Rome Wanderings pt1

Since I've been in Rome before, I love the idea that I don't have to see/do anything in particular. And since it's Easter here, the queue for St Peter's was extraordinarily long. Glad I didn't feel obliged to be part of it!

I 've spent the day wandering, mainly on but also a bit off the main tourist drag- all of which means I've encountered a zillion guys trying to sell me selfie sticks (and/or umbrellas when it started raining.) It used to be always leather bags in a sheet.
First had a few jobs at Termini. Was 'helped' to use the train ticket machines by someone who was acting semi-official, until she put out her hand for a tip, and I realised she wasn't. The police arrived then, almost instantly, and helped her away. You'd think I'd been traveling long enough... Next I headed upstairs to get a SIM card. Very helpful people in the TIM office. I can't ring home with it, but I have more than enough minutes for Italy, and enough GB to check my internet daily when I have no wifi.

Next the proper exploring began. I caught the metro across town to go to St Peter's Square. From the metro, all the way to the Square, were people trying to sell you their version of a Vatican tour, with 'no queues'. There were also beautiful shop windows all along the way. Here' a selection.

When I first reached St Peter's the queues were so big it seemed like you couldn't even go into the Square itself, but in fact you just had to push through the queues into the central area. So now here are a few photos from St Peter's Square and nearby. I fell in love with the big double columns the very first time I walked in here as a young person: there is something about the grandeur of this space.

That's the end of Pt1...

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