Last Day in Rome – 8/06

This was our last full day in Rome and in Italy before returning home the next day. We were up early again for our last walking tour of Rome, but not without a hearty breakfast before leaving. On the agenda today was the Vatican Museum and Saint Peter’s Basilica. So off we walked to the Vatican.

On our way there we crossed over the Tiber River and had some great views of Castel Sant’Angelo (Castle of the Archangel) in the semi-cloudy, still morning. I got some great shots with lots of reflections and sky. Apparently, this castle built as a tomb of Roman Emperor Hadrian; was used as a tomb by subsequent emperors for almost 100 years. Over time it became a fortified palace; in the Dark Ages it was a fortress and a prison; in 1277 it was connected to the Vatican by an elevated corridor and was a handy place of refuge for the pope during invasions.

A few long blocks from the Castle St. Peter’s Basilica came into view, but that was saved for later after we saw the Vatican Museum. On the way there, we walked by an entrance into Vatican City where some handsome and nicely costumed men (I’m not sure what you call that outfit!) that stopped cars and people to validate their entrance. We waited in a long line for about 30 minutes before entering and finally getting into the museum. I saw Raphael’s famous “School of Athens” and “The Stanza of the Signatura”. The room that housed these paintings was amazing: all four walls and the ceiling were lavishly decorated with gold leaf, mosaics and frescos from Raphael’s hand. I sat in that room for quite awhile taking that in. After that came the large collection of modern art before entering the Sistine Chapel. I stayed there for quite some time taking it all in. When the pain of looking up got to me neck, I continued on through the Vatican library. Check out the paintings on the ceiling and arches. The cabinets along the bottom are where the library treasures were kept. I bought a book of the artwork of both Michelangelo and Raphael as I was leaving. Check out this exit stairwell; is that too cool or what!?!!

After we exited the Vatican, we walked back to St. Peter’s Square to regroup before going into the Basilica. I took several blurry pictures of the Pieta and the light in one of the ceiling’s domed skylights. Besides being huge, I was amazed at the opulently decorated interior of the Basilica. Statues after statues; paintings and more paintings; the relic of Peter’s remains; the bonze statue of St. Peter where people stood in line to touch his foot; the huge canopy where the priest held mass using the full church; all the side chapels. I just stood in awe of it all; I wondered why the church would spend so much time and money on such extravagant decorations and outward appearances. All I can say is money, position and power can cause corruption in any kind of organization. Anyway, I took a picture of the square as I exited the Basilica.

After finishing up on our final tour, we headed back to the hotel to pick up our luggage. We were to transfer to the Holiday Inn near the airport either by taking a taxi or the hotel shuttle. The shuttle would leave for a few more hours and we were very tired and in need of a shower, so we took a taxi. The Holiday Inn was just like on in the States. It had large rooms, a large swimming pool, and the other amenities you would expect from a large hotel. Since there was little around the hotel in the way of food, most of us gathered for dinner that evening for one last meal together with the group before our departure the next day. After some tears and final pictures, I went back to my room to repack my suitcases for the trip home before retiring for the night.