Finishing what I started ...

I went back to the Vatican after my last post and, seeing the long line, thought it would be better to return on Saturday. So I did. What a great decision on my part (not a sarcastic statement, by the way).

I woke up at 6:15 a.m., showered and was out the door by 7. I walked to the Rome Terminal Station, caught the Metro and got to St. Peter's Square by 7:40 a.m.

Best part? Very few people (translation, no tourists ... except for me).

Even better? Being first in line to take a lift (elevator) up three floors inside St. Peter's Basilica Dome. Weird part, having 323 steps still to walk up the dome. The first part is cool because you can stand above St. Peter's Tomb and the altar that surrounds it. You can also look up and see the Dome from much closer. Better still? I still had steps to climb up to see the breathtaking view from the top of the Dome (OK, it's very, very close to the top). Great views of the Square, the Vatican Museum and all of Rome. It was foggy for 8 a.m., but the main points I was looking for were clear enough to see. The Pope's Apartment. Parts of the Vatican Gardens were visible. It was awe inspiring.

And then, 30 minutes later, I went down some of the stairs to another area to see --- basically the roof of St. Peter's Basilica. Complete with a small place to get a cappuccino, a croissant and a good conversation with a 23-year-old employee Ricardo (separate post for blog readers).

I then went next door to the souvenir stand and a few more lucky people on my postcard list are getting one from the Vatican, which supposedly has a much better mail system so we'll see if this one comes first. (if you want a postcard from me, you'll have to email me your address separately from this blog because I forgot to bring my address list). If you don't get one from me from the Vatican, no worries. The way I am planning my next journey, the whistle-stop tour of 10 countries in only 16 days, I've got plenty of time to write postcards on the train and mail them at the next train station.

Anyway, back to completing my Vatican experience. I left the Dome and immediately went to the crypts of the popes, including the one for Pope John Paul II. There were fresh flowers on a very simple, yet very nice setting for the Pope most connected to the blog readers here.

I then mailed the last postcards (10 in all) and headed off at about 10:30, knowing that I had made the right choice to go back Saturday and go back early enough to beat the massive crowds which had finally reached the Vatican city as I returned to an empty train station to take me to the National Museum of Rome.

It's a nice museum inside, though, because it is near the Terminal Station (train station) it is easily forgotten to tourists. There were maybe 15-20 people scattered inside the museum, which is comprised of several floors of Roman figure sculptures and amazing art from a time when something this beautiful could happen. Imagine modern times and know that it would never get done because there'd be coffee breaks, vacations, smoke breaks and the cell phone would constantly interrupt anything from getting done. Oh, wait, that's modern-day Rome in a nutshell!

By the way, next time I see anyone interested in a trip to Rome, ask me about the ticket I bought that enabled me to get access to nine sites for the price of three. I won't get to them all before I go, but the pass is good for one week's time and I feel I saw enough to justify the 22 Euro price (my guidebook said it was 20 Euro, so I know my book is likely a year behind on the info.)

OK, I'll write my sidebar story on Ricardo, who was very nice and gave me some interesting tips on places I'll likely end up at on my next big trip.

Note to Barbra and anyone else who cares: Barcelona, and Spain for that matter, likely won't be able to happen. It would only be a very short visit to Barcelona if I went and I think that a Spain-Portugal trip in the future might be something I am interested in doing.

Ciao!