It’s amazing how much better one feels when you have money in hand that anyone in that country will accept. I felt immensely more positive after I stopped by the bank and withdrew some euros. Now I was ready to explore.
And what’s the first thing I experienced? Traffic. Stop lights, the meridian, speed limits and traffic lane lines are all just suggestions here. Sometimes they follow them most of the time, especially if it’s a moped, they don’t. I think this has caused me to finally understand the saying, “When in Rome do as the Romans do.” It means always cross a road when a confident looking Italian does or you might stand helplessly by the side of the road forever.
I had my mapped marked and my itinerary planned down to the hour. Of the nine plus items on the list I was able to visit 5ish but I stumbled upon many things I had no idea even existed. There were three main reasons my itinerary got thrown to the wayside. One, I got lost, frequently, trying to find the locations marked on my map. But I have to say the unique things I stumbled upon made up for the inconvenience of losing time.
Triton Fountain in Piazza Barberini.
Second, once I got to the place I quickly realized I’d underestimated the time it would take to truly explore the location. There is so much to see and so much to read that it took two to three times the time I had designated for it. Plus, I had paid for it so I’m going to get all I can from it. Third, I figure it is safer to get lost inside the site then on the streets.
First Stop: St. John Lateran’s Basilica (San Giovanni Laterano)
I find it fitting that the first place to teach me the valuable lesson of patience and absorbing all that was around me would be called the mother church among Roman Catholics. The cathedral of the Bishop of Rome offers plenty of glorious sights. The first being the statues that grace the top.
Jesus and some of the apostles that grace the top of the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran.
From afar they seem to hovering like angels over the tourist and vendors alike. Much like the Pope probably does when he gave speeches from the balcony.
The balcony from which the Pope gave speeches.
I felt like the Pope when I started to make my way to the entrance because roadside vendors swarmed me offering me selfie sticks, scarves, hats, sunglasses, drinks, anything and everything you could possibly think of. I turned them all down with a soft but stern no, though it didn’t seem to deter them because two hours later when I was leaving they all asked again. I imagine the tourists all seem to look the same to them after that many hours of trying to sell their wares.
Now let’s go inside.
The Porch:
Constantine I gave the Lateran Palace to the Bishop of Rome.
Details on the giant main door made of bronze.
A full length view of the front porch.
The Holy door is a bronze door that is only opened during Jubilee years for the pilgrims to enter.
Inside:
It’s all about the details for the Romans. Everything is immaculately done. Even the floors and ceilings are made beautiful. From the apostle statues to the tomb of Pope Leo XIII and all the altars in between beauty and intricate details abound.
Altar for the pilgrims.
Crucifixion of Jesus altar.
Organ
Pope Leoni XIII.
Throne room.
The last stop inside, well technically outside, was the cloister. An oasis, the varying column types, some embellished with cosmatesque mosaics are absolute masterworks. Lining the walls around the garden area are artwork and remains of the old basilica and true treasures like the rock where the Roman guards played dice for Jesus garments.
Stone where the Roman guards played rolled dice for the garments of Jesus.
The bathhouse chair of the Pope.
A tomb statue.
An example of the mosaiced columns.
Alyssa's Adventures 