After 3 Days……

This past Sunday while in Rome with John and Lenore, we tried to visit the Vatican and unfortunately picked a bad day to do so.  Turns out it was a holiday weekend there in Italy and compounding that, on the last Sunday of the month entry into the Vatican Museum is free.  Let’s just say that it was like trying to go to Walmart on the Friday after Thanksgiving. 

Sunday evening at dinner John informed me that he had gone online and had ordered a book (left) for me on the building of St. Peter’s.  Yesterday afternoon, Wednesday, at Buzzy’s Country Store while talking to my Mom, in walked the UPS dude with the book.  Now that is a flat earth story.  (Book’s subtitle is “The Splendor and the Scandal: Building St. Peter’s.”  While I can’t believe that the word scandal would ever be associated with the Catholic Church, still can’t wait to read all about it.)  Thanks John.

When Buzzy and I visited the Vatican in 1998, the front of St. Peter’s was in scaffolding and being re-done in preparations for Y2K celebrations.  While we got to go inside and view St. Peter’s in all its glory, our view of the outside was what you see below.  This time there I had the opposite experience, outside looked good but I didn’t get to take in the inside portion of St. Peter’s.  That means I’ll just have to hit this tourist trap a third time and try to do the entire experience.  We’ll see if the third time’s the charm vice three strikes and you’re out.  That 3 is supposed to be a good number right?

Buzzy in Jacket in Front St. Peter’s in Scaffolding