I’ll jump ahead a bit in today’s photos. We are on a bus. Most of us strangers. Talking about either what our interests are or topics that some may wonder should be including; politics, religion and art in the same conversation? Why not? There was a time where there was no boundary between those 3 topics.
We leave @ 7:45 by bus to visit the Vatican, with a new guide, Rachel Potts. We will see the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica.
http://www.rome-museum.com/?gclid=CKOwqZuzq7sCFYUWMgodEQ8AUA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vatican_Museums
http://www.museivaticani.va/3_EN/pages/MV_Home.html
http://www.aviewoncities.com/rome/vaticanmuseum.htm
And, a “virtual” tour, without the crowds –awesome to get so close, which as visitors, no photos allowed:
http://www.openculture.com/2013/05/take_a_3d_virtual_tour_of_the_sistine_chapel_st_peters_basilica_.html
Yes, we have to “queue up” everywhere we go. Luckily, we have tickets already purchased. In many of the location we visit, the line waiting to just purchase the tickets are long, So far, no rain to hinder our treks. To wait in the rain and cold would not be a preferred way to tour. After getting to the Vatican entrance point, find we cannot use our “Whisper” devices. Instead, must use the “Vatican authorized” and additionally paid for equipment.
After our visits to the various Vatican locations arranged for us, a short stop at a shop just outside of St. Peters. Savelli’s Mosaic Art Gift Shop that was filled with many beautiful and expensive things. Such craftsmanship by the people they employ.
http://www.savellireligious.com/en/content/4-info-savelli-group
http://www.deliciousitaly.com/guide/central-italy-regions/lazio-guide/lazio-handicrafts/item/1493-savelli-mosaic-art-school-rome.html
We are left to get lunch on our own, which at times is preferred. The weather is nice, so Carol & I get sandwiches and drinks from a roadside vendor. We sit on a curb and “people watch.” We see many of the high level religious men also stepping out from the Vatican area to get a bite to eat. So many have their heads covered with a colored cap or biretta (3 or 4 corner hat). We wonder, why all the colors? I have seen photos of the pope with white. Cardinals, of course, like the bird, red. Bishops wear purple. The black though, with different color tufts on top? Why?
Here is the answer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biretta
After lunch was “free time.” We opted to take the bus back to the hotel area and try to visit one of the nearby churches that has a Caravaggio painting. Found the church was not open that day for visitors. So we went meandering around other places that we had not yet seen. A nice walk on a lovely afternoon.
We meet the group for dinner @ Ristorante Cotto on Via Torino 124
http://www.cottoroma.it/index.php?option=com_admirorgallery&view=layout&Itemid=105
The food is delicious and artistically presented. The discussion at our table was very “intense.” Should the Roman Catholic church sell some of the valuable art pieces to help the poor? Pope Francis he expressed the need for the rich to help the poor. From what we viewed as property of the church, is some pricey art. Needless to say, we don’t call the shots nor have insight into any plans.
After dinner, we are served another variation of many on tiramisu. We then walked back to the hotel to rest before another busy day.
Photo 1. Is our group on bus to Vatican area, Most talking about, what will we see?
Photo 2. Shows a night photo I took of St. Peter’s Basilica from our hotel rooftop. Beautiful.
Photo 3. Our table group of 10 discussing politics and religion (-:
Click below for today's online photo album.
https://picasaweb.google.com/magwheel44/2013C2CDay18of28
