Italian Adventure: Roman Style Day 2

A day of holiness and accidentally walking all of Rome.  And it was a surprise national holiday ending the german occupation in Italy…or something?

What did I learn today?  Prepare yourself, a lot:

1.  Italians don’t do breakfast.  They are late risers, and customarily grab a cappuccino and a pastry at a nearby cafeteria or paticceria.  Did I mention that I drank approximately 12 cappuccinos per day?

 

2.  The Vatican Museum is gigantic.  Luckily we had a cute little Italian tour guide who broke it down nicely for us.

 
3.  “Only in the Sistine Chapel!”  You can’t take pictures of the Sistine Chapel because of copyright laws…dumb!

4.  St. Peter’s Basilica is beautiful and very ornate.  And covered in gold.

 

5.  NUNS.  Are everywhere and are cute and little and I almost joined them in their nunneryness.
 

6.  The Swiss Guard protect the Pope.  They may look like court jesters but beware!
  

7.  This reminded me of that scene from Hercules (yes, wrong country, but go with me) where he knocks down all the pillars.
 
8.  Having lived in the Loire Valley (AKA Land of Chateux and Castles) we have an appreciation for these guys, these guys being castles.

 

9.  G.E.L.A.T.O.  It became its own food group.
 
10.  Piazza Novona.  Fabulous fountain with some new creepy Italian friends.
 
11.  The Pantheon…where we camped out for a solid five hours and witnessed one of the funniest mimes ever.