Today our plan was to conquer an entire country---The Vatican. Of course, getting there from Campo Di Fiore was certainly a challenge. Our plan was to take a taxi, which would have been the best way, but somehow we got sidetracked by multiple natives who suggested that it was "very easy" to get there by bus. So, we buy our tickets and get on. And we get off. And we are quite far from anywhere we need to be. We walked aimlessly in the sweltering heat trying to maybe find a street sign…you know those things that are posted at the beginning of blocks. People gave us an array of directions until finally when we became so aggravated at each other, we jumped in a taxi and got dropped off right at the Vatican Museum.

We quickly realize we are in tour guide hell without our own flag. How unprepared! I was looking forward to seeing the mummies in the Egyptian part but we were told that there was not enough staff to open that portion on this Friday. So, we rushed through the apartments of the Vatican past the Rafael rooms, to the Sistine chapel, where we entered the sardine can again listening to our excruciatingly detailed audio guide. We know where Michaelangelo's self portrait is….do you? After guaranteeing our path to hell by sharing a kiss in the Sistine Chapel, I broke the sandals that Dave was wearing. Don't underestimate the effects of looking up for five minutes straight. I had to drag Dave to the Vatican post office so I could send my friends some much appreciated postcards!! Next stop: St. Peter's Basilica. We walked through San Pietro Plaza and into the church. At the doorway David gets turned away due to his knobby knees (and we think his obvious Jewish looks)—I continue ahead.

David: la de da, la de da … I sit waiting in the shade watching all the tourists go by, waiting endlessly for Theresa. 25 min. later—Where can she be? Did she become a nun? Curiosity is killing me.

Theresa: I took my place in line to touch the toes of St. Peter for good luck. This bronze statue was saved from the original church and the Pope granted an indulgence to worshipers who kissed the statues toes. What I remember most actually were the dead Popes perfectly preserved in their see through glass boxes. Um…what's next?? I'm hungry!

We wound up at a Tuscan restaurant for lunch. A preview of what's to come.

After lunch we walked a long way to the Piazza del Popollo, from where we climbed up to the terrace of Villa Borghese. It was HOT! And after a gelato we stumbled aimlessly, the long way to the bottom of the Spanish Steps where we caught a cab back to the hotel.

The late afternoon consisted of a ramble through the Pantheon (the largest dome in Rome), through a really old church on our way to the old Synagogue. A permanent guard lays resident as a reminder of the recent atrocity that took place there in the early 90's. Then we finally made our way across the river to the less touristy side of Rome-Travestere. Two churches and a dinner later we made our way back to Campo di Fiore for desert thus ending our 2^nd day in Italy.