YIKES! Got up and had similiar breakfast. We got rolling about the same time. Hoofed it over to the Metro station and...UH! The station was closed! So, we tried Republica Station....Nope, closed. The Metro was SHUT DOWN. So, we're like, fine...I guess we take the bus. We hoofed it back to about halfway between the Republica Station and Termini Station to the bus station and...um...the drivers are on strike! We all just look at each other and say "Are your feet ready for this?" then we plot out what we think is the quickest way to the Vatican - Tomato street to Barbell...Did we end up going that way? NO! We got lost! Finally we found the river, though and walked North until we found a bridge to cross. We shuffled through the fallen leaves again. Once we crossed, we checked the map (Well, Maestro did) and found out we were WAY north, so we headed South along the river...we actually walked ALONG the river, which meant going down about 3-4 flights of stairs, because the river has big walls around it. We guessed for when it floods. Anyway, we walked one bridge and then climbed back up and started looking for Saint Angelo's Castle...We found a HUGE square building that looked like it might be a library or something. A bunch of "thinking" and "reading" statues were out front. Looking at MY map, it's the Polazzo di Glustizia...whatever that is. Right next to that, though, in the middle of nothing, is this HUGE castle. A fort, really. We paid 5 Euro (my last until I changed some more $) and climbed and climbed and climbed and climbed and climbed and by the time we reached the terrazo...my gosh! You could see the ENTIRE city! and THERE was the Vatican in all it's glory! The batteries in my camera started beeping at me, so I didn't take a lot of pictures, but Evan did! and I get copies of what he took. One thing I did get was the statue of Archangel Michael. BEAUTIFUL! Even though we just learned in Bible study that Michael is the protector of Israel and I don't belive this was a Jewish fort...it was an awesome statue! and the day hadn't really gotten going yet! We walked down a bridge COVERED with angel statues - BEAUTIFL! Then we headed over to the Vatican. We went inside and my heart went BOOM BOOM! And my eyes teared and my breath came fast and I felt like a little kid waiting for Santa...It was U N B E L I E V A B L E! I NEVER knew the Vatican was all that! Just when you think you've reached the end, you turn a corner and THERE'S MORE! I stepped into the prayer room and prayed and when I came out I was crying...and floating. It brings tears to my eyes again and catches in my throat. AND I'M NOT EVEN CATHOLIC! It was Awe-some! Words can't explain it. I could have sat there all day and not have gotten enough. Evan said the same thing. Maestro had to tear us away. I got pictures, but they don't do it justice.
I got new batteries after the Vatican. We tried to go see the Sistine Chapel (ALL the way around the back) but it was closed by the time we got there.
So, we headed back, deciding to try to find the "Jello Mold" (a fort - ruins - that is symbolized by a jello mold on the map - something Agostino) It was OLD and we walked around what we figured was the moat. It took us forever to find it. It looked like once you could go inside, but maybe they were renovating or something now. It was locked up tight...the moat was a bum's haven though! Well below street level.
After that, we decided we were starving and we'd head back toward home base for cheap food. We got lost again. We got back to the hotel around 4pm! We were going to eat at the same place we ate "lunch" yesterday, but they were closed - so we walked down just a touch more and I had a GREAT mushroom pizza!
Oh, forgot to mention the urgent phone call regarding work and Evan's phone dying and him having to use mine. That's 2 work calls now.
I want to go out and get some t-shirts for the kids for Christmas. I guess I'll check with the boys first. It's only 7pm - feels like about 9pm, though! My feet hurt.
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Got a couple of Christmas presents. I have JUST enough Euro for the train ride to the airport - 11. But I still have $.
Tomorrow we leave. I'm sad, but I can't wait to get home. I miss my hubby and my puppies and my own bed.
