Despite having the best of intentions we seemed to get a bit of a slow start this morning and did not leave the hotel until around midday. In spite of the sunshine it was still bitterly cold as we made our way towards Vatican City and there were huge piles of dirty snow on most of the street corners. Just as we reached the walls of the Vatican we saw a bemused looking gentleman being loaded into an ambulance. He had blood pouring from a cut on his forehead and we guessed that he had slipped on the icy pavement. A warning to take care, as if we needed it!

In spite of the lack of signs to direct us (a common failing in Rome it would seem) we found our way to St Peter's Square in front of the famous St Peter’s Basilica. To our horror there was a queue of about 5,000 people (well nearly) waiting to go in, never mind the fact that it is the middle of winter. We bravely joined the line, but were soon approached to see if we would like to join a tour and avoid the queues and we decided that we would.

Our tour guide, Anthony, was an Englishman so at least we could understand his accent which was a bonus. He led us out of the square and, after a short detour into a café, he took us around the block to The Vatican Museum. One of the largest museums in the world, apparently, and it certainly felt like it! To be fair, he took us round several galleries and rooms full of the most gorgeous paintings, sculptures, tapestries, mosaics and other artefacts and gave us succinct and perfectly adequate explanations of everything we saw.

Not being the world’s best sightseers our interest and enthusiasm was beginning to flag just a little bit by the time we reached the ever so famous Sistine Chapel and those glorious paintings and frescoes by Michelangelo. However, it was indeed worth the visit and we wouldn’t have wanted to miss it. The last time Amanda was here was probably more than 40 years ago which is a little scary to admit to. At that time they were just going to start cleaning up the ceiling and today it is certainly much improved for all their hard work. The colours are much more vibrant and the figures depicted are much clearer than before.

After spending some time in the Chapel we left by the quick route and ended up back by the entrance to St Peter’s. Luckily the crowds had all but disappeared by now and, our tour at an end, we were able to enter the Basilica and explore at our leisure. It is indeed an imposing building, the largest church in the world, full of religious paintings, sculptures and other artefacts all in sumptuous surroundings. It is certainly a clear reminder of the vast power and wealth wielded by the Roman Catholic Church.

It is all beautiful as many visitors before us will have documented. Of special mention, on the right as you enter, is the timeless Pieta by Michelangelo. It is such a calm and peaceful piece and such a pity that it can now only be viewed from a great distance and behind bullet proof glass. In that long ago time when Amanda visited before there was no glass and you could go right up close and experience its beauty close up. Isn’t it a pity that some people, by their actions, have to spoil things for those people who come after?

One last thing we had to do was go to the top of the Cupola. These days they charge you for the privilege! To save time (that’s our story!) we took the lift to avoid the first 200 stairs, but there were still 320 more stairs up to the top and a good many of those seemed close to being vertical! Nevertheless we hopped up those stairs in record time, like the young spring chickens that we are, and were soon at the viewing balcony. Just a little warm maybe, and breathing just a little faster than normal but nothing to be embarrassed about!! We stepped out and walked all the way round admiring the wonderful view of the city in the late afternoon sunshine. Amanda isn’t all that good with heights but managed quite well and was able to go right up to railing without panicking too much. Looking around we became aware that they don’t have any really tall buildings in Rome … other than where we were standing, of course!

The descent was much less strenuous than the climb up and we soon reached the ground again. We took a leisurely walk back to our hotel along the bank of The Tiber where in spite of the chilly air, various buskers were playing their music in the shadow of the walls of the Castel Sant’ Angelo.
It was all very pleasant and a lovely way to experience Rome.

Back at the hotel we caught up with a lot of internet stuff and then decided to make the effort to go out to eat as it was our last night in Rome. In any case we were very ready for an early dinner, or was it an incredibly late lunch? We certainly hadn't had a single bite or (more to the point) a drink since breakfast! Anyway, because it was so cold we didn't actually make it all that far, just to a little restaurant a whole 2 minutes walk away. The restaurant was downstairs, and there wasn't another soul inside. Was this a bad choice? Actually the food was really good and other diners soon arrived so all was well and we had soon eaten and drunk far too much as per usual!!