"Roma, Italy" a Rome Travel Page by va8eha

Rome, the eternal city! I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the city had undergone such extensive cleaning, etc. for the Golden Jubilee in 2000. It had changed so much from the last time I was there, in 1999. The subways were clean and airy! The Vatican was as beautiful as ever, though I spent most of my time inside trying to get a good photo of the Pieta.

You've gotta love those uniforms! I remember the last time; we arrived at the Vatican in time to hear the Pope speak. Imagine our surprise to find out that he was speaking in Italian! Somehow, we had forgotten that small detail. :)

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do." We raced through the city as our train was leaving at 8.00 p.m. I must confess that we didn't linger in the Vatican Museum; it was merely a route to the Sistine Chapel. I wonder what Michelangelo would think if he saw the awe that his work inspires even today. Sometimes I wonder if there are modern artists that can compare to some of those of the Renaissance age. At the Colosseum, we were distracted by a boy who offered to make us a bracelet. Of course, once it was tied on our wrist, he let us know that we should pay for them. I received much gratitude for the few Euros I gave (Yes, I'm a sucker!), while my friend received a handshake and a 'You're the man -- sensible!'.