And I am not Catholic!

I have always wondered what the pecking order is for the hundreds of hawkers plying their trinkets to the tourists. I reccon top of the food chain are those selling fake Prada and GUCCI handbags. bottom would be those selling flour filled ballons as cheap toys. But Rome is the first place I have seen several selling all sizes of camera tripods! Must be an entrepreneur seeing a niche gap in the market.

But it was not trinkets we came to Rome to buy (althought the kids did get one of the flour filled baloons!). It all started with a queue that snaked its way from one end of Rome to the other. 2 hours later we finally entered the Vatican Museum to gaze at the awe inspiring frescoes, statues and other priceless art. From 3rd Cent. BC Etruscan artifacts to Roman statues of male appendages that would make any porn star envious, it is amazing what they have accumulated (stolen). But what most came to see was the Sistine Chapel painted by various artists, the most famous being Michelangelo's wall fresco the Last Judgement and its amazing roof. Now I am not sure if it is an 'origional sin' but I did sneak a photo of it.

Next stop St Peter's Basilica and at 615 foot long it is almost big enough to have a good game of Ozi Rules (another great religion) in it - and I dont even think Locket could hit the 448ft high dome ceiling.

We also ventured over to the Pantheon. Despite our best guesses no one got this amazing building as being 118-125AD. It is only from the inside that the true scale of its beauty can be appreciated - although I dont think the kids were as impressed as they spent their time playing chasings with each other. After seing St Pietro (St Peters) you get a bit blase going in to the plethora of Churches that are on every street corner (much like a pub on every street corner in the UK) butSain Ignazio was impressive with its Baroque ceiling.

We finished of Roma with a quick look at the Plaza Navona markets selling all kinds of witch dolls in prep for the Befana festival on the 6th then our last Italian dinner of spagetti at Trasteveria.

While not a practicing catholic (altohugh my Dad tells me it is in my blood), the Vatican and St Peter's was a highlight along with the Collosseum. Although I am not sure now if I have to go to confession about the photo???