satisfactorily explained. Plenty of nuns, vicars and ORs and the inevitable collection of Asian tourist.

So there I sat, with all these fellow pilgrims, cringing inwardly at the thought that I to was contributing to the crowds that the TV cameras and Vatican officials would see. There were some lighter moments when a random band started playing fanfare music and the entire crowd left up onto their chairs, straining their eyes over the square as though good himself was driving down the road. This band then kept up intermittent fanfares, each one receiving a scattered round of applause, until the priests on stage began, one by one, to give an introduction in every European language. "Following the holy father's recent sermon concerning sheep..."

Now finally we reach the highlight of the event - the P.A. System! Why don't they use them in train stations?!

Following a few more humerous false alarms there was finally a distinctive commotion to our left (caused by a Surge of people from right to left reminiscent, to me, of a Scout-hall full of cubs during a game of dodgeball. There were grown men, video cameras held aloft, leaping over rows of chairs, elbowing old women out of the the way ... and for what? A glimpse of a small frail invalid perched on a not particularly flashy gold car, wearing a dress. To add to the bedlam they did two circuits of the square and you could almost feel the ground tip as the brainwashed masses shifted back and forth.

So finally he gets on to the stage and a small army of black-cloaked priests manoeuvre his throne to the centre. And then begins the most pathetic and annoying mumbling I've ever heard. Now I understand that a leader is chosen and respected based on merits appropriate to his position - and I'm SURE he is a genuinely nice and extraordinarily pious man. But really - all that excitement? Most of the audience didn't even speak Italian!

It I know I've been rambling too long already, but allow me to cap it all off with my thoughts though for the day: At about the time when I'd had enough and started the most enjoyable walk of my life back turned to that abominable man, casuallystrolling down the wide corridor between fences bulging with captivated crawls (and feeling infinitely superior to all of them), I realised that I felt then the same as I, or anyone else, would feel about gathering to listen to Osuman Bin Laden preach at ten o'clock on a Wednesday Morning. Of course, I would be the first to point out that the two are unequivocally eggs apostles - i.e. one as purely good and one is purely (?) evil - but then it is not the pope's personality that I despise (I'm sure I would get on very well with him, as long as I could overcome my the feelings of pity for his weak and cowardly mind, that is!), it is the institution that he stands for, represents and leads. Christianity has done more wrongs than Islamic fundamentalism, and for less justifyable reasons.

So I took refuge behind a noisy fountain, to drown out the mumbling, and when Heather joined me we headed out for the Vatican Museum.

(Interesting point: One of the groups of Pilgrims announced at this juncture were from Chester-le-street.

"Oh, get to the Vatican early - you'll have to queue" turned out to be as equally inaccurate as the colluseum and we strolled Straight in, in shorts, as well! I think I have got the differently everyday I've with it!

Crazy American tour guide (to be expanded upon at a later date) revealed that the Vatican is one of (the?) largest museum in the world and if you were to spend 1 minute 'appreciating' every piece it would take you 12 years to complete. We dd not spend 1 minute on each piece, more like 1 minute per room. Despite getting hopelessly disoriented in the maze of rooms, it was very well laid out, whose with easy fast-tracks to whisk the Japanese straight to the chapel leaving the rest quiet and peaceful.

Highlight for me were Raphael's room and his 'Greek School' - only because I could see what all these famous philosophers looked like (supposedly). I also liked the line up of biblical figures, because Adam was naked between St. Paul and Abraham (or someone). Also Van Gogh's (only as far as we could tell) exhibit was a bit of a bore-hole. The modern religious art was the culmination of all things human and religious: Not only is this abstract the lowest topic imaginable, but it no longer even requires artistic talent to partake into it!!

Entering the Sistine chapel was, I'm afraid to say, a dissappointment. And that wasn't because of the thorny of touist slosh-photo tokens filling the entire noisly: room (some serious need for slow regulation there). It was large, and quite dark, and not prettier than a ton of churches and chapels we've seen. But the Last Judgement was impressive, and the circoluequally so (I assume - we didn't know what we were looking at at the time!). Highlights company Michalangelo's first piece (the creation) to the voluptuous portrayal of the Last Judgement, 27 (?) years later.

It made us very happy that exiting the labyrinth of the Vatican coincided with the re-opening of St. Peters. (Something I forgot: huge long corridors with stunning ceilings and large maps of Italy down each side). I did have to don my shorts for this (and it is good to know that there are still some parts of the world which have not heard of zip-offs).

I suppose St Peters is huge, but so is Winchester and Durham and Liverpool and St Vitus -- I've realised I have a complete inability to remember church interiors (guess I have my priorities right there then!) which makes comparisons difficult.

It was while we stared in wonderment that we heard an excited American voice fromm amidst a group of attentive tourists - we listened in. Although the most crazy, over-excited and dramatic tour guide we'll ever see, he was really quite good - so after finding past another couple of guides (like the Pharisees in Life of Brian) we tugged on to his tour and heard the fascinating tale of an Artist who set sculpted his own features on the statue of the pope.

Next was the 'crème de la crème' of the Basilica: Michalangelo's Pieta - the only work to bear his name: signature and the only piece in the church to be signed ("The Golden Rule of St. Peters").

The interesting question I ask myself is whether its good or bad that an otherwise non-descript sculpture that I would have strolled obliviously past is now a 'highlight' of our visit. to Am I impressed by it because he told me to be impressed by it, or am I impressed because it was forced into my attention, and I genuinely liked it? We will never know...

Crazy American also told us that St Peters square is the largest sandal in the world. Bernini's masterpiece has columns that Get wider at the back (ie. the 1st row is the smallest the fourth row the largest) so from the central obelisk (which took 900 (+) men 4 months to move it 5cm!) they line up exactly and appear to be 1 pillar.

Our route towards Popolo square gave us our first sight of the river (the first substantial city river since Prague I realised) and then to, strangely, river since Prague (like enough, people square. The square was very frank enough, people square. The square was very I sort of, well, it was kind of cool. Then it was into the parks and, as I remember it, the start of a the partiesa series of discoveries of new, unique areas of the city. The Park was lovely, very wild and tree filled, and scattered with lakes and fountains. The best lake was the one with the Roman Temple and the Nymphs!

By this time we + were knackered and had been going for 8 hours, for the second day in a row! It was a painful slog back to the hostel where, after recovering, I concocted a fantastic chicken in white wine and mushroom sauce.

Because 2 days of 8 hour-solid sightseeing is not enough to satisfy our greedy eyes we set off for the third tour of the city. It would have helped had the Metro not been shut, but the walk was just about survivable, and it was definitely worth seeing the sights by night. It was during this excursion that the Colloseum revealed Parthenon statues: I walked around the whole thing (bit of a cracked neck afterwards) and almost wept when Heather heartlessly dragged me away! The oversized monument was also great at night and pulls a the forum. the highlight was meant to be Trevi fountain, not the hoards of people and the sheer ugliness rises in our eyes. Everyone we tried to get romantic took the edge off it. Anyway, Heathers the one you wro!

to see about water fountains.

Once again we just got back before collapsing, and did not wake up when one spanish girl and two drunk canadians came in.

Comments: x Pantheon is largest concrete dome ever- x Mopeds in Rome are clean to compare cars in London - classy BMWs and stylish Mers are replaced by identical mopeds, differing only in shininess.

x Rome is a collection of different cities, some of which we see tomorrow as well.

x Rome is very big.

A few point on Benito museo - the ticket come at where you put it in (which means you cannot be walking whilst it's processed and therefore locals conga during rush hour have would issue). Secondly they need more lines. They need written as long as London. Young linos. They need written as long as London. Young back to Naples and our comments on the night rubbish etc. I don't think the names see the congestion as a problem or wasn't it to be solved - its the Italian way of doing things and they way they like it - I think its same option as Rome has - Up with congestion! I have never been held up by security at St Peters I have never been held up by securityFor so long for a start I had money in my pocket which made the machine beep but I remembered (38!d!) and gave him a smile, I could have had a knife in my pocket. And the other guy had to search my bag in all my many falls. (P had have just said "knife!" at the start I could have told them it was brain's bag, not mine. When we picked it up at the end, the now larger celebrity included a 30cm long bread knife 'the whole poor thing was not as I expected - I thought it would be very solemn and like a service but it was more like a street party at times. It was hilarious how when he started talking the audience was attentative but after about 3 mins they they started to from as if they were surprised they couldn't understand him! Surely the religious ted given to his title words, but no they'd gone just to say they'd gone - religion in 2004!

Nevermore that for though (and he was not by helicopter over the square). The Vatican was Slightly disappointing - I should probably have known I was all going to be religious art. The highlight girls (for me was Raphael's rooms and La madalangela work in the SC. But I found the whole thing created so for were fighting to read the info and stuff.

distinct lack of air conditioning). In the SC, the attendants were not up allowing us into to bust a bundy up to control. Photo out to to to photo. It also Raphael's and Leonardo's we from being able to appreciate it. They really should have two a one uncoloured and sitting room and lunch was gulped down in shop before & after (they impossible me against time). I was just about it as as long as I kept my scarves pulled down - it fell like a selection Princes of something like the chookie before Auschwitz! St Peters was definitely to highlight of the day - to big, grand and artistic - I didn't take photos in tat hope we'd feel better postcards of the interior. No such luck so note of all pics on internet. The river Tiber - like it a lot will be trees (with autumnal leaves) by the river were beautiful. The view from 'nuevo', there & (near Italia Appolo) was great - all the domes and roofs!

The gardens in Villa Borghese were all they weren't actually in Rome; it was to quiet and far from the noise. Great water fountains and the lake was like something out of Jane Austen.

Italian wine: R) to bottle from the supermarket; Barganini wine: I was mightily disappointed that the allowan wasn't very well, but when the queues was gone and thedoors were shut it had a elegant, threatening feel to it - very lowable. I prefer it at night. The monument was it really well and I got a bit overexcited by the fountains. The pantheon square at night was a hive of activity and full of people dining and waiters playing violins. All the streets around that area towards Trevi were really Italian Trevi thankfully lived up to expectations - it was crowded but I managed to ignore all that it would have been nice if we'd have walked around the corner into this tiny empty square and discovered this huge fountain, as if it was our secret. It was simply beautiful and felt very romantic, Just on the edge of it (before I had a phone call travel info my bed of course...) So, I know we haven't finished yet but I think we were (are perhaps) & conned! for the best fountain in Europe (M.E.

I do prefer a fountain near you can walk around and with a bit more spray though...