We get an early start and eat another breakfast in the train station before hopping a train to Rome. The train takes about an hour. Once in Rome, we feed the kids at the train station, get some money and make a pit stop. We warn the kids to stick close, especially since scooters and motorcycles do not have to stop at red lights. The best way to cross the street is to follow a local. We buy tickets for the day for the subway and buses. The kids are free, but try to squeeze more than one person through a turn style.
We take the subway up 2 stops-it is a bit crowded, but others get up so the kids can sit. After the subway, we hop onto a mini electric bus to the English College for our Mass tickets. The priest that was supposed to meet us is practicing for Sunday Mass, so we get the tickets and are invited to sit on rehearsal. The chapel here is beautiful and the acoustics are amazing. After about 10 minutes we take advantage of a free and clean toilet and go on our way.
We decided to take the kids to the Vatican. By the time we arrive it is close to 11 and the line is quite long. We stay anyway...ends up to be about 2 hours. As we near the entrance we notice people trying to cut in front of us or behind us. After standing in line for 2 hours, you get to know the people standing next to you. We had some Americans in front and Americans/Spanish behind us.
The first perpetrators are a father and son pair. Jason figures the father will ignore us so he goes for the son telling him in broken Italian that the line does not start here-he is 2 hours behind us. The son looks at his father, says something and they end up leaving. Background...the line (or que) is sacred in England, and no one would think of cutting in. Ever. Not so in Italy-this occurrence is very common.
The second attempt is a group of people who are trying to edge their way in front of us, I cut them off, by spreading the family out and give the man of the group a friendly glare. He ends up continuing his quest for a cut with each group behind us.
Once we are very near the metal detectors, we are also right next to where a bus/subway stop lets out. An Italian family walks right up and cuts in line. The people behind us immediately set into them. There was a yelling match and the Italians effectively ignored us all and cut in line anyway. I told the father that he picked a good place to sin.
Once at the x-ray machines, we are stalled again-Jason had his pocket knife with him. He hands it over and is told he can pick it up when we are done...don't think so, we just said goodbye to the knife.
There are 2 lines to go into St. Peters; one for Pope John Paul II's tomb and one to go into the church. We figured Pope John Paul II wasn't going anywhere so we picked the church. I will never attempt to visit the Basilica during Holy Week again. Half of it was cordoned off and I felt like a cow being herded through. The kids enjoyed the statues, but we will have to visit again during a slower time.
We leave to find some food, coffee, and gelato. We ate lunch in a piazza with a market that I made a visit to with a restless Jillian. I know that saffron in quite a bit cheaper here, so I was on the lookout. Unfortunately the guy selling it was already cleaned up. I did find someone selling bulk spice mixes though and I have enough to last a while-they make great pasta sauces by the way. We used the mini bus again and visit the Pantheon. We really didn't stay much longer as we knew the kids were tired and we had another long day in Rome tomorrow.
We had dinner in Orveito again, Jason spied a small pizzaria filled with locals. It was a tight fit with about only 10 tables and a couch and quite warm as well. Poor Griffen was so tired he started to fall asleep before the food arrived. The dad at the table next to us pointed at the couch and moved his bags off for us to lay Griffen down. Our pizza was fantastic and included a drink and coffee as well.
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