Sun.30^th.Oct.

Up at 5.45am.  Jan is determined to see a procession we’ve been told is taking place from Castel San Angelo to St. Peters.  Fair enough!!  We miss the train by minutes and waited half an hour for the next.  A walk along the embankment and we arrived at the castle right on 8am.  It was a pleasant experience to walk the streets without crowds of people.  Something we would remind ourselves of later.  A few people were congregating in the piazza, the women, heads covered by white lacy scarves.  A band started to arrive in dribs and drabs and it was clear something was occurring.  We walked up towards St. Peters and drank some coffee, and waited.  Eventually, at about 9 we saw some action.  A man addressed a growing crowd, in Spanish, the band struck up and incense burners were ignited.  They were off, singing a slow march dirge, men in purple robes carrying a platform with a large and heavy looking crucifix.  Those women swinging the incense burners and other pilgrims, not helping the carriers, walked backwards, very slowly.  I know that Jan had expected to see gaudily dressed clerics carrying religious paraphernalia and was a little disappointed, but it helped to pass the time.  We made our way to St. Peters Square where a girl offered us a tour of the Vatican museum, including the Sistene Chapel for €25 each.  After some hesitation we took up her offer, attracted mainly by the promise that we would not have to queue!!  By now there were thousands of people in the square, most of them in the queue.  The guide was brilliant, an American who knew his subject well.  We pushed and shoved our way with the rest of a group about 30 strong to the entrance of the museum, a walk of at least half a mile and just made it inside before it closed at 12.30.  We then were given a detailed explanation of what we would see in the Sistene chapel, prior to going in as silence is demanded inside.  There was then the ordeal of half walking, half running through the crowds in the museum to get to the chapel before it closed.  As we approached the chapel down a staircase, jammed in a crowd four wide and steaming it became clear that there was a similar crowd coming up a staircase from the opposite direction.  Horrendous!!  What a scrum, we pushed and shoved our way into the most beautiful room in the world and all I could think was, “get me out of here” , how sad!!  We fought our way to the back of the room and found a little space where we could view the walls and ceilings in relative comfort and I have to say I now know what all the fuss is about, spectacular artwork and I would hate to have missed it but the whole experience left me disappointed.  It should have been a unique and enjoyable event in my life and I felt a little let down.  It was a relief to escape at the end of the tour and explore the wide open spaces of the cavernous St. Peters Basilica.  Enormous, I’m tempted to say, just another church but even in a country full of churches this one is special.  We stayed maybe 30 minutes but then had to go off in search of gelato and beer.  The whole morning had been an endurance test, I ached from head to foot, I was carrying a rucksack which was not particularly heavy but awkward and Janet, although uncomplaining was clearly suffering too.  Found gelateria and administered ice cream first aid.  Headed for home.  This sightseeing is not for the weak and unfit, there were people in our party in wheelchairs, how their carers coped I don’t know.  An unforgettable experience!!  A word of advice for anyone reading this and planning to stay at Camping Flaminia.  There is what I would guess is a dog kennels nearby and the only thing which has spoiled our stay here is the constant, relentless barking of a large number of dogs, on one night I don’t think Jan slept at all.  Apart from that it’s great.  Monday morning, a lay in and get some housework and washing done.  Maybe venture into town in the afternoon and enjoy Rome by night.  Watch this space.

Mon.31^stOct. Took it easy this morning.  As promised, did some washing and housework.  Put some stuff on facebook and had scrambled eggs for lunch.  Another beautiful day, cloudless sky.  After lunch decided to have an hour’s siesta before setting out for Rome.  Laid down, dogs started barking and two workmen set to work with the noisiest leaf blowers known to man.  Not a chance of a kip!!  Took myself outside and laid in a chair in the sun, trying to ignore the noise.  It will be a relief to get away to somewhere quiet (although I’m not sure such a place exists in Italy).  Took the train into town, walked to Vatican to post cards to get Vatican post mark on them.  Walked back to Via di Corso, Jan’s favourite street, checking out all the jewellers on the way.  Looked for two restaurants recommended in Lonely Planet Guide, both no longer in existence!!  Found a small place with an attractive menu and took a chance.  Fabulous!!  Started with wild boar smoked ham, truffle and pecorino cheese, exquisite!  Next was tagliatelli, with red snapper roe and truffle, delicious with a main course of Rabbit stew for me and Lamb chops for Jan with French fries and spinach.  Accompanied by beer, red wine and fizzy water.  For sweet, tiramasou, coffee and brandy completed a sumptuous and memorable meal.  A great way to see in my birthday.  The bill was horrendous but heh!!  You only live once.  Birthday tomorrow.