Friday: the Sistine in a Dream

I learned yesterday of a city transit strike today. We started the morning slowly, and I saw some buses and trams go by, most going to the garage, but some in service. Going by Porta Maggiore.

We walked to Piazza Vittorio Emanuele and tried to catch a cab on this transit strike day. While I was on hold with one of the switchboards, an available one showed up. We went to Campo de' Fiori, and ate at La Carbonara, which she wanted. Good memories and o.k., but I think it's declined. She did some shopping, and we visited the Pantheon, a great place, and it's been decades since I've been inside. Then some time at a café nearby.

She really wanted to see the Sistine Chapel; I warned her about the current state of the crowds, but when I learned, I think from Sandra, about the Friday evening openings for this season, I booked us to go there at 7. It's questionable whether I should have had us walk with time approaching, since she was aggravating her ankle injury. The approach to Castel Sant' Angelo:

We got to the Vatican Museums entrance, and found the line for people with 7 p.m. reservations. We got in through the entrance new to me. We went straight to the Sistine Chapel, without being in position to run. It was amazing to see the Chapel almost empty, and admire the art without the crowds. We were getting, from what I could tell, only the natural light, so it was interesting not to see the effects of the post-restoration bright colors so much. A very memorable experience for the current time.

With a bit of a wait, we found a taxi to take us home. We've come to like the Miseria e Nobilta restaurant under the apartment, a hangout for the residential neighborhood, with karaoke tonight.

That ends our stay in Rome; off to the Umbertide house in the morning.