Sightseeing Tools and Hot Dogs in Italy

After some experience in taking these weekend trips to various European cities I like to take at least two guides with me. First, the Lonely Planet Guide. This contains a lot of in depth information about city and I love the itineraries it suggests. It also has a section on walking tours. The walking tours are great because it takes you though a city and usually covers key sightseeing points. Second, I use the Top 10 Eyewitness Travel Guide. This is perfect since its thin enough that you can put it in your backpocket. It's a perfect sightseeing companion because it highlights the Top 10 of everything for that city: Sights, Eats, Bars/Clubs, etc. It ends up being a TODO list of places to eat and sights to see!



I picked up my tickets for the Saturday Easter Vigil mass and Easter Sunday mass, and I headed over to the Trevi Fountain and throw a coin over my shoulder into the fountain. Legend says that if you toss a coin into the fountain over your shoulder, you will one day return to Rome. So why not! I asked a couple people to take my picture with the fountain, but unfortunately its hard to find good photographers. People wouldn't take a picture of the whole fountain, but instead take a picture of me and the ground, completely missing the whole fountain. The happened not only once, but twice. I gave up and did one of those things where I take a picture of myself extending my arm making me look like a complete idiot because I did this like 10 times because I wasn't aiming right.


Armed with my Lonely Planet and Eyewitness Guide I spend most of the day taking two walking tours from the Lonely Planet Guide until my organized "Ancient Rome" tour with Icon Tours in the late afternoon. After two organized tours covering the Vatican and Ancient Rome, two walking tours on my own, I had a good feel for the city. Yes there was a lot to see in Rome, but after spending two full days sightseeing, I felt pretty good since I still have a full day and a half left.

I headed back to St. Peter's Square for the Saturday Easter Vigil Mass in the Basilica. The mass wasn't until 10PM, but at 7:30 there was a long line that started from the right colonnade that just passed the left colonnade! Unbelievable. I felt pretty good because I had a ticket. Apparently the doors would open at around 9PM, so I would be standing in line for a long time. Because of this, it kind of forces you to get to know people that you are standing in line with. Fortunately for me, I had a couple of Americans right behind me. Sure enough conversation starts and we all exchange stories. We even end up sitting together for the mass.

When the opened the gates, there was a mad rush to get seats. I could see from a distance, people started running for the Basilica. It was crazy. People were yelling and screaming in excitement to get the best seats possible! I can't describe it in words.. it was something you had to see.

The mass was in Italian and Latin so I had no idea what was being said, but it sounded cool! I had a book so I followed along throughout the mass. There was a point where they turned off all the lights inside the basilica and everyone was holding candles. That was quite interesting. My view of the Pope is below:



After the mass, the Pope proceeded down the main aisle and the singing and chanting started again. Everyone rushed to catch a glimpse of the pope, standing on chairs trying to take a picture. People called out his name trying to get his attention, camera flashes everywhere.

The Pope was a rockstar.

Hotdogs
I didn't catch dinner unfortunately and I was so hungry. I hang out with the Americans in St. Peter's Square and eventually we head over to a late night hot dog stand. We grab some hot dogs and beers and just hang out. Unreal. It was 2AM in Rome, what was now Easter Sunday. I was having a hot dog and a beer with a bunch of Americans that I had just met at a beautiful Easter Vigil mass with the Pope. Who would have guessed. And if you're curious, the hot dog was pretty good!