Tuesday, February 27 was cold with some remaining snow.  Collin, Grace and I started our day with coffee and a cornetto (Italian for croissant).  The whole family went back to St. Peter's Square at 3 pm and stood in line for the Basilica.  It took an hour, but the kids entertained themselves with 6 player games of "Rock, Paper, Scissors" and "Sticks" and something they were calling "Ninja Hands".  The inside of St. Peter's is as breath taking as you would expect!  The grandeur completely strips you of words.  You simply stand there with your mouth hanging open!  Here are some photos, but they just can't accurately recreated the feeling of being there.

My first moments in the Basilica.

https://youtu.be/rvwn98mFnPc

Coffee and cornetto.  Grace had a cappuccino and I had a cafe latte. 

The columns are 4 deep, but if you stand on a certain marked spot in the square, the columns line up directly behind one another so it appears to only be one column deep.  This was done on purpose by Bernini, the designer of the Square.

This stone is the spot where Charlemagne was crowned Holy Roman Emperor.  It's at the back of St. Peter's, just inside the door.

The large Baroque sculpted bronze canopy over the altar.  A barricade and chairs set up for Wednesday's Papal Audience kept us from getting closer.

The aforementioned chairs and barricade kept me from getting right under the dome.  Perhaps the next visit.

This is the crypt of St. Pope John Paul II that is in one of the side chapels.  He is my favorite pope and teacher. One of his greatest contributions was his teachings on the Theology of the Body.

Aaron's middle name is Gregory and he is named for this saint/pope.

Aaron posing with his guy!

Michelangelo's Pieta sculpted in 1499 when Michelangelo was only 24 years old.  The piece is carved from a solid piece of marble.

The sculpture is protected with bullet proof glass after a mad man attacked it with a hammer in 1972 and broke off Mary's left arm at the elbow, her nose and some of her eyebrow.  It took 10 months for master craftsmen to repaired her. 

On the steps of St. Peter's Basilica looking out into the square.

It was getting dark by the time we left the Basilica and the outdoor lights were on.  

Monday, February 26th.  We walked to St. Peter's Square in the snow.  There were plenty of people out and about.  The attractions were closed due to the weather, but we got to mill around the square and get our bearings.

The Morgans arrive in St Peter's Square.  Clare is, as always, photo ready, and Aaron is making a survey of the area.

St. Peter's Basilica

St. Peter with snow.  Very rare.  Last snow was 5-6 years ago.

A closer shot of St. Peter's

Two members of the Swiss Guard on duty. The Pontifical Swiss Guard (also Papal Swiss Guard, or just Swiss Guard) is a small force maintained by the Holy See that is responsible for the safety of the Pope, including the security of the Apostolic Palace.  The Swiss Guard serves as the de facto military of Vatican City.  Established in 1506 under Pope Julius II, the Pontifical Swiss Guard is among the oldest military units in continuous operation.

The dress uniform is of blue, red, orange and yellow with a distinctly Renaissance appearance. Their capes are covering it due to the cold temperatures.  The modern guard has the role of bodyguard of the Pope.  The Swiss Guard is equipped with traditional weapons, such as the halberd, as well as with modern firearms.  Since the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II in 1981, a much stronger emphasis has been placed on the guard’s non-ceremonial roles, and has seen enhanced training in unarmed combat and small arms.

Recruits to the guards must be unmarried Swiss Catholic males between 19 and 30 year of age who have completed basic training with the Swiss Armed Forces.

The apartments of the pope.  Top floor, corner window is his bedroom, second window to the left, his study.  On Sundays, he gives a blessing out of it to those gathered below.  We are going to be there at some point in the trip.

My Gucci Girl looking fab!  No, we didn't buy them.  

Rome apartment and the Weather!

Look at what we woke to this morning!  It has been raining every day since our arrival...and then we get this....at least it was sunny and a high of about 36!  A lot of stuff shut down, even St. Peter's Basilica and Museum were closed....schools were closed, businesses were closed, and traffic was less.  It was about 2-3inches.  Needless to say, snow is a rare site in Rome

We are getting used to the buses and subway in Rome...and found a number of small shops around our "flat".  We are a 15 minute walk to the Vatican and have tickets to the Papal Audience on Wednesday.

Here is a link to our Rome Apartment...they are pretty accurate, but there is more to the kitchen than pictured (no dishwasher or dryer!).

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/5342976

Last night, Saturday, we went to Mass at St. Patrick's church, where one of our priests of ten years from St. Luke's in Allendale, Fr. Brad, presided.  It was wonderful to worship in English!  I especially enjoyed singing again.  Fr. Brad is assigned here for two months and we will be seeing more of him in the near future.  After Mass, we went back to the Paulist's apartment to snack and visit with another Paulist priest, Fr. Greg.  He has been in Rome for 20ish years and was a wonderful resource for questions.  A little while later, Fr. Brad took us out to dinner for pizza.  It was delicious!  Katie

Rod and Fr. Brad Schoeberle

St. Patrick's church

Sanctuary of St. Patrick's church

We have been in Rome for three days.  The temperatures are hovering around the low 50's and it has rained on and off.  Rod and Simon's suitcase arrived two days after the flight.  I found some humor in watching them scrounge clothes off Collin, and Simon washing his undies out and drying them with a blow-dryer.  The street our flat is on is a busy shopping area.  The bus stop is right outside our door, as are the garbage bins. Two doors down is a gelato shop.  We have already tried it out, YUM! The pace here is much busier than Competa.  Katie

Simon's "clothes" while waiting for his luggage to arrive.  He was such a good sport about it!

With all the rain, we had to find ways to entertain ourselves.  First, we counted forehead wrinkles.

Paul's wrinkles.

Simon's wrinkles.

Clare's wrinkles.  Oh, to have young skin again!

Next, we had horse races with some figurines we found in the house. 

Middle of the race.

End of the race.  The winner got a piece of candy.

This is looking down on the street below our window.  A bit busier than Competa.

Shops across from our flat.

Looking left out our window.  A few blocks down that road will take you to the Vatican.

With Competa behind us, let's turn to Rome, Italy.  Yesterday was our travel day.  We flew from Competa, Spain to Brussels, Belgium and then to Rome.  We left the Competa house at 9 a.m. and arrived in our flat in Rome at 10 p.m.  Another long day with one piece of luggage left behind in Brussels, the airlines fault, not ours.  All in all, a successful day.

Leaving Spain

Our layover in Brussels, Belgium

You can't be in Belgium without trying over-priced, airport Belgium chocolates!

Yum!  It was gone in minutes!

Leaving Brussels at sunset.

Brussels sunset.

Coming into Rome.

https://youtu.be/WiP4ayKoNGY

While waiting for our luggage at the airport, there was a piano with a sign that said, "play me."  Paul indulged his mother and played "Drunken Sailor".  It was 9:30 p.m. with hardly anyone around, but a hoot all the same!

Our last day in Competa....  :(  That little town stole part of our hearts!

Our favorite bakery.  We went almost every morning.

We passed this courtyard on our way to town.

Our house is on this street.

Collin's last morning in Competa.

Simon's last morning in Competa.

Grace's last morning in Competa.

Collin and Katie got haircuts the day before we left Competa.