Holy See
Holy crap! Jule and I made it to the top of the dome!
What dome? Well, today we conquered the Vatican - also known as the Holy See (or literally, the Holy Seat), and I am talking about the dome that sits atop the largest church on the planet! Yes, the infamous St. Peter's bascillica in Rome - the same dome that was designed by Michealangelo himself.
The dome itself is 420 feet tall. Thats 320 steps, plus some - not to mention that a good 50 of those are nearly arched over sideway to fit inbetween the two domes. The last spiral staircase involves a rope to pull yourself to the top. I nearly fainted... from laughing without breath because you get to the top of St Peter's dome and there is a priest waiting for you. I guess if ever there is a time to thank God for not having a heart attack or bad footing, that would have been it.
The reward is simply the greatest view in Rome - although it was a bit over cast today. But I kept thinking two things
1) I'm sure some of the fans of my postings out there who have been here and did climb the dome did it when it was much warmer than 60 degrees with a nice breeze from the west.
2) I'm sure glad that I don't work up there.
Today was all day - all Vatican. I'll convert Julé yet. Ha! Actually, the first 5 hours or so was in the Vatican Museum. Now see, for those of you long time readers, you will remember my astonishment/disappointment with the British museum. Sensory overload to the max. Bragging rights maybe, but just plain rediculous as well.
The Vatican has, in my humble opinion, as rich a collection as the Brits, but instead of gloating about it, they simply put the good sh*t out for you to see. Yep, we had Egypt and Greece and Anc. Rome and Raphael and Michaelangelo and this and that and.... but it was tame and easy to digest from a very ill informed art connosseur.
We all enjoyed the museum, although I was really getting mad in the Sistine Chapel. What a place of beauty and history for all the world to have preserved for us all to see (at the low cost of €12 (I just found the € on the keyboard, cool!))... yet all they ask are three simple things
1) SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! Have some goddam respect.
2) NO FOTO!
3) NO VIDEO!
I cannot believe the number of idiots flashing away knowing that amongst the 200 people crammed in there, the police aren't going to do much anyway (not that I can see that the police do much in Italy anywhere). Its pretty ignorant not to know what flash photography is what ruins this stuff! Also, they ask not to video.. so just respect it and dont do it.
Third.....shut up! Pay some respect to one of the greatest works by human hands ever!
Anyway, I am off my soap box.
I'd like to thank Rick Steves.. so far his Rome and Italy books have had EVERYTHING laid out perfect for us to do our own 'tours' of the museums, etc. Its made much art come more alive by knowing what it all means.
So the museum was good.
The bascillica was even more impressive. Wow. Enough said.
Julé and I made the climb up to the top, like I said. Mom and dad waited on the lowly rooftop...shhheeeesh, and they didnt even bother to look up at us waiving like mad idiots at them. GRRRR. They are all having a blast. We had a fantastic meal tonight at a restaurant near our hotel. Ristorante Il Barocco on Via Napoli. Mmmm. Hotel Aberdeen on Via Firenze has been great too.
Well, this might be the last post for a bit. We fly to Milan tomorrow and who knows how much access I will have on the computer.
We are in Milan for 2 days.. one of which we plan to go to Lago Di Como, Bellagio, and Lugano SWITZ. Then we train over to Cavaso del Tomba. We did get the cell phone working, but haven't really used it. All the needy people have it - not those that are homeless, but those who are watching our homes, etc. Well, who knows, the homeless might have it too.
gotta go. Go Kings.
Holy crap! Jule and I made it to the top of the dome!
What dome? Well, today we conquered the Vatican - also known as the Holy See (or literally, the Holy Seat), and I am talking about the dome that sits atop the largest church on the planet! Yes, the infamous St. Peter's bascillica in Rome - the same dome that was designed by Michealangelo himself.
The dome itself is 420 feet tall. Thats 320 steps, plus some - not to mention that a good 50 of those are nearly arched over sideway to fit inbetween the two domes. The last spiral staircase involves a rope to pull yourself to the top. I nearly fainted... from laughing without breath because you get to the top of St Peter's dome and there is a priest waiting for you. I guess if ever there is a time to thank God for not having a heart attack or bad footing, that would have been it.
The reward is simply the greatest view in Rome - although it was a bit over cast today. But I kept thinking two things
1) I'm sure some of the fans of my postings out there who have been here and did climb the dome did it when it was much warmer than 60 degrees with a nice breeze from the west.
2) I'm sure glad that I don't work up there.
Today was all day - all Vatican. I'll convert Julé yet. Ha! Actually, the first 5 hours or so was in the Vatican Museum. Now see, for those of you long time readers, you will remember my astonishment/disappointment with the British museum. Sensory overload to the max. Bragging rights maybe, but just plain rediculous as well.
The Vatican has, in my humble opinion, as rich a collection as the Brits, but instead of gloating about it, they simply put the good sh*t out for you to see. Yep, we had Egypt and Greece and Anc. Rome and Raphael and Michaelangelo and this and that and.... but it was tame and easy to digest from a very ill informed art connosseur.
We all enjoyed the museum, although I was really getting mad in the Sistine Chapel. What a place of beauty and history for all the world to have preserved for us all to see (at the low cost of €12 (I just found the € on the keyboard, cool!))... yet all they ask are three simple things
1) SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! Have some goddam respect.
2) NO FOTO!
3) NO VIDEO!
I cannot believe the number of idiots flashing away knowing that amongst the 200 people crammed in there, the police aren't going to do much anyway (not that I can see that the police do much in Italy anywhere). Its pretty ignorant not to know what flash photography is what ruins this stuff! Also, they ask not to video.. so just respect it and dont do it.
Third.....shut up! Pay some respect to one of the greatest works by human hands ever!
Anyway, I am off my soap box.
I'd like to thank Rick Steves.. so far his Rome and Italy books have had EVERYTHING laid out perfect for us to do our own 'tours' of the museums, etc. Its made much art come more alive by knowing what it all means.
So the museum was good.
The bascillica was even more impressive. Wow. Enough said.
Julé and I made the climb up to the top, like I said. Mom and dad waited on the lowly rooftop...shhheeeesh, and they didnt even bother to look up at us waiving like mad idiots at them. GRRRR. They are all having a blast. We had a fantastic meal tonight at a restaurant near our hotel. Ristorante Il Barocco on Via Napoli. Mmmm. Hotel Aberdeen on Via Firenze has been great too.
Well, this might be the last post for a bit. We fly to Milan tomorrow and who knows how much access I will have on the computer.
We are in Milan for 2 days.. one of which we plan to go to Lago Di Como, Bellagio, and Lugano SWITZ. Then we train over to Cavaso del Tomba. We did get the cell phone working, but haven't really used it. All the needy people have it - not those that are homeless, but those who are watching our homes, etc. Well, who knows, the homeless might have it too.
gotta go. Go Kings.
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