The next morning, we woke up ready to head to Rome! We had a very long tour booked, thanks to the fact that a) I wanted to see everything and b) Rome is actually 90 minutes from the port.
We got on our tour bus and met our guide, a beautiful, tiny little lady named Solomon. She was born in San Jose, California!! But, she’s lived all over the world, speaks a lot of languages, and now lives in Rome. She was a gem!
Our drive through the countryside into Rome was gorgeous. We stopped half way in for a potty break and coffee and MAN am I glad I got the coffee. In the US, when you get gas station coffee it is disgusting but you don’t care because you’re just trying to stay alive. This was a full espresso bar and he made us Italian cappuccino which tasted amazing but more like a latte than a cappuccino… based on my complete ignorance of coffee. Whatever. It was INSANE.
When we got into Rome, I knew the moment was coming but I still couldn’t keep my mouth from just dropping open in a wonderful ‘shock and awe’ kind of way because all the sudden we were in front of the coliseum…which I’ve seen in books and movies my whole life but it turns out IT IS REAL and I saw it with my own eyes. This is seriously the coolest feeling in the entire world. We had to meander a bit to get off the bus but we then all walked together back to the coliseum and got to learn about its history, the gladiators, the architecture…amazing. But also, I’m glad I don’t live in a time where people come by the tens of thousands to watch others die. It’s hard to stomach that being real.
From, there, we walked. And walked. And walked. Also, we drove. Everywhere we went was just astonishing. Fountains. Statues. History. Stories. Wow. I’m pretty sure my mouth hung open for hours.
For me, the highlight of the day was the Vatican. I realized in the morning I was most excited about it. I wasn’t quite sure why. I’m not Catholic. I’m not super into history. But, I am SUPER into seeing things with my own eyes that I’ve seen in books and movies. So, maybe that was it.
Anyway, we actually stopped to eat lunch before the Vatican and it was completely, absolutely delicious. This gorgeous restaurant with a 4 course meal…which is their normal thing, but a delight for us. We sat with a lovely couple who had lived in California and moved to Dallas - ha!! Solomon let us know that wine was free and you could have plenty of free refills. But soda cost money. Who the heck wants soda? They started by putting a bottle of white and a bottle of red on each table. (Bonus point if you are thinking of Billy Joel’s Scenes from an Italian Restaurant right now.)
Fresh off all that gloriousness, it was time to hit the Vatican. There was a massive long line of people waiting to buy a ticket and get in. Thankfully, our guy was also a Vatican guide so we blew past every line and took all the back entrances. Woot! Speaking of this, the guides in Rome are LEGIT. They have to have a degree in either art history or archeology - ours had both. And they have to pass a written and verbal exam every year. They know what’s up!!
Once inside, my first surprise was all the kumquat trees! I wish I could have told my grandma! They’ve been growing them and sharing them with us since 1990. It’s the most crowded place we’ve been. I get why. HOLY COW was it beautiful.
We were both excited to see the Sistine Chapel. But everything was saw was truly gorgeous. Imagine the most breathtaking statues, marble, mosaics, paintings…and in immense numbers. Room after room.
But finally, we were in the Sistine Chapel. Oh. My. Goodness. You just can’t be prepared. Every single inch of it was incredible. I can’t stop using big adjectives but I’m running out of them. Hearing the story of how the whole thing came together. What was painted and why and where. Seeing the images that I’ve seen for decades - but this time in real life. Wow.
I think my only disappointment there was a human one. They asked us to be silent and not take pictures or video. I’d day 75% listened to that. The other 25% ruined it. They kept coming on the microphone to remind people. I would have loved to have stood in there in total silence, knowing I wasn’t being recorded on someone’s TikTok video, looking at the paintings, and just being in awe. It was still very cool. But that would have been…way over the top!
There is a very long walk to get out of there and it’s the most crowded we’ve been this whole time. Everyone was wearing masks and behaving in this regard, anyway.
We got some free time outside to walk around St. Peter’s square. It was so pretty. I got some postcards and stamps for the nephews and got those mailed. Pretty cool.
Our drive back was beautiful and quiet. Everyone was full up with delicious food, history, and joy. Also, we were freezing. It snowed, hailed, sleeted! And the wind…..BRRRRR. By the time we got through the port and onto the boat, my nose was running and my teeth were chattering!!!!
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