Still Saturday, March 12th

As our group counts off again to claim all of our Okies, we head across the Tiber River and notice a lot of commotion behind us. A mob of people were forming near the Piazza Dei Tribunali and heading our way over the Tiber River. However, in front of us were the police vans blocking off our road to safety, and dinner. A little anxiety began, but thanks to RAQUEL...she told the police what we were doing and they let us through, with a few winks and smiles from the officers. HANDSOME officers at that. During the evening, we learned that it was a group of teachers and students protesting because the bus was going to cost more due to the high oil prices.

St. Peter's Basilica

There was not enough time in this beautiful place. Even reading things before, while standing there in awe, you need to have something to read and remind what every little detail means. Michelangelo's Pieta, is consider one of the greatest religious works of art. Whatever your faith, the beauty and serenity of this mother who has lost her child invokes a spiritual response.

I stopped into St. Joseph's Alter and said prayers for so many family and friends. http://www.saintpetersbasilica.org/Altars/BlSacrament/BlSacrament.htm

I then stepped out to rub the foot of St. Peter's statue. http://www.saintpetersbasilica.org/Statues/StPeter/StPeter.htm

I had Kacy stand back and take a picture, but one guy had the sole responsibility of saying, "No Stop!" and making sure everyone moved by it quickly. He took his job very seriously and through a tantrum at the guy behind me.

The rest is truly a blur. I didn't take enough pictures here because I knew there were so many on the internet and I wanted to take in the significance of this wonderous place.

The next thing I know, I am outside gathering with the group deciding our next plans. I wanted to run back in and spend hours, but alas...Raquel was ready to go. We walked away towards a little tourist shop and sat for the first time in hours. It was at this point, Raquel announces that we have 40 minutes to do whatever we want and to meet by the Tiber River. UGH!!!!! She could have told me that while we were in St. Peter's. Now my legs no longer had strength to walk back and there would not be enough time.

So I sat with a few other tired souls and waited for the group to return. We took pictures of the river, a carousel, and other buildings. Little did we know, a protest was about to happen and almost trap us on the wrong side of the river.

Lunch and Vatican City

Just as I have always imagined, we walked to an alley way and there were tables set up for lunch. We were eating our first lunch in Italy and it was wonderful. Wine, beer, or water along with your Italian dish of choice. Mackenzie and I shared a 4 cheese pizza and it was wonderful. The owner had once lived in Alaska so he was familiar with the location of Oklahoma. It was my second encounter with a bathroom that was well hidden in a basement two stories below the ground. The staircase was built for a very small person to go one way. Claustrophobia is clearly not an issue with Italians.

This is a good time to discuss bathrooms in Italy. I was aware they were different, but it was always a challenge to know where the flushing button would be located, do you push the button or wave your hand in front of the button? Sinks: Again, wave or not to wave your hand in front of the button? I sadly found out once after lathering with soap and not figuring out a way to get the water to come out of the spout, that sometimes there is a pedal on the floor that you step on to get the water to work. Luckily, that time I had my American friends with germ wipes there to help me wash the soap off my hands.

Okay...back to our "appointment" with the Vatican. We crossed the Tiber River and again were told to RUN, RUN, RUN off the bus. We departed, breathed, counted, and began our walk around Vatican City to the entrance. Since we were entering a new country (Vatican City is the smallest country in the world.), we had to present our passports and go through security.

We could never imagine the amount of walking and wasted time we would spend with a guide that we nicknamed Ugly Betty. We were each issued a "whisper" with earphones to be able to listen to her as she walked us through the Vatican. She did not speak loudly and we never could hear her. She took us through every detail when we were were anxiously dying to see the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica. I do believe we spent two of our three hours telling her we just wanted to go and her asking us, "I do what you want. Am I a good guide?"

We finally entered the Sistine Chapel and it was a deflating feeling as we had anticipated something so much more grandiose after listening to her for two hours. It was packed, no one was respecting the Silencio signs or no flash camera signs. The guards were barking at everyone and we were herded out.

However, we had a wonderful surprise waiting for us. St. Peter's Basilica! Here come more tears.

Saturday - March 11th

Wake up call at 7:30. We were up on top of the hotel enjoying croissants, juices, coffees, cereal with warm milk (WHAT?), and a beautiful view of Rome. All cameras were set, money belts tucked tightly around our waists, and walking shoes ready (or so they thought).

Antonio and Raquel met us and we walked to our bus. It is during this first drive in Rome that we would hear, more than once, "Antonio can not park here. Cameras are everywhere, we must get out of the bus FAST...EVERYONE..LET'S GO, GO, GO!!!!!" Frantically, through two doors, we rushed out of the bus into traffic hoping not to slip and fall under the bus and lose a member of our group on our first day in Rome. We would all gather on the sidewalk, breathing heavily and number off to 24 making sure everyone made it off alive.

We started our walk towards Santa Maria Maggiore. Huge steps leading to what looked like an abandoned church. After several pictures and dodging of the pigeons, we walked around to the entrance of the church.

I stepped into the church unprepared for the tears that would come from the beauty of this amazing place. For years, I have looked at pictures of cathedrals, wondered at the vastness and details of them, but now I stood ever so tiny in a holy place that was more than my emotions could handle. I struggled between taking pictures of every inch of it and whether I should just stand and take in the significance of this moment. We were only given 20 minutes before we had to leave and walk through Rome.

Raquel reminded us several times, "We have an appointment at the Vatican at 12:30. We CAN NOT be late. They will not wait."

We walked back down the steep stairs and down Via Cavour towards the Colosseum and Forum which we would visit on rainy Sunday. We went by the area where Mussolini would come out on the balcony and speak to the people. We took pictures at the wedding cake - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monument_to_Vittorio_Emanuele_II.

Only a few pictures though, because we had to make our lunch appointment and then our Vatican appointment. It was 11:00 and I was already amazed.

ROME - Friday, March 10th

We arrived in Rome and immediately were surrounded by the Italian print and accents. It was music to my ears. As we showed our passports to the handsome Italian men, they sang, "Lollipop, lollipop" for some reason we have no clue, but it sounds so much better coming from a handsome Italian man.

All of our luggage arrived with us, which was a victory we savored more than you know. Our first meeting with Raquel seemed promising, but we would quickly learn that her Spanish/Greek customs are far more...brash, than ours. SHOCKER!

We boarded our bus to be driven all week by AnTONIO. Who later we find out is a victim of Mafia bullying. We drove about 45 minutes into Rome and WOW...so many cars, mopeds, and graffiti. We could not get over the graffiti on such beautiful marble and limestone buildings. According to Raquel, they can not get a handle on it and it is something they are not proud of in Rome. The architecture was beautiful and as we entered THE WALL, we realized we had entered another world.

Little did we know, we were beginning our first walk, uphill, lugging our luggage to our hotel.

http://www.centerhotelrome.com/

Luckily, we were on the first floor, which was up two flights of steps. ????? Our morning breakfast was on the top floor and would prove to be a death walk the following mornings when our legs were in such pain from walking all over Rome - UPHILL all day.

We were excited to have hot water in the showers, but almost drowned because there was no room to move away from the shower head. For the men on the trip, they would often turn the water off and on while moving around in the shower to use shampoo.

Things we noted:

Loved being able to open our windows and hearing the sounds of the city.

Everyone smokes in Italy. You may lose weight from walking so much, but develop cancer from inhaling the smoke and gas fumes from the mini cars.

Coffee Americano in Italy really is not the same as American coffee.

Americans are considered loud. Each night we sat in the SMALL hotel lobby and eventually were told to go to bed or be quiet.

Honking your horn is not rude in Italy. It truly is a form of communication and it is used OFTEN!

Being able to walk around Rome at your leisure is a luxury that I will always cherish. "Leisure" being the key word. Walking at a fast pace while your guide abruptly shouts and signals, "LET's GO!" is not something we cherished.

ITALY 2011

In May 2009, Charles sent me an email asking if I wanted to go to Rome. He knew this was a dream of mine, so I replied, "Do NOT tease me!" He said that the school was taking a group during Spring Break 2011 and we could start paying immediately and that Mackenzie and I could go...and that is just what we did.

So on March 10th @ 5:10 p.m., Mackenzie boarded her first plane ever and we both headed over seas to Rome for 8 days. My sister, Kacy, decided she would like to go with us as well. Little did we know two years ago, that she would now be engaged before this trip.

Our OKC flight took us to Chicago. It was cold and we were hungry. When in Chicago, we decided to have a Chicago pizza before we both took a Tylenol PM and slept on our 9 hour trip overseas. It worked great!

Friday, March 11th, we arrived in Heathrow airport in London. It was huge and many shops displayed items for the upcoming 2012 Olympics. It was our first experience with no texting, no Wifi, no internet and information at your fingertips. This would definitely be something we would have to adjust to being without. We wondered the airport looking at shops and having a quick bite to eat. Long gone were hamburgers and french fries. No more Dr. Pepper for our DP addicts.

By 2:00ish, we were on our next two hour flight to Rome to meet...RAQUEL our tour guide.