2009 - NCL GEM - TRANSATLANTIC - ROME & THE VATICAN

THE SHIP DOCKS A WAYS AWAY FROM ROME.

THEN WE WILL VISIT A CHURCH THAT IS BUILT ON AT LEAST TWO PRECEDING CHURCHES.

A VISIT INSIDE THE COLOSSEUM

LUNCH

INSIDE THE VATICAN & BACK TO THE SHIP.

A LONG, INTENSE DAY. THIS IS WHEN A SHIPS TOUR COMES INTO IT'S OWN.

THE BUS MEETS US RIGHT AT THE SHIP & THE GUIDE INTRODUCES HERSELF. VERY NICELY SPOKEN - PERFECTLY UNDERSTANDABLE. A BONUS.

WE HEAD TOWARDS ROME, HAVE A PEE BREAK ON THE WAY, YOU CAN SEE IT IS FAR.

WE COULD HAVE STOPPED AT THE McDONALD'S ACROSS THE STREET..

WE ENTER ROME.

OR DO WE? AREN'T THESE SOMEWHERE ELSE? EGYPT?

NO - I RECOGNISE THIS....

FOR ANY OF YOU WHAT CANNOT READ ROMAN - THIS IS FROM YEAR FIFTEEN. MAKE THAT 14. JESUS WAS 14 YEARS OLD.

GUYS SHOULD HAVE HAD THIS FINISHED YEARS AGO.

LETSA SEE - TWO THOUSANA YEARS ATA DOBLE TIMA.

ACROSS THE RIVER AND NOW WE AR IN ST. PETERS SQUARE

OUTSIDE THE VATICAN AND

THERE'S OUR GUIDE - NUMBER 10.

ACTUALLY, WE HAD TWO GUIDES. NUMBER 10 WHO IS ITALIAN INTRODUCED US TO AN ENGLISH LADY WHO WILL SHOW US AROUND ROME.
SHE IS A PROFESSOR OR SOME SUCH & CARRIES A SUNFLOWER ON A STICK FOR US TO SEE WHERE SHE IS.

THE BEAUTY OF THIS ARRANGEMENT IS THAT SUNFLOWER LEADS AND NUMBER 10 FOLLOWS. BOTH WITH THEIR FLAGS IN THE AIR. WE ARE IN BETWEEN, BEING SHEPHERDED LIKE THE SHEEP WE ARE.

WHEN YOU ARE CLICKING AWAY LIKE CRAZY AT EVERYTHING IN SIGHT, IT'S VERY EASY TO LOSE YOUR GUIDE, BUT NOT WITH THESE TWO.

VERY GOOD - I LIKE IT.

AND THERE'S ANOTHER OF THOSE OBELISKS. REMEMBER - THERE WAS ONE IN CENTRAL PARK.

MICHAELANGELO DID THIS ONE.

INCREDIBLE...

THERE ARE A COUPLE OF POPES THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE IN HERE. THAT'S A BIT SPOOKY..

THERE'S SUNFLOWER....

AND SOMEONE FAMOUS IS REPUTED TO BE BURIED AROUND ABOUT HERE.

SAINT SOMEONE OR OTHER.

FAMOUS ANYWAY....

AND THE SWISS GUARD HURRYING OFF SOMEWHERE.

THAT WAS A GRUELLING TIME. EXHAUSTING.
SOME OF THE OLDER FOLK WERE WILTING.

HOW ANYONE CAN DO THIS TRIP FROM THE SHIP WITHOUT A SHIPS TOUR IS BEYOND ME. DOING IT ON YOUR OWN - FINDING THE RAILWAY OR A BUS OR TAXI EVEN. WAITING IN LINES WHEREAS WE SKIPPED THE LINES.

AND WE HAD THE LOVELY NUMBER 10 ... BONUS