Frazier Blog

Woke up and went to request I stay in the same room.  I was in a six person room and was supposed to switch to an eight but they let me stay and didn’t even ask for more money.

Headed back to the Pantheon since it was closed yesterday. Took the 64 bus. Two stops away a woman starts yelling about her wallet. She has been pick pocketed. It happened at a stop and she did not realize it until after we had already left. Rick called it, line 64 tourists and   pickpockets alike. I was already paranoid about it because of many warnings and Rick saying they dress up as tourists or businessmen. It got so bad I thought a priest and nun were running a coup on me. I made them recite a rosary before I believed them.

Pantheon was crazy. Can’t believe the Romans were able to build something so grand so long ago. Funny watching the birds fly around inside thanks to the big hole.

Tried to do lunch at Tiapiacera, a Rick Stevesrecommendation but I think it is gone. We will see how this place is.  Great lunch. Pasta, salad, some meat and a generous glass of wine for 10 Euro. Score. Off to the Vatican.

The line was huge for non ticket holders. Biggest line for anything I have seen yet. I had a tour lined up with the guide my parents used last year. Being with her or having a reservation allowed the awe and fear inspiring line to be bypassed. I still can’t believe people don’t buy these tickets ahead of time. Guess I can’t talk too much as I got lucky in Florence.

 Cool to be in the Vatican. My parents build up the tour guide so much.  However she faced a perfect storm.  A massive crowd roamed the museum since it was closed yesterday for the holiday of St. Peter and Paul. At 2:30 it was the heat of the day and the group I joined was a family of three boys 12-14 and two moms and a grandma. My understanding was that this was a tour of the whole Vatican but I became worried when one of the moms told the guide her kids were tired. We speedballed through the first part of the museum with the goal of getting to the Sistine Chapelquickly. The kids were being brats the whole time. Got great history from the guide. Trying to reach the Sistine reminded me of the metro yesterday.

The Sistine Chapel is amazing!  Got a great painting by painting explanation from the guide.  Once she finished I could tell the tour was over. Ah. I had not prepared anything else because I thought I had a guide for the museum and St. Peters.  I asked her where to go next and she gave me some tips.  I toured the rest on my own.

Rafael was cool but should be done before the chapel. Back in the chapel I listened to the Rick Steves audio guide. He did a good job but the tour guide was better.
Missed the cutoff to hike the dome so went to St. Peters. Stunning. So gargantuan. Mass was going on and I felt it would be appropriate and a great experience to attend. Pretty darn cool receiving communion in such a historic place. Left the Vatican.

Don’t get me wrong i had a great time. I was just expecting to have to do less work. Seeing the sistine and hearing some of the guides explantions put a nice backstory and finish to all of the art and building I had seen up until this point.

Got real lost. Shop keeper pointed me in the right direction. Got on the #40 bus. I got off a big shopping area found a film store that had a Memory card for 22 Euro. 3 times less than I had seen before! No more deleting photos. Yay!

Really tired once back at the hostel. Tried to see if the girls were doing the festival thing but did not hear from them. Went to dinner at a place with good Google reviews. They moved me three times to accommodate groups. The bruschetta was great. My main course tasted bad. Or maybe I just did not like the style. I felt it was too doughy and cheesy. I love cheese but not mush.

Checked out the hostel/bar next door as it was one I looked at. Did not like the vibe. Felt as if I was at a frat party. In fact, during dinner I watched someone get iced complete with a rousing “you got iced, you got iced” chant, classy.

As I was turned to leave I recognized a face, my buddy Piort from Switzerland! Said hi and bye.  I wanted to stay for a beer but was exhausted. 

 Tried to find good gelato to wash down my lackluster dinner. But the places I found went from bad to worse.

Not every night can remind me of a fairytale. The more I reflect on this I think the poor dinner is what really put me in a sour mood.

My back is not getting much better. It hurts to stand sometimes. It’s not pain everywhere just in a concentrated spot.
Back at the hostel checked my email and got up to leave but heard a conversation about Canadian accents and had to join. However when they went to leave for a bar a bus ride away I called it a night. Went and packed and then passed out in my now A.C.-less room. Ya, it disappeared; machine and all during the day and an anemic fan replaced it.

Tired!

Paul