June 10, 1995: Rome, Italy

Mom, Grandpa, Charlene, and I went on a tour of Rome.   We got to the Vatican which was very crowded.    In 1929, it became a Vatican state.  About 1000 people lived in the Vatican.  It's about 1/2 sq. mile.   The Vatican had its own currency and stamps.  It was surrounded by a wall.  

The lines were so long at the Sistine Chapel and St. Peters Basilica. The hallway to the Sistine Chapel was gorgeous.  The figurines on the walls and ceiling looked like sculptures, but were in fact, flat surfaces.   One of the workers yelled at Charlene to get off the grass outside the chapel. I thought that was pretty funny.

The 'Last Judgment' sculpture in the Sistine Chapel was gorgeous.    St. Peter's Basilica was huge and gorgeous.    The letters on the ceiling were 7 feet tall.   Saw the statue of Mary and Jesus.   

The square in front of the cathedral was huge.    St. Peter's Square was designed by Giovanni Bernini.   It could hold more than 400,000 people.   Pope John Paul's apartment was the second window from the right on the top floor of the yellowish, orange building in St. Peter's Square. 

We had lunch at the Hotel M. D'azeglio in Rome.   The inside of this restaurant was decorated in gold and white.

Saw the famous 'Trevi Fountain'.  If 4 coins were thrown in it, your daughter would marry a doctor.  There were sayings for 1, 2, and 3 coins tossed in the fountain.

Saw the Colosseum.  This was once an amphitheater, which held more than 50,000 spectators and was the site of the gladiatorial competition and religious persecution.

We saw many policemen on the streets with machine guns.

Kelsey had stayed on the ship with Grandma. She said it didn't go too well.      Grandma got mad at Grandpa for going on this day trip.    Grandma was getting mixed up on this cruise.  People with Alzheimers need to be in familiar surroundings.

At dinner, Grandpa tried to floss his teeth with the tea bag.  It was hilarious.    There's never a dull moment at our table.