When in Rome...

Do as the Romans do, so I did, I ate pasta, pizza and queued for hours at the Vatican City.

Before I got there though, there I was in Rimini, friends heading back to wherever, but I hadn't booked a flight. Mmmm, I've never been to Rome I thought to myself, and it's just a few hours down the railtrack, people always rave about it, so off I went to the station and bought a train ticket to Rome. Unfortunately, the train was late arriving and I missed a connection in Ancona, I had maybe a minute to catch it, but the train left, not from a normal platform but from platform 2 North or something silly like that, Platfrom 2 was easy to find but 2 north was not an extension of 2, like they have in Netherlands, a 2A, 2B type setup. 2 north was hidden round the corner, by the time I found it, the train had gone, I wasn't the only one. So I wasted 3 hours wandering around Ancona and caught the next one arriving too late in the day to do anything worthwhile.

So, early start next morning and along with Steve who I met in the hostel, went off to see the Pope, arriving at the Vatican City around 9am, there was a bit of a cue to say the least, it ran along about 150m of a wall, round the corner for another 50m at least. What I didn't notice until the Monday was at the top of the queue, it went around the corner again for another 100m and then another 50m round another corner, ridiculous, and it wasn't even opening until 10am. In longest queue terms, second only to that at Fratton Park for FA Cup semi final tickets, Portsmouth v Liverpool in 1992. Well, it was too much so took a look at St Peter's square and the basilica. Then onto the Colleseum, queues here not so bad, just 30 minutes or so and we were in. From some angles, it's great, from others not so, I still think it looks better from outside rather than in, that's just my opinion.

After that, I kind of followed a tourist map to pick out a few sites, but in the end realised that in Rome you can just walk anywhere and you'll see something of interest. It is a pretty remarkable place, churches, museums, ancient roman ruins, fountains, sculptures, grand architecture, the city is full of it, I think it would take quite some time to get to know Rome.

On the Saturday, I had a good night out in Rome, watching South Africa win the World Cup final with some English people ;) and some USers , who needed some help with the rules, but I think they enjoyed it. Met a few people and just explored some of Rome's nightlife, that's what the Romans do!

Sunday the Vatican City was closed! I can't believe that really, if someone is given a country to themselves, then the least he should do is keep the bloody borders open seven days a week, especially where there is clearly an excessive demand to visit. Mondays it's only open a half day too, so I went along early again, was there before 9, doors opened at 10, I was in by around 11. Well, it's full of impressive paintings, sculptures and of course wall and ceiling murals, I don't have to explain to anyone what it's like, I think everyone knows the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo's work etc. Glad I have been there and seen it, I won't go again though as there's just far too many groups and people there. Be warned!