12.10.2020 - Vatican and Colosseum, in rain and in sunshine

12.10.2020

Dear friends,

I forgot the camera's memory card in the computer and had to take photos with my phone.

This morning was a challenge in itself, my mood surprisingly good, Papa's mood impressively flat. Quote Papa: 'Then please fly again (fall on your face) ... please.' After almost landing in the closet while trying to reach the lowest drawer without getting up. Nonetheless, we set off in cheerful rain to the station and even though the sun was shining, there was no rainbow, stupid Rome 😊

After a quite impressive walk through the labyrinth of the Roman metro tunnels, we finally found the right platform and as planned, our train was immediately ready for us and the hundred other people who had started their attempt in the impenetrable crowd with us. Without any waiting time, we arrived at the Vatican, very conveniently I must say, even though our only reference point for the right direction was the quite distant wall that I only saw for a brief moment. But after simply following the shouting, we arrived at St. Peter's Basilica with the exciting realization that I had forgotten the stupid memory card, well the only thing you missed out on are super cool photos of feral parakeets and overall nicer pictures.

After joining the queue, (biblical joke ahead, please lift your feet) don't worry, we didn't bite into the apple until much later. We quickly made it into St. Peter's Basilica and what a sight. The sheer size is by no means the most impressive, but rather the infinitely many portraits with magnificent perspectives or the pavilion made of black marble with golden leaves and a dove of peace in the crown or the window depicting the Holy Spirit, which flows seamlessly into a golden throne without appearing too pompous, simply heavenly. This cathedral once again leaves me speechless.

We naturally had to visit the Vatican Museums, where we went through a process that Papa described as 'lacking any logic.' Outside, we found out that tickets could only be obtained online, even though the internet stated that there was also a ticket office. So it meant going online, ordering tickets, waiting for an email, going to the guy in front of the entrance, showing him our code, going in and having our temperature measured. Now that may all sound like standard procedure, but it wasn't over yet.

To enter the museums, we had to go to the ticket counter inside the building, let the guy scan our code, he printed out paper tickets for us, which we then had to show to the 'doormen' in front of the stairs so that we could go to the first floor, and then go through another turnstile where our digital tickets wouldn't have worked, just to end up having two useless pieces of paper that we could proudly show to anyone who wanted to see them, even though the online version, which we had to buy outside, would have been sufficient.

After this magnificent gibberish, we had finally made it, only to now already have the ominous premonition that they won't let us into the gardens. The museums were different than I expected. There were endless ancient artifacts: porcelain, paintings, pottery, and statues from ancient Egypt or the rainforest, from the Etruscans or surrealistic artists. Of course, there were also chapels and huge ceiling paintings depicting stories from the Bible, and in the Sistine Chapel, I was most impressed by 'The Creation of Adam,' finally I saw the painting in its original form, so I can officially say: They are very interesting museums and really varied, so they don't get boring. (unless you're Papa and you only go to museums because your stupid child loves them)

The day was already shockingly old and we made our way through the whole city over the Angel Bridge to the Colosseum. My enthusiasm for this place has not diminished at all as we looked down into the excavated arena floor from the first tier. Underneath the fights, there used to be two more levels where the strangest characters roamed, and yet the history and what it has been used for over the years, but the most exciting thing, after all, it doesn't happen often that a castle, a shelter for animals, and a planned church are protected as a monument.

Afterwards, we went to the adjacent archaeological park, and it's incredible to see what monuments used to stand in this city. The sheer extent of the ruins and the sad remains testify to a fantastic world that has fallen victim to wars and exploitation, to unfulfilled dreams and overly rich emperors. Magnificent.

Too exhausted to do anything else, the metro took us home again, straight to bed.

See you soon and let life surprise you.