Life in Rome

This was THE day. I got up this morning at 5:30 and was at St. Peters at 6:30. What did I see? A totally dead St. Peters. Me and a few pidgeons. I have a few lovely pictures. So I checked around and was told the place opened up at 8:30. I also realized that I had way too many things with me: maps, chair, camera, purse, umbrella and I was going to hang myself. Went back to the hotel and got rid of everything except purse, camera and chair. Went to the 7 a.m. German Mass next door (me, the four nuns, the priest and a sneezing deacon), had breakfast at the hotel and at 8:15 headed out again towards St. Peters. When I got there, lines had already formed. One long one on the right and smaller one on the left. Of course I am going to the left. All the people wave the blue ticket. I have no ticket. I smile at a security guard and tell him I have no ticket. "Its free" he says. So I walk in with all the people waving their blue ticket which nobody takes or looks at by the way and before you can say "gracie" I have worked myself to the front of the place against the barricade closest to the steps leading up to St. Peters. (Obviously I did not need the little portable chair I brought along). Up the steps is the Popes chair. I could not have been any closer other than sitting in some Cardinalis lap up the stairs. Four bands come in. The Tyrolians are marching in which I had suspected they would do because they are in town, two Italian bands march in but then comes a 100 student strong marching band from Mexico and they stir up the place that is indescribably. They have two dancing groups (girls) with them and they perform on the steps. We have a Mexican Fiesta in Rome. Everyone is clapping, swinging and swaying. Yes, the Mexican Hat Dance on the steps of St. Peters. The Pope comes in his popemobiles. Of course he rolls by right by my nose. He gives his address in Italiano. It is all about his trip to the US. Then come the introductions. The people have come from around the world. Flags flying and chanting. By noon it is over but the pope greets the cardinali and the Mexican band keeps playing and I stay another hour until the pope rolls home with his popemobile. The place is still packed. I go grocery shopping and by 2 p.m. I am home again. Cant take a nap. Way too excited. By 3 a.m. I am in a church where an Italian wedding is taking place. The bride is lovely, covered decently in the most beautiful lace, there are no bridesmaids, the groom is a baldish, pudgy guy, there is a collection during the wedding Mass. All the pews are covered with green cloth and the flowers are green and white and the church is filled with flowers. Stay for a Novena to the Blessed Mother of Loretto. Singing of the litany, rosary - all in Italian. With all this I forgot to tell you that I made it up all the steps yesterday afternoon at the Castel S. Angelo. It had rained yesterday. There was no haze. The best view over Rome.
Tomorrow I can sleep in. At 10 a.m. is the German Mass next door with the Tyrolian. Then I will explore the Palatino area and the Terme di Caracalla.