Vatican City
Friday, May 20, 2005
Friday, May 20
Today was Vatican City day. After breakfast, we headed for the bus which took us to the subway, where we took a short ride to Vatican City, where we met our local guide.
On a personal note, I felt that our local guide was a little hurried during the whole time we were touring with her. We buzzed through St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel, but she spent a lot of time explaining the Sistine Chapel before we went in. It wasn't too bad, but again it seemed rushed.
After the morning whirlwind tour, we had lunch in the cafeteria near the Basilica. Spaghetti again, but very tasty.
The afternoon was a free day to spend in Vatican City and the surrounding area. I took Josh, Caitlyn, Evan, and Vanessa — my group from yesterday — and added Caleb and Scott. We took a tour down to see the necropolis below the St. Peter's Basilica, where we saw the remains for St. Peter and the newest burial site, John Paul II.
We came up out of the necropolis and explored more of the Basilica. Shortly afterward, a couple of the other students showed up. It seems they managed to get separated from Joe Keever and couldn't find him. They were all on a tour of the cupola and got separated. Fortunately, they ran into us.
After a little more sightseeing/picture taking in the Basilica, we hooked up with Flavia and the rest of the group and left for the subway ride back to the bus and the hotel.
Dinner tonight was at the hotel again. We had a first course of pasta with a cream sauce and mushrooms, then chicken roated with rosemary (rosemario), and finally, a fruit pastry for dessert.
Tomorrow is the optional excursion to an Etruscan village, near the Mediterranean Sea.