St. Peter's

  I like St. Peter’s square, I like St. Peter’s, I like the view from the top of St. Peter’s, but I’m starting to think that there are some things that should be once in a lifetime experiences.  Or maybe I’m just expecting too much from things, they can’t give you that tingly feeling every time I guess.  John Paul II was lying in the Basilica last time we were here because he was up for canonization, this time he was entombed in the second chapel in where he laid before.  I don’t

  know if they are going to leave him there or not, but it was interesting to see him there again.  We walked through the crypt which I think is neat, also the foundations of ancient St. Peter’s are down there.  To think that there was a Basilica here in 320 that had these stone columns is amazing.  There is also a dividing wall that Pope Sixtus something or other, or was it Urban something or 

 other that put up the new one and Sixtus that wanted the Sistine Chapel painted?  I can’t keep up with the Popes, just like I can’t keep up with Royalty history in other countries.  Hell, I’m lucky if I can remember the last 5 US Presidents which is something we ask on the mini-mental status exam, so it’s bad if your therapist doesn’t know, but you do.  We did climb the dome, most of the students (the young ones, not me) did climb the entire 

way, but you could take the elevator up for the first 200 steps, so the rest of us chose this convenience.  Don’t worry we still climbed 350 stairs that were winding, twisting, holding onto a rope up spiral staircases to get to the lantern at the top and the amazing views of the city.  The pictures here really don’t do it justice, but I will put them as filler for this story….