LAST DAY IN ROMA

I can't believe that it really ending. Our last day in Europe!

We got up early, deciding that we would pay the 14E to get into St Peter's. Well, we got there around 8:30 and....no line!! We walked right in. I forgot how beautiful it is. Betty was astounded. As you walk through your looking from right to left to up to down, across, around corners. Everything is huge...supersized and wonderful.

Betty had to get holy water for her sister and the non-Catholic that she is found the place to get it (of course you had to buy the bottle for 3.50E...the water is free).  When we were there yesterday and couldn't get in, Betty got a  teen to reach into a fountain to get the water...she said 'well, it is from the Vatican', but now she's happy...she got the real thing.

After we finished satisfying our curiosity we headed to the 'breakroom'. On the way in there was a sign 'Cupola 7E for elevator'. Hey! lets do it!!! How bad can it be...there's an elevator. Yeah, right, and the Church preaches to tell the truth....the elevator went to the bottom of the dome. It was wonderful! You are looking down on the entire basilica...the main altar, side altars, everything. And then, we found out to get to the top you have to climb the stairs. Well, how many could there be? 50, 100? It might be a little hard, but we can do it! Yes we can!! After making at least 10 stops...kids flying by us as we sit huffing and puffing...we get to the top!!!! What a view!!! All of Rome. We walked around and around and around and then finally decided we should head down....should be easier...well maybe a little...but I started counting the steps....350 of them...we climbed 700 steps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Certainly a record for me.

By the time we got down we had to 'break' again and were dying of thirst, but we made it....and so proud of ourselves, too.

Now it's time to see the rest of the sites before we have to leave, so we head over to the hop-on hop-off bus.