Day 5 - Rome, Naples, Sorrento

            We had a goal to get to the Vatican very early this morning, but our goal was modified when we had to get our tired bodies out of bed and pack up to leave Rome.  Since we hadn’t experience a Roman bus ride yet, I thought this might be the best way to travel.  It probably was longer than necessary, but provided some good entertainment as one bus rider yelled at the bus driver after he neglected to stop at his stop.  The rider complained and yelled that he was going to be late for work because of the negligent driver.

From the Dome of St. Peter's

            I couldn’t believe the line that had already formed to get into St. Peter’s, lucky for us it moved quickly.  Just like everything else in the world, times have changed over the last 20 years.  I remember just walking into St. Peter’s with no security check, now it’s like going through the airport security.  Once inside St. Peter’s the crowds were immense.  We skipped the pieta’ which is right at the entrance in hopes that later we’d be able to get closer.  I had to chuckle at a mass that was being held in one of the side chapel. Despite the constant hum of people talking they wanted reverence and told us to be quiet several times.  We were able to go into the crypt under the church to see some of the burials of the popes, but we didn’t get to see St. Peter’s bones, or at least bones from a 1^st century gravesite that could have been near where St. Peter was buried.

            After 45 minutes or so in the basilica and finally caught a quick glimpse at the Pieta’ and then we headed to the entrance of the cupola so we could climb the dome.  We left Jeff below as we learned he does not do heights.  Gratefully this part of our day was not crowded, I suppose it was not on the old-people tour itinerary -  too strenuous.  First we took the elevator to the level of the base of the interior dome and saw the artwork up close and all the little people down below in the basilica.  Afterwards, we climbed the narrow, curving, claustrophobic steps up to the dome.  The view from the top is amazing.  You can see all of Rome and beyond.  It was fun to sit and identify the neighborhoods and sites.  On our decent we were able to stop at the roof level and see the huge statues of the apostles that look life size when viewed from the piazza, but like giants when viewed up close.

            Our final stop at the Vatican complex was the Vatican Museum and although we had a timed reservation, I couldn’t believe how many people they had squeezed into the museum.  At one point we found ourselves body to body in the long hallway on our way to the Sistine Chapel moving like a school of fish traveling down a very crowded stream.  It was enjoyable to see the culmination of our efforts, Raphael’s School of Athens and Michelangelo’s Last Judgment and Sistine Chapel ceiling.  We laughed at the irony as people asked us to be quiet in the Sistine Chapel – it was their fault in the first place for over booking the museum.

            We took the metro back to our apartment where we had 30 minutes to eat a lunch and wait to get our luggage.  After a short 10 minute walk to Termini train station we were on our way to Sorrento, via Naples.  We arrive in Naples with just enough time to eat dinner and leave.  Gratefully we were directed, albeit after having to ask a bunch people where we were going, to a great, locals only pizza shop.  It was by far one of the best meals we had our entire trip.  The pizza was true Napolitano as were the people, the trashy neighborhood, the smells – everything!  After dinner we got ourselves a pastry, sofgliatelle, which is a Naples favorite. 

Our evening continued on a “locals only” theme as we took the local circumvesuviana train to Sorrento.  It was a local experience as I think we were the only tourists on the train.  In fact, the next day our tour guide chastised me for not taking “my guest” on a more comfortable train.  We arrived late at our hotel, Del Corso Hotel, but not so late we couldn’t walk around a get a gelato.  Lucky for us there was a really good gelateria just outside our hotel door and another one just a bit down the street.  I was impressed that Sorrento had a night life.  Many of the stores were open well past 10:00 p.m.