Rome – Roadkill Crossing

Our final two days in Rome were rich in architecture, sculpture, art, museums, and churches. At times, it seemed to blend all together. But now, as I reflect on these final days, I can finally appreciate all we experienced in Rome and the rest of the trip.

Our excellent leaders, Linford and Janet, acquired tickets from a local guide for the Museums of the Vatican. Doing so permitted us to skip the long ticket line, which ran around the block.

Our time in the interconnected museums transported us through centuries of fantastic artwork, sculptures, maps, murals, and artifacts. The Sphere Within Sphere by Arnoldo Pomodoro was most impressive in the courtyard. As for the rest of the museums, I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.

Exiting the museum was just as exciting. We traversed the famous spiral staircase of the museum. When we stepped outside, the line still stretched around the corner. I felt extremely fortunate to be in our group.

The spiral staircase in the Vatican Museums.

In the afternoon, I got a reprieve for missing the Roman Forum. Three younger members of our tour group agreed to accompany me to the Forum. While Molly and I went to the Forum, cousins Alicia and Brittany snagged tickets to the Colosseum. The plan was to meet at the Arch of Constantine between the Forum and the Colosseum.

Before exploring the Forum, Molly and I decided to tour the jail cells where the Apostles Peter and Paul were imprisoned. I was moved by the harshness of their dungeon-like confines.

The cells were located in the Forum, where Molly and I ventured next. I marveled at the stone-paved roads preserved after all these centuries. We wandered by old temples and meeting places. A steep section of a cobblestone way was closed to traffic. I guess too many people had fallen on the slippery, well-worn stones.

As we entered the main section of the Forum, I stopped in my tracks. My mind flashed back 60 years to a black-and-white photo in my high school Latin book. I had to be standing close to where the old photo was taken. I had chills, and the hair on my arms stood up, realizing I was living that photograph decades later.

The spot where I flashed back to my high school Latin class.

Molly and I continued to meander around the Forum, taking in the sites. For me, I was almost in disbelief that I was there. It was difficult to absorb it all in so few minutes as the shadows of the relics and ruins grew longer. The afternoon sun sank lower in the western sky, a reminder that we needed to keep moving to our rendezvous with Alicia and Brittany.

Please click on the photos to enlarge them.

They had texted Molly that they had completed their tour of the Colosseum and were waiting for us at the arch. Molly and I finished our stroll down Via Sacra, the central avenue of the Forum. The Colosseum glowed in the evening’s Golden Hour. It was incredible timing.

The shot of a lifetime, with much thanks to Brittany, Molly, and Alicia.

I greatly appreciated these three young women’s willingness to drag this old guy along on their afternoon adventure. It was one of the benefits of having a diverse age range in our tour group of like-minded folks.

The next day, we visited the Church of St. Peter in Vincoli, Rome. The enormous church has many marble columns and houses a famous sculpture. In 1505, Pope Julius II commissioned Michaelangelo to create the Biblical Moses for his tomb. It took two years for Michaelangelo to complete the marble statue, based on a description of Moses in Chapter 34 of Exodus in the Vulgate, a Latin version of the Bible used during the Renaissance.

Moses by Michaelangelo (1513-1515). Photo by Jason Steele on Unsplash.

The church was impressive all on its own, with its finely gilded ceilings and scores of massive marble columns. It is built over the tomb of St. Peter. After seeing the church, we returned to our hotel to pack for our flight home early the following day. For once, the Metro wasn’t crowded.

In the evening, our entire group gathered for one final meal together at a restaurant where Janet and Linford knew the owners. We celebrated our travel and time together and the great joy that we all made it through.

Yes, some of us got sick with bronchitis and pneumonia; one even had Covid-19 when she arrived home. But we all got along, helped each other, ate great food, and explored new places together. It was a great group with fantastic leaders.

Most of us headed home the next day. Others extended their time in Europe, visiting other locales in different cities and countries. Some even got to spend time with children and grandchildren who live in Europe.

Below are photos group members took at locations I didn’t visit. I appreciated their willingness to share their photos with me so I can share them with you.

The Appian Way.
The Parthenon.
The Spanish Steps.

Thanks for traveling with me to Athens, some lovely Greek islands, and Rome.

A Swiss Guard stands by as Pope Francis addresses the audience at St. Peter’s Square, the Vatican.

I was excited to see Rome and its many iconic sites. After all, all roads lead to and from Rome.

After landing at Rome’s expansive and bustling airport, we took the bullet train to the Metro terminal. Our hotel was less than a block away, and I was most thankful for that. Whatever bug I had was hitting me hard.

Riding the bullet train from the airport to the terminal.

Our group stored its luggage at the hotel since none of the rooms were ready. Another couple and my wife and I walked back to the terminal, which also serves as a shopping center with multiple restaurants, retail stores, and pharmacies.

I was glad to see the pharmacy because my cough worsened. After getting something to eat, we bought medicine for a dry cough and returned to the hotel. Fortunately, our room was ready. We settled in, and I hit the bed and was out.

Our leaders handed out the Roma Pass, a must for getting around in Rome. It’s a 72-hour pass that gives you access to the Metro, buses, and several museums and places of interest. So, the rest of the group rode the Metro to The Forum while I slept.

I hated to miss Linford’s opening talk that gave an overview of The Forum and told about Rome being the final destination for Apostles Peter and Paul. But I was much better off in bed. Consequently, I missed the initial exploration of this historically famous city that dramatically influenced Western cultures.

I had to be content with getting my strength back to experience the next three days’ events. It was the right decision. By evening, I felt better, but the cough persisted.

The next day turned out to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for us. With the Pope’s Synod on Synodality happening all of October, the usual Wednesday appearance and address by the Pope had been canceled, except this day. Our leaders secured tickets to St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, and I definitely didn’t want to miss seeing and hearing Pope Francis.

Hustle was the word of the day. We hustled to the train station and jammed into the Metro cars. We were squeezed in like sardines, and I don’t like sardines. We were reminded to be careful of pickpockets in such close quarters. Those admonitions turned out to be more than accurate. During our four days in Rome, pickpockets hit a quarter of our group of 24, with five people losing wallets.

We tumbled out of the Metro and hurried to a particular entrance, hoping to see the Popemobile. We passed long lines of people waiting to enter St. Peter’s Square. However, the Pope’s route was different than our guides had anticipated, so we only saw him ride in via giant screens erected around the famous square.

We joined thousands of others in listening to the Pope. He sat beneath a canopy on the steps of St. Peter’s Basilica. I used my binoculars to see him up close. Police and members of the Swiss Guard in their striking uniforms watched over the assembled masses.

Breaks occasionally interrupted the Pope’s Address, as individuals spoke different languages, expressing their best wishes and blessings for other global peoples and countries.

After the Pope’s address ended, various Cardinals brought Pope Francis gifts and blessings. With that finished, the crowd began to disperse in every direction.

We headed to the Castle of St. Angelo, an easy walk from the Vatican, with a few others from our group.

Here is the castle’s history.

The castle was a great place to explore and provided excellent views of the old city. Boats cruised on the Tiber River, which ran in front of the castle. Vatican City was easy to see.

Tired and hungry, we exited the castle and walked across the ancient St. Angelo Bridge built by Emporer Hadrian. Restauranteers are not shy about recruiting customers, and one soon lured us into his outside seating area right on the street. After lunch, one of the younger members of our group had pinned a gelato place not far away. It was a great choice.

We needed to return to The Vatican for the next treat of the day. Our guides had secured tickets for the underground tour of the catacombs. No photos were allowed. It was a fantastic tour, though, with no air movement, the close quarters became humid and hot.

The tour ended in St. Peter’s Basilica, a magnificent cathedral. Its ornate columns, arches, and ceiling dazzled the eye. Michaelangelo’s Pieta was the highlight.

We exited to St. Peter’s Square and were met by more Swiss Guards in the fine regallia. It was time to find the Metro stop and return to the hotel.