We took the train into Rome today for our final farewell. We did the Vatican Museum, including the Sistine Chapel, something we never did last year even though we spent a month roaming Rome! We got up at 5:30 am so we could get there early for the line; got to the Vatican about 45 minutes before it opened, and were among the first (not counting the guided tours) to enter at 8:30. We wandered ’til 3:30; I think I took around 500 photos.

We had a good time, but we were both disappointed in the Sistine Chapel. Thought it would be bigger and more magnificent. It is beautiful, but I think we’ve been in more churches in Rome than most Romans, and I must say that several of them, imho, are much more breathtaking. I also wanted one more visit to the Trevi fountain, and we managed to squeak in three other churches also.

We had pizza and a fresh fruit (7 kinds) tart for dinner, then caught the train back to Ostia. Then had to catch a bus & then ride our bikes back to the boatyard. We got here a little after 7 pm, so it was a very long day.  The weather was so gorgeous; we both are sad to be leaving Rome but looking forward to our next leg.

I’ll be checking the weather forecast tomorrow and we’ll decide when to leave for Sardinia. We will only visit part of the northern coast before heading up to Corsica to visit the south and west coasts.