Musei Vaticani e Basilica di San Pietro

Allie and LT pose in front of St. Peter's.

May 28, Saturday, they rose early.  In fact, LT was so eager for his cappucino that he left Eli and Allie selecting their wardrobe and took his breakfast alone.  Federico "drew" him another superb cappucino--dark rich, sweet coffee with a marbled swirl of whipped cream and coffee on top.  LT savored his cup, munched on a croissant, yogurt, banana and contemplated the day ahead which was focused entirely on the Vatican--first La Capella Sistina for the Michelangelo frescos and then the actual Basilica.

The crowded piazza of St. Peter's.

They walked up Via Nazionale and descended the stairs to Piazza Republica Metro.  Six stops later, after crossing the Tevere, they got off at Octaviano and followed the crowds around the large bastion, fortress walls of the Vatican until they found their place in a half-mile long line to gain entrance to the Vatican Museums, which house the Sistine Chapel.  The line was thick, long, slow and filled with an assortment of Roman beggars and touts--seeking to sell quick tickets for 35 Euros that let tourists avoid the lines.  We waited patiently, and in less than 30 minutes were inside.  A savvy and kind ticket seller inside gave us a discount and we mounted the stairs.  After traversing numerous long, long, long corridors lined with sculptures, tapestries, and various other art treasures, they descended a few steps and reached "the big bisquit" -- Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel.

The crowds on the floor were more numerous and more tormented that the damned souls in Michelangel's "Last Judgement" on the east wall.  It was more crowded than any dance floor any of them could remember.  Nevertheless, they stared in wonder at the ceiling and the east wall.  They also admired the various frescos on the lower walls--done by Michelangelo's friends--Raphael, Dominicino, and Botticelli.  It was worth going through all the hassle to get there, but honestly, to really enjoy the pictures, it would be easier to buy a picture book or look at the pictures on the internet.  To LT, who had last visited the Sistine Chapel in the early 80's, it looked as if the restorations of the 90's had made things a bit too shiny and cartoonish.  It was a little darker and deeper back before the restorations.

One gallery on the way to the Sistine Chapel

Inside St. Peter's.

Next, the trio walked around the walls and entered the piazza Pio XII surrounding the Basilic di San Pietro.  They got in another long, long line, this time in the sun, but before 20 minutes had expired entered under the loggia of the church.  They were funneled into a narrow doorway, and gained entrance to the basilica.  On their right, they saw Michelangelo's "Pieta" shrouded in bullet-proof glass, in front of them, they saw the "baldachino" which covers the high altar.  Every religious treasure was on so grand a scale, that they felt like Lilliputians.  Also, the crowds were temendous.  All the pews and chairs had been removed, so 1000's of tourists could mass and mingle on the marble floor.  When they could stand the crowds no longer, they exited  and sought a friendly place to eat.

"il pranzo" at Hostaria del Bastioni just outside St. Peter's.

After several false starts, they found the Hostaria del Bastioni, right across the street from where they had lined up for the Vatican Museum.  They sat down at an outside table, protected from the sun by a canvas awning and ate insalata mista, calamari, sea bass (bronzino), and Verdichio vino bianco.  The waiter was friendly and helpful, and the hungry, happy tourists agreed that lunch was the best part of the day.  When the cheese course had been finished, they walked back down Via Ottaviano and took the metro to Piazza di Spagna.

LT and Allie pose in front of the Spanish Steps.

They got out at Piazza di Spagna and walked up and down the steps.  The sun was bright and hot and the Italian marble looked brilliant.  They walked down the Via Condotti--gazing at the Cartier, Bulgari, and Prada shops. 

Allie in Via Condotti; Spanish Steps in background

Back at the Spanish Steps, they saw the Keats Shelley Museum--Keats died in an apartment right next to the steps, and regretted that it would not open for another hour.

They re-joined the Metro, got off at Republica, and walked down Nazionale, Agostino di Petris until they reached their hotel.

Saturday evening, they once again travelled down Via Nazionale past all the shops (and past St. Paul’s Within the Walls—the Anglican Church in Rome).

LT standing just outside St. Paul's within the Walls--
the Anglican Church in Roman Catholic Rome

Then, they continued down Via Nazionale and returned to the Sicilian-influenced restaurant “Melo,” where, once again, they admired the views of ancient Rome.  Trajan’s column was right in front of them, and off to the left was a long line of broken Roman columns.  Inside the restaurant, they took their familiar “booth” where, after conferring with Vincenzo, Allie had grilled calamari, Eli had veal alla Siciliana, and LT chose lamb chopettes.   They once again opted for a litre of the light house “bianco” which seemed so easy to enjoy.

Happy diners at "Melo" restaurant.

The Ancient Roman Forum--Discovering a Sicilian Restaurant

Victor Emmanuel Monument from the Ciao Roma bustop

Friday, May 27, LT, Eli, and Allie got up, had terrific coffee (the coffee machine reportedly cost 5000 Euros) in the Giuliana breakfast room, and then bought tickets for the "Hop on, Hop off" 24 hour Ciao Roma bus ride.  This meant they could take a bus to each of 10 choice Rome tourist destinations--Termini Train Station, Palazzo Berberini, Via Veneto, Colloseo, Vatican, etc.  There were ear plugs to give them a proper British-Italian overview of the history of each stop, and they had wonderful seats on top of a double-decker bus.

LT in the Borghese Gardens

They hopped off at the Borghese Gardens and walked down cool shady lanes lined with tall green trees.  They had hopped to visit the art museum, but though it was only Friday, the museum was booked up until Tuesday.  As a compromise, they booked for the following Sunday, the day they will be returning from their one-week Mediterranean cruise.  Walking back through the paths of the Borghese Gardens, they hopped back on the Ciao Roma bus at Via Veneto, and this time got off at the Palatine Hill.

It was nearly lunch time, so when the three travellers discovered how to enter the Ancient Roman Forum, they walked around to the other end of the Colliseum, and entered what had been one of Eli and LT's favorite restaurants back in the early 80's--Al Gladiatore.  Alas, the restaurant is not offering real quality food anymore.  It is now one step above a pizzaria.  Being very hungry, however, the trio made the best of it, ordering a bland bianco wine and three salads.  After restoring their energy, they marched back across to the entrance to the forum and the Palatine Hill and travelled back into ancient time.

At 2:00PM, they each paid 12 euros and entered the ancient Roman Forum.  Bordred by the huge hulk of the Colliseum at one end, and the great white "wedding cake" of the Victor Emmanuel monument on the other side, they strolled among the green grass and red poppies that punctuate the 2000 year old ruins of Roman civilization.

In the hot, humid, Roman afternoon, they walked past ancient "shops" and what must have been apartments in the forum.  Every 50 yards, there seemed to be 2 or 3 forlorn Roman columns--all that remained of complete temples.

Allie and the Arch of Constantine

After LT took his usual siesta, they went to "Melo" a Sicilian restaurant recommended by the Hotel owner.  It was incredible.  To get there, they walked "down" Via Nazionale towards Piazza Venezia.  They spent a good deal of time asking directions and going off in various directions.  They asked 3 or 4 different people for directions and never quite got the correct information.  Finally, however, they crossed behind some ruins, got a distant view of the Colliseum in the pink twilight and, looking up an imposing wide staircase, saw the door to "Melo."  Standing outside with a big smile on his face was a waiter they would later come to know as Vincenzo. 

The sunset view from the steps outside Melo restaurant

Melo was quiet and nearly empty.  Sicilian folk music was playing, a guitar hung behind the cash register and the environment immediately communicated peace and pleasure to the hungry travellers.  They sat at a red leather booth, ordered un litro de bianco, followed by ensalada mista, la bella carbonara, then Allie had pasta with porcini mushrooms, LT had veal saltimboca--veal stuffed with parma ham--and Eli had veal in lemon caper sauce.  The food was very tasty, the best they had eaten in Rome.  Vincenzo had immediately sensed that we wanted to share our portions of the salad and carbonara, so when he brought the food to the table, he brought extra plates for the salad and the carbonara had already been doled out into three tiny plates.  Listening to the Sicilian music, eating the flavorful food, complimenting Vincenzo on the freshness of the ingredients, they spent a happy dinner hour together.  When Vincenzo (a native of Messina) heard they were going on a cruise to Sicily, he gave them a recommendation for a restaurant in Taormina--"Sperlonga" in the Naxos Gardens.   Taormina is about 20 kilometers from Messina and has a terrific Green temple that is a "must" for all sight-seers.  Vincenzo gave them the card of the restaurant and wrote a note on the back.  Suddenly,  by this kind act, it felt as if the American travellers had been made honorary Sicilians.  After LT had a de-cafe expresso, the three walked back up Via Nazionale, turned right at Agostino De Pretis and re-entered their hotel.  They all slept soundly that night.

Spaghetti Carbonara at Melos

The Hotel Giuliana--Arrival in Rome

May 25 and 26.  On Wednesday, May 25, LT and Eli took a 7:00AM US Air flight out of LAX.  They got to Charlotte, North Carolina in 4 hours, had a 3 hour layover, then tucked in for a 9 hour flight to Rome.  When they arrived at the Leonardo Da Vinci Airport in Rome on May 26, the temperature was in the high 80's.  After arriving at the crowded Termini train station, they wheeled their suitcases 5 blocks down Via Cavour, and after a bit of "orienteering" and heading in the wrong direction, they located Hotel Giuliana 3 blocks from Santa Maria Maggiore on a street called Augostino De Pretis.  It is run by a wonderful Indian woman named Giuliana who reminded them of Happy Juma who owned the pre-school where Hillary and Allie spent so many happy years.  They have a quiet room # 20, with a high ceiling and air-conditioning. 

LT and Eli grabbed a quick lunch at a small place around the corner--"Turn right and right and right again," said Giuliana.  LT opted for spaghetti carbonara while Eli toyed with un insalata mista.   They then napped for 2 hours, had the hotel ring them up and at 5:00PM headed for the train station where they hoped to meet Allie when she completed her connections from London Heathrow.  She had just finished her junior year studying at the University of Kent in Canterbury.  The trip to Rome and the cruise to Sicily, Crete, Athens, and Ephesus was a sort of graduation present for the student and the proud parents. 

At the Termini Station LT and Eli carefully studied the faces of each passenger who arrived at Gate 28.  No Allie on the 5:30PM.  So they  were a little worried  No Allie on the 6:00PM.   And they thought maybe she missed the "Leonardo Express" train connection.   But Allie did arrive on the 6:30PM and her happy parents gleefully took over their daughter's suitcase and led her down the long corridor from Gate 28 to the main station concourse and out onto  Via Cavour toward our Hotel.

For dinner, the threesome took a taxi ride (9 Euros) to the Pantheon and again wandered around a bit until they found "L'eau de Vive" recommended in the Frommer Guide.The speedy taxi ride was entertaining itself and provided an adrenalin rush as we marveled how the driver could thread the car between buses and motorscooters over cobblestone and winding alleys.  Walking around the outside of the Pantheon, they marveled at the small long bricks out of which it is composed.   Built in 27 BC by Agrippa, then improved in the 2nd Century AD by Hadrian, it is one of the most impressive and best preserved ancient buildings in Rome.  The "Eau de Vive" restaurant is run by a lay order of Franciscans and offers wonderful food.  After entering on the ground floor and walking through the "ordinary" dining area, they climbed up a winding staircase to the real showcase dining room--with high painted ceilings--not exactly by Tiepolo, but very nice and sort of like Tiepolo--and had a wonderful meal. The lay missionary nuns from different countries and dressed in floor length colorful robes provided an impeccable service to the 80 or so lucky customers. We began with salad and vegetable crepes, then had chicken or lamb chops, finished off by a great bowl of sorbet or vanilla ice cream with applesauce. Just before the dessert course, there was a pause and prayer reading followed by chorus of Ave Maria in which all were invited to participate. The taxi ride home through the nearly empty Roman streets was quite an adventure, as the driver weaved and swerved through the traffic lanes.