Apologies but I am cheating again with the letter Q…
We walked past the Castel Sant’Angelo and into the busy square outside the Basilica where a long queue of people snaked forever around the perimeter waiting for their turn to go inside.
We joined the back of it and were pleased to find that it moved quite quickly towards the main doors and soon we were inside the biggest and the widest and the tallest church in the World that has room for sixty-thousand worshippers at one sitting. It was busy inside but not uncomfortable and we soaked up the information from the guide’s commentary as we passed by chapels with precious holy relics, the tombs of dead Popes and rooms with glass cases full of priceless religious artefacts.
After the tour was finished we paid for an optional extra and took the stairs to the top of the dome which involved an awful lot of stairs and a tight squeeze at the very top but we were rewarded with fantastic views across the city all the way back to the Colosseum.
After a final look around the outside of the Basilica we concluded that we were unlikely to see Pope Paul VI today, most likely because at seventy-nine years old he probably liked a lie down in the afternoon, so we left St Peter’s to return to the coach.
Were we ever that young? Lovely shots, Andrew.
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We still are Jo.
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🤣💟
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Not my best of visiting Vatican, Rome!
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You don’t like it?
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did not too crowded and overprice all, tourist trap!
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Certainly very expensive.
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So that was a six hour round trip on the coach?
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It was a long day for sure but we did get a packed lunch as compensation for missing lunch.
In 1976 Dad and I took £60 pounds of lira each and went on an excursion every second day. Great value for money back then.
I know this for sure because in 1976 foreign money transactions had to be recorded in the passport and I have still got it.
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Excellent! I remember as a kid you could only take £25 per head. Amazing how far £100 for a family of 4 went in those days.
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Was 1976 your first trip to Rome?
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It was my very first overseas holiday. I was due to go with my girlfriend but we split up and Dad came with me. Good old Dad. Later Linda and I got back together and got married.
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You are forgiven – you get a prize for using Q in this manner
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Cheating. I feel as though I am Boris Johnson.
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Good dad, Andrew! And I remember the line at St. Peters. It was long! And fortunately, surprisingly quick, as you noted. Our tour included the Sistine Chapel. –Curt
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Nice post 😄
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