Rome solo

I still "pinch myself" on a Monday morning that I do not have to do the routine of so many.....get up and go to work.  To say I have been enjoying my 2-year "vacation" is an understatement.  I am counting my blessings, as well as getting reminded by my dear husband that my days as a barrista at Starbucks is just around the corner.

Meanwhile, I will enjoy Rome.

Which is what I did while Lyle worked all the next day.  It was a beautiful morning and I headed out early on the hotel bus to the center of Rome, getting dropped off by the ruins.  Armed with my map, I headed to Palatine Hill and the Forum, this time splurging on an entrance fee, complete with a narrated tour on headphones.  It started out well.

 But, the skies turned dark....

......and with no trees to hide under amid centuries-old stone columns, I was soaked.  No umbrella, no coat.  My headset also did not fare so well....it stopped working.

Frustrated and wet, I was determined to see Palatine Hill, since I paid for the ticket, right?  Now I had no idea what I was looking at, so just tried to enjoy the clearing sky and new sunshine in the old gardens.

All I knew is that is was the are of imperial palaces, even Nero's, and fairly recently being excavated.  But without a map (it was my umbrella in the rain) and the headset, I didn't get to understand the whole picture.  I wished that I was on a tour, like many schoolkids there, getting the story.  I turned in my headset, frustrated that they wouldn't refund my money, but this is Italy.

My other objective of the day was to see the Vatican.  Too tired to walk, I walked to one of only two metro lines in Rome (how can they dig a lot of tunnels in this land full of ruins?) and arrived across the river in time for a quick lunch at a small cafe.  Again, it started to pour.  But I ran through the streets and arrived at the Vatican museum, this time not bothering with the headphones.

I wish I would have had them.  This museum is like the Louvre.  By this time, my tired legs were just not ready to walk the 4 miles of displays....ancient statues, frescoes,  and paintings from throughout the centuries.  It was overwhelming.  But the Sistine Chapel is at the end of the museum, and that is what I came to see.  There it was....Michelangelo...."The Last Judgement" on one wall and "The Creation of Man" on the ceiling. I was surprised at how small it was, and how difficult to spot amid so many other paintings surrounding it.  There were plenty of security people telling people not to take pictures, although many still did.  I tried to keep from it, but did take a blurry one with my iphone from my pocket.  It's not worth sharing, but I was able to take some other photos of Raphaels frescoes....

As I sat there and soaked in the paintings, it was a God moment.

I headed on to Raphael's and Michelangelo's "project"....St. Peter's Basilica.  Another huge church, unlike anything I had ever seen before.  To say it is huge is an understatement!  It is immense.  Side chapels, marble statues, paintings, gold......it makes the churches of France look quite plain.  But this, after all, is THE church of all churches. After seeing Michelangelo's Pieta at the entrance, I just walked through the church and gazed at it all.  There was even a procession that came through, with choirs of all ages singing a familiar hymn.

Beautiful sunshine greeted me when I walked St. Peter's Square, but it was just one of those days.  The wind picked up and I honestly thought we were going to experience a tornado right there!

I had to run for shelter, again, and wait it out.  The temperature dropped and I found a shop to buy my only Italian souvenir....a sweatshirt.  It was getting dark and I headed back on the Metro to get on the bus to take me back to the hotel.  Both of us had a long and exhausting day and a romantic dinner in Rome was not on the agenda.  The hotel would have to do.

I flew back to Paris the next day,while Lyle had to stay another day to work.  I decided that if I ever get back to Rome again, it would really be good to be on a tour!  This is one city that is just too hard to see on your own.