Sept 26th Vatican & Tons of walking & The Colosseum at night

Yesterday I had a plan---an agenda.
I beat the unknown crowd to the shower and had my breakfast nicely set up by the kind nuns, and out the door I went.
I am five minutes away from the Train Terminal so I thought it would be an ideal spot to meet.
When I left the Oktoberfest with Grant, we exchanged emails and made plans to meet up in Rome as his travels led him here too. So I suggested the train terminal and I chose track 24.
Now, I know where track 24 is because I had a heck of a time finding the not so well marked info center down this side of the tracks. However, as I made my way to #24 I looked up to see how easy it would be for him to find it and I had to laugh when I saw all the signs addressing every number except 24! This would of coarse be the track I choose!Track 1-23 and 25 to whatever. I thought, he's a cop, they're smart, he'll find me. And he did---but he needed a coffee afterwards.
I forgot all about knee caps for the vatican so I had to go home to change. I sent Grant to the roof top to take in the perfect view of the city and I soon emerged a decent woman---ha ha ha.
With my Roma Pass I get free access to all transit systems and we metroed our way to the Holy Land. It's not difficult to see where it is because there is a mob of travelers also marching their way to it. And along the way you get more than a fair share of temptations thrown at you, do you speak english madame? do you want a tour sir? do you want to go into the vatican---no line up---sign up here, speak french? good deal for you...and on and on and on.......AND ON. But Claude taught me a good trick, when someone hands something to you (you are very prone to instinctively want to reach out) DON'T and you can simply keep walking without any delays---it works wonders. In Victoria I am use to greeting most people but here the trick is to keep walking and carry on---without so much paying too much attention to distractions (something you end up having to do otherwise you get sucked into any old racket of a deal).
The mob---ha---what a thing to say eh? But it feels like one, everyone out to see the same thing---it's quite extraordinary to see the sea of heads ahead of you, with you, and behind you. So Grant and I opted to go to the famous chapel first and after a brief wait we were in. The sistine chapel would be absolutely mind blowing if you actually had time to take it in. The crowd is so massive and jam packed that you have no choice but to walk straigth and keep going. We all must spill into rooms through normal doorways that seem so small with the volume of bodies that must cross it. You look up to see the marvelous paintings and you get gently smooshed against others because you've somehow slowed the flow. And trying to keep from loosing a friend becomes difficult, thankfully my traveling buddy was well over 6 feet tall and I could see his head above the others.
Oh I can't believe this---well I can--because it did happen---oh---don't frown now---we managed to try to take it all in and by the time I reached the 'shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!' room, I figured there must be something in here very, very, very special. All eyes are up to the ceilings, the police are vigilantly shhhushing people (this is a HOLY place people!) and everyone looks innocent as they try to take it the view. Well, people are so trying to figure out what they're looking at that the buzz of quiet talk is quite loud. So I did the same thing, I cranked my head back and took in the beauty above. The details of all of these paintings is quite breathtaking and the story unfolding appears very interesting (some things look familiar but it's always better to know the story before you go, then you can relate and exclame, oh this is so and so doing this, and it makes the experience a little richer, I think. I somehow managed to miss the holy grail of pictures, yes, I did, I missed the 'creation of man' the famous 'I touched your finger painting!' You can't go back! There no way you could possibly muscle your way back through the crowd. What happened? I asked myself, my eyes were wide open and I tried to see it all. I guess it would help if I knew ahead of time what room it was in and what part of the ceiling to look at. Oh well, I made sure to stare at the poster in the gift shop to make up for it. In the end, I was after all, in the same room and I'm happy with that.
Grant and I made it to the square and saw the window where the Pope would appear, but ofcoarse it remained nice and closed. The line up to St-Peter's Basilica was atrocious and I didn't have in me to stand in the sun with another crowd.
We walked to the Spanish stairs, looked at them, and carried on. To the Trevi fountain so Grant could see the site, and onto the National Museum of Rome.
Here you get all you could ever want to see in 'heads' and coins. I met Zeus, Apollo, Marcus Aurelius, Aphrodite, and about 20 other famous folks. It was however very intrieging to see the beautiful jewerly these women were adorned with. The detail in the stones and gems was delightful.
This museum is full of rescued frescos, mosaic floors, decorations, statues, heads of statues, busts, door knockers (very cool---huge lion heads biting on larger than life rings), and a large stock of period coins.
You leave there feeling a bit dizzy.
And after that, I suggested going back towards the Colosseum. This is a monument that I quite like and to go along with it, there are the ruins visible through the gates next door. It really is quite an impressive site.
By now the day was starting to cool off and our feet and legs were begining to take on that tired feeling.
My next suggestion led us to my pasta restaurant where I knew we would get delicious food, cold beer, and good service. My waiter was even happy to see me!
I had one last request of the day, to see the Colosseum at night.
Grant and I parted ways at the Metro and we wished each other well. He's going home to New Zealand a day before I go home to Canada.

And today, I am determined to go and find a lovely garden. I am absolutely craving green space and an atmosphere that is not crowded and even, dare I say it, quiet.
I think Rome is a great way to end a visit because going home from here will be like saying Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh after a tall glass of water.

It's 1015 and I must earn my Gelato today. The sun is shining brightly and life outside this little cafe is buzzing (well it's been buzzing since 0700).

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I'm getting a lot of love sent my way.
I can definitely feel it.
Un GROS merci
And know, that it's all coming back your way as you read this....xxxxDd