Friday called for us to go out in 30 degree sun wearing jeans and tshirts, in order to get into the Vatican. As we arrived we saw a huge queue snaking around the open space in front of the Basilica and joined the end. We actually kept moving and were at security in about twenty minutes. People were then getting turned away if they were 'innapropriately dressed', including a family who had decided to completely jump the line.
Once inside St Peter's Basilica we walked around and tried to avoid tourgroups. Everywhere we looked there was another huge part in an alcove, or another side chapel; at one side there was a nun and a priest going into confessionals. We had a bit of a ponder about who the Pope confesses to, and carried on.
We saw the Pope's tombs and then queued to go up the main dome. The prices said that to walk it was €5 and for the lift up it was €7. Looking like there were a lot of stairs we opted for the lift. We then saw another sign further along that warned anybody who had the slightest ailments, or who wasn't an Olympic athlete, that there were 320 steps after the lift. Turned out it is 551 steps without the lift.
After a lot of slightly concerned looks, the queue moved forward and we were herded into a lift, past families with young children whose tickets said 'on foot'. Out of the lift we had a view of the Basilica from up high and the ant people below looked very small.
We hit the steps and strode up all 320 without too many stops. At the top it was pretty crowded but the views were awesome. We realised that we could describe each trip destination we had been well by it's roofs and layout - having been up something high everywhere. Back on the ground we wandered around looking for the Sistene Chapel for a while before admitting defeat and asking a nun where it was.
She directed us to the museum so we paid and followed more tour groups going through lots of amazingly painted rooms before eventually getting to the Sistene Chapel. Everyone was looking around in awe and a uniformed man at the front was shushing loudly and telling everyone to be quiet. We spent time looking around, craning our necks to see the ceiling and noting how it didn't look like there was a join of wall to ceiling - instead it just curved round.
After another quick walk around the outside of the Basilica we went back to the hotel to change into much less clothing. We went out and over to the Castel Sant Angelo and found a market so we wandered around before going to eat - lasagne and pizza called.
We ended our evening on the Spanish Steps watching people come and go, and getting in peoples' photos. One man decided to tell Claire that she was clearly 'Britney Spears!' and then proceeded to sing 'Hit Me Baby One More Time' at her.
After a few hours and after the sun had set we headed back to the hotel.
Stride like the rooster!
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