Lowes Travels

Nov 29-30, 2023

We’re back!

It’s been two months since our last blog post because of the holidays and my additional travels. Two days after returning from our Mediterranean Explorer and Atlantic cruise crossing, I went to the Philippines for almost a month to attend a wonderful family reunion. Starting to write again now is difficult, as our visit to Rome seems like a distant memory. I’ll try my best to remember and share through pictures, as I always do.

Having a friend from my hometown in the Philippines who also happens to be an Italian-speaking priest working at the Vatican had major perks. Father Max was our personal tour guide for a couple of days as he showed us many must-see places in Rome and within the Vatican.

First up was The Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, one of Rome’s four major papal basilicas:

This basilica has very ancient origins. According to records, it was built at the exact spot where Paul the Apostle, was buried as the body of a saint who had suffered martyrdom.

We then hopped back on the Metro train to see the Colosseum, the symbol of the city of Rome and its most visited destination. We arrived late in the afternoon and walked around the outside of the amphitheater:

How many times have you heard “All roads lead to Rome”? In ancient Rome this was true, and all the main roads built before and during the Imperial Era have an exact starting point, called “Migliaio d’oro” (golden milestone). It is next to the Temple of Saturn, in the middle of what is the largest historical site in the world today, the Roman Forum. Unfortunately, with limited time and no tickets we had only a glimpse of this site:

Vatican City

The Vatican is the smallest state in the world, a tiny independent country within the heart of Rome. But a passport is not required for your visit here. It’s where the head of state, the Pope, resides. Inside the Vatican are important religious and cultural sites such as St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, the Vatican Apostolic Library, and the Vatican Museums. It’s also where many of the most famous paintings and sculptures in the world are on display.

Papal Audience

One of the things I really wanted to do while in Rome was to see Pope Francis. With Father Max’s help, we waited at St. Peter’s Square very early in the morning for two very cold hours just to see the pope up close.

Fortunately, the Papal audience that day was held indoors at the Hall of Pope Paul VI. 

After the prayers and blessings, Pope Francis was led down within a few feet of me, what a thrill!

After the papal audience I was fortunate to get in a photo with my new-found friends and a Vatican Swiss guard. They are dressed in iconic yellow, red and blue uniform, and are tasked with protecting the Pope and the Apostolic Palace. Despite the colorful dress, they are similarly trained to our president’s Secret Service officers and not to be messed with.

Vatican Museums

Covering a huge area of 9 miles, the Vatican Museums hold some of the world’s most amazing and important art collections, including the famous Sistine Chapel. We had afternoon tickets for a guided tour, but with so much to see and so little time, I can only include a few photos that don’t begin to do justice to this experience:

They are called “museums” and not just singular “museum”, because they were started in 1506 and have been added to many times over the centuries. They now occupy several connected buildings which is the reason there’s so much to see!

Below is a short clip of Raphael’s Room showing the painting called The School of Athens by Raphael. The painting is a fantasy gathering of the greatest philosophers, mathematicians and thinkers from classical antiquity, and one of the most famous paintings in the Vatican Museums:

At the end of the museums is the Sistine Chapel. We were given plenty of time to look up at the ceiling and wall panels as we listened and admired Michaelangelo’s masterpieces. Spectacular! Photography wasn’t allowed, but …

St. Peter’s Basilica

Oh my, St Peter’s Basilica is the basilica of all basilicas! Our jaws dropped as we took in this incredible place. It’s the most incredible man-made structure we’ve ever seen except for perhaps the pyramids at Giza. The grandeur of St. Peter’s Basilica is simply awe-inspiring. From the moment you set eyes on its magnificent facade to the intricate details of its interior, every aspect leaves an indelible impression. Its sheer size and scale, coupled with its rich history and breathtaking architecture make it a true marvel of human achievement. The best part is that access is free, but you have to deal with long lines if you don’t arrive first thing in the morning.

The interior of the Basilica contains a number of priceless artworks, such as the Pietà by Michelangelo (considered one of the most precious marble statues in the world). A bronze statue of St. Peter invited us to the dome, where above the papal altar we found the bronze canopy (baldacchino) by Bernini:

St. Peter’s Basilica is one of the most important and holiest Catholic churches in the world. It is said that Saint Peter is buried directly under the church, which is why it’s named after him. This church, built in the 1500’s, is a Renaissance church.

One level under the basilica is the area where many of the popes are interred, called the Vatican Grottoes. There are about 100 popes laid to rest there, the most recent being Pope Benedict XVI:

Our final tour was a climb up to St. Peter’s dome (designed by Michelangelo), the tallest dome in the world at 448.1′. Yes, we were huffing and puffing but what an experience! We saw St. Peter’s Basilica inside and out in a whole new way, with stunning views of St. Peter’s Square below:

Now it was time to enjoy the outside views from the dome of the basilica:

Our visit would be incomplete without the must-eat Italian food – pizza, pasta and gelato. Gustoso!

With Father Max as our personal guide, our two days were jam-packed with things to see. But of course there’s plenty more here that may require another visit!

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Next up: Cruising the Mediterranean