(these photos are not of the Sistine chapel...when I get from from SL, I will update here..)
Today, our friends SL and LM arrived. They will join us for the rest of Rome and Italy.
Now we start with all the must-see attractions of ancient Rome. To do this, we needed a guide, it is really not possible to see Rome on our own, there is just too much history and not easy to drive around Rome. We had booked a personal guide; and that way we will be able to stop and rest whenever we need to.
I took some hours in the morning to go to a craft shop to get some yarn. The place I wanted to go to, had close and wonderfully, the lady next door gave us another address. We took a cab there and very quickly I was able to get 20 balls of cotton/viscose yarn. I, not speaking Italian and the salesman not a word of English, we managed to communicate...amazing! He clambered up a ladder to pull out 2 boxes of the colour I wanted. I am so satisfied with my purchase and they were for a pretty good price at 3 euro a ball. Light cotton, just right for Singapore weather. (Ha...I have already started to knit with them).
We met with our guide at the lobby of the hotel and she took us straight to the Vatican museum - we spent the afternoon there. It is a must-see for all visitors to Rome - the Vatican museum, Sistine chapel and St. Peter Basilica. We didn't have to wait long to get in, surprisingly we were told there were not that many people, but to us, it was CROWDED! My impression is that there are just too many things to see - sculptures everywhere, paintings everywhere, tapestries everywhere, mosaic art everywhere - it was just too much - very difficult to appreciate. It is not like some museums, there is great "show" of a small piece history; and a painting or sculpture standing so prominently on its own and all eyes on it. Here, everywhere there is art and masterpieces, and you can't stop and to appreciate every single one. All become so common.
I took some hours in the morning to go to a craft shop to get some yarn. The place I wanted to go to, had close and wonderfully, the lady next door gave us another address. We took a cab there and very quickly I was able to get 20 balls of cotton/viscose yarn. I, not speaking Italian and the salesman not a word of English, we managed to communicate...amazing! He clambered up a ladder to pull out 2 boxes of the colour I wanted. I am so satisfied with my purchase and they were for a pretty good price at 3 euro a ball. Light cotton, just right for Singapore weather. (Ha...I have already started to knit with them).
We met with our guide at the lobby of the hotel and she took us straight to the Vatican museum - we spent the afternoon there. It is a must-see for all visitors to Rome - the Vatican museum, Sistine chapel and St. Peter Basilica. We didn't have to wait long to get in, surprisingly we were told there were not that many people, but to us, it was CROWDED! My impression is that there are just too many things to see - sculptures everywhere, paintings everywhere, tapestries everywhere, mosaic art everywhere - it was just too much - very difficult to appreciate. It is not like some museums, there is great "show" of a small piece history; and a painting or sculpture standing so prominently on its own and all eyes on it. Here, everywhere there is art and masterpieces, and you can't stop and to appreciate every single one. All become so common.
But our guide was very helpful in drawing our attention to some important "must-see" masterpieces.
Yes, the walls and the ceilings of the Sistine Chapel, are indeed majestic and magnificent. But they are just too far away to appreciate and the crowd made it impossible. The ceilings are almost 2-storey high, tried hard but cannot make out the images ...so looking and reading the Rome Travel book is great...
Yes, the walls and the ceilings of the Sistine Chapel, are indeed majestic and magnificent. But they are just too far away to appreciate and the crowd made it impossible. The ceilings are almost 2-storey high, tried hard but cannot make out the images ...so looking and reading the Rome Travel book is great...
By the time we went into St. Peter Basilica, I was getting tired. I decided to hop out to get some fresh air and sat down to rest. That was a smart move. Stop and rest when my body tells me so, does not matter that I don't see everything. There will always be another day.....thank GOD for strength to do something but not everything!
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