Roman Holiday

Rome

Day 99; 4/14/2011

We docked in the port of Civitavecchia, Italy.  It is a lovely city north of Rome and I wish we’d had time to explore it, but this was our day for a nine hour tour in Rome and celebrate Ron’s birthday.  We boarded the bus and for one and a half hours, drove through the Roman countryside.  I was the ship’s escort on this trip so had to work a bit keeping track of errant passengers—and there were a few. At a rest stop one sweet little lady with a walker had her latte and just when we were supposed to be boarding the bus—went to use the bathroom. 

And then on to Rome. Soon we were in the city—heavy heavy traffic met us and stayed with us throughout the tour. It is Easter week and soon Palm Sunday.  Tourists are in Rome to visit the Vatican, the Citadel and St. Peter’s Basilica.

The first thing we saw was the original wall that circled for sixteen miles around the ancient city.  Much of the wall is still there and intact.  Then the ruins of the Roman baths. Everywhere we went, we saw signs of the ancient and glorious Rome. Statues, cathedrals, palaces and squares. As we entered the forum, all I could do was weep.  I have seen pictures of these ruins, I’ve heard the stories, but nothing can compare to being in the midst of the forum.  The coliseum left me awestruck.  Since this tour did not allow us to get out to walk around the forum, we could only see it as the bus slowly drove us around.

We must have taken a 1000 pictures as we made our way through the city. Then it was time for the Vatican.  We waited for half an hour in line to enter St. Peter’s Basilica. While we waited our eyes feasted on the exterior.  The columns, the statues, the courtyard, the marble. I took our little lady with the walker in through the handicap area where we waited for the others. The tour guides handed out listening devices so we could hear her throughout the tour. 

Once inside I was so taken by the beauty, I found it hard to breath.  Elegant, extravagant, exquisite, holy.  I walked around with my mouth open the entire time, at times so astounded, I couldn’t speak.  I was face to face with Michelangelo’s work.  Behind a plastic façade stood the magnificent statue of Mary holding her crucified Christ.  In a dome high above us was a signed painting by him. Many of what looked like paintings were actually mosaics, which  allowed visitors to take photos inside. I could go on and on, but suffice to say we were impressed, blown away, awed by the visuals depicting our Lord and the people who have brought Christ’s message through the ravages of history. 

After viewing the basilica, we went to lunch in a lovely Italian restaurant.  Red wine, salad, lasagna, tiramisu—all authentic and all delicious.  If you can believe it, several of the people from the ship didn’t like the lasagna because it didn’t have flour in it.  FLOUR—for Pete’s sake.  Ron and I thoroughly enjoyed the meal if not the company.

Then we were off again to complete the tour. We went through the more modern Rome, past more ruins—saw Circus Maximus and far too many places to mention. We stopped for an hour at a lovely Plaza  and were given 45 minutes to walk about and shop. Here things went a bit sour.  We were to meet at three and be on the bus by 3:15.  Several were late, but one little lady decided to go shopping for a hat at three.  The tour guide had to make two trips back to the plaza to find her.  People were ready to leave her there.  A taxi back to the ship would have run around $300.  Fifteen minutes later, she arrived with the tour guide, gaily showing off her purchase.  Sigh.

At any rate, despite the problem travelers—some who should not have been on the tour-we had a fantastic time in Rome.  Rome is more than photos of ruins and beautiful buildings and traffic. It is a feeling—it  is knowing how insignificant I am in the grand scheme of things.  It is a place where Christians lost their lives for their faith. It is history come alive.  I want to come back. As our tour guide says, you can’t see Rome in a day.  We made a valiant effort. 

We drove back to the ship and after cleaning up and getting dressed in fancy duds, spent the evening with Barbara and Waldo, our tablemates, who treated us to dinner in the elegant Pinnacle Dining room for Ron’s Birthday.  Great food, great conversation and great ambiance.  We say goodbye to Rome and set sail for Spain.