We wanted to bookend our trip in Rome, and we wanted to be at the Vatican on a Wednesday morning, when apparently the Pope usually makes a public address. This particular Wednesday, however, he wasn't in Rome. Even though it was Ash Wednesday, which is big in the Roman Catholic tradition. Oh well - there was plenty to do other than see him.
We started the day in the Pantheon, then headed to the Vatican museum (where we were awed by the Sistine Chapel, but couldn't figure out what made that ceiling more famous than the other 50+ rooms, all of which had impressively painted ceilings too - anyone?!). We toured the Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica, where we saw this sign and got some really cool pics (see some below, but my favorites are: sun rays near the alter, the wall of papal names - starting of course with St. Peter). That afternoon, we took a good, long nap (yes, we took a nap on our last day in Italy: we were more than exhausted from our quick trip through the great country!), then went on a "last-night-in-Italy" date. Then we went to the hotel, slept a bit, and headed to the airport to come back to the states.
Italy as a whole was an amazing, historic, beautiful, and at times, haunting place: to know how much of our world and way of life was shaped by this place was stunning. We saw a whole different kind of beauty in the uniqueness of Venice and Capri, and experienced new tastes in homemade pasta, pizza, and wine. Glorious, expensive churches sat quarter-full, or empty except for tourists. Majestic buildings built centuries ago stood beside crumbled ruins - a testament to the futility of life and the unknown. The experience in every city was incredible, and in a sense, moving.
We probably won't ever make it back to Italy, so while our "quick trip to the beach" vacation dramatically changed into one far from restful, and as we found out, a much-needed break from normal life, which got a little hectic once we got back! Go to Italy - we wouldn't trade it for anything! Final day pics:
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