"I dono whata" and 320 more steps

July 22

When in Rome, eat gelato. Rome has been as hot and steamy as Paris. The Italians slow down and close up shop for siesta hour, and we are finding that to be a good practice also. Upon waking, a cool snack is in order, and what better than gelato, in all its different versions.

Yesterday, we followed a guide through the Vatican Museum for a bit - a lovely older lady who spoke English with a delightful Italian lilt that added consonants to the "enda ofa every worda." She had a great sense of humor too, walking the fine line of truth and history, without making anyone uncomfortable. She pointed out that the demon in the lower right corner of the Sistine's Last Judgement was a painted likeness of Biagio da Cesena, the Vatican Master of Ceremonies. Da Cesena critcized Michelangelo the most for his nudes, saying that "it is not a work for the chapel of a pope, but for a tavern." Michelangelo painted da Cesena as Minos, the judge of the damned, complete with a serpent winding about his body and, in the playful words of our guide, "doinga I dono whata" (biting him in the groin). Even the pope rebuffed da Cesena when he complained, saying that if he had been painted in Purgatory he (the pope) could at least pray for his soul, but as he was painted in Hell he was doomed to stay there. And what a Hell it is.

Today's pix are of St. Peter's Basilica, and yes, we climbed its 320 steps to the cuppola (just under the lantern). St. Peter's is immense beyond comprehension - perfectly overwhelming for the awestruck pilgrims and tourists.