Do-Overs, Flexibility and Scandal

We arrived bright and early after our continental breakfast (which we grew to look forward to) in the lobby looking forward to a real adventure. We would take the Metro north of Rome, connect to a bus line and ride for twenty miles or so to the town of Tivoli, with the famous gardens.

I should confess now that a good deal of what we did and how we did it in Italy was a Do-Over for me. I had visited Italy in the Summer of '72, a foolish, hasty young man. Five days in Rome, were spent wandering around aimlessly, avoiding any activities the people I was with were doing. One of the trips I had foregone was a trip to Tivoli. That was in the back of my mind when I planned this trip.

However, this is an adventure, and that requires flexibility. And this is Italy, which requires a certain detachment from time schedules and plans. Anyway, in the lobby as we about to head for the Metro stop a nun (of the order who owns the Villa), who was talking to the nice young lady behind the desk, said something (in L'Italiano) that caught our attention. So we enquired. The Metro is on strike.

First, we experience a wave of disappointment, then we ask: how we get around Rome if the Metro is on strike? Answer: the train. The station is only three blocks away and it is still running. And we can cross over the Tiber through Trestavere and get off at a stop not far from the Vatican. So off we go.

We once again choose to ignore the bus system once we get off the train and walk several blocks to the Vatican. We enter from the south side, cross over the Piazza San Pietro to the north side looking for the entrance to the Vatican Museum. And here we begin a major do-over for me. Thirty-three years ago I had realized that I hadn't seen the Museum as our five days fled away. So I rushed over one afternoon, practically ran through the exhibits, rushed into the Sistine, looked up, and rushed out. Today we will do it right.

Now I was a little bit anxious because I had dressed in the morning for Tivoli, not the Vatican, where there is is a dress code. I had some longish shorts on. So I slid the pants down as far as modesty would allow, nearly covering my knees and entered. No problems.

I won't include a lot of pictures, we took so many. But a few points I'd like to make. We walked slowly for the entire time (about three hours all told), but it still wasn't near enough. Several visits of several hours each might suffice.


Anyway, we looked out at the Pope's private gardens behind Saint Peter's.


We gawked at the wealth of antiquities


and objet d'art.


It was overwhelming. We cross over to the Stanza di Raffaello for even more.


And the Sistine Chapel: we walked in, clutching our Rick Steves's book, with it's description of the Chapel. We sidled over to the wooden bench in the wall and waited patiently for a spot to open up for us. Then we sat down and strained our necks looking around. A constant flow of humanity passed by us, murmuring and shuffling. We whispered occasionally and pointed to various aspects of Chapel. When we were satisfied that we had soaked up as much as we could (twenty minutes or so), we took a "secret" exit that deposited us right in the Portico of Saint Peter's. (You would normally have to take the regular exit, going all the way back, entering the Piazza San Pietro and go through line-ups and security again).

So we made it inside for the first time. And what do we decide to do: eat. We promptly leave, find an expensive but ordinary lunch. Then we return looking for the English-language tour. A seminarian on his day off (probably from the North American College) was in charge. Once the group is large enough we proceed to the security area.

So, again, I slide my scandalous shorts down to cover my knees. I was confidant because we had done it once already and many attractive women with short skirts were getting through. And we made it.

But just inside the great Portico as we're beginning the tour proper, I hear a voice: "No!". I turn around and there is a grim-faced official wagging his finger and pointing me to the exit. Oh well, the girls did have nicer looking legs. We'll just have to come back another day.

We wandered back to the train station and noticed the bus loop there. The Metro strike was scheduled to end at 5 p.m., so we decided to go downtown and wander around until then. This put is on Bus #64 (sessantaquattro), which leads to a fine tour of Rome, if you don't mind pickpockets and being packed like sardines. We got a seat so we didn't.

We stop a couple of blocks short of Termini to visit the Museo Nazionale Romano. More gorgeous antiquities, but by now our feet are complaining. So back to Termini, on the Metro and back home, by way of Chinese food.

Tomorrow we will attempt Tivoli again.