Stairmasters don't even compare

Why would that be the title of my entry this fine evening? It's because after spending the better half of a three-day weekend on my ass I decided to do something of merit today. I woke up this morning to both a gloomy sky and the hustle and bustle of the weekly Sunday market that goes on right below our apartment. After combing the tents of what I could only assume to be stolen goods I decided that my only purchase would be a slice of pizza from the vendor at the end of the market. As I arrived back at my apartment, I was greeted with an invitation to go to Vatican City. I figured walking around the smallest sovereign state in the world could be a nice activity to offset the past two days of bum...ness. Upon our
arrival I couldn't help but be taken aback by being in a place with such a vibrant history as well as the location of Angels and Demons (it's one of approximately four books I've ever read in my life), so it was a pretty big deal stepping past the walls that separate it from the rest of Rome. After wandering around the main square (more like a circle) for a bit, we decided to take a tour of the Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano, or St. Peter's Basilica for the Italian impaired (myself included).


 At the entrance we were asked if we wanted to take the stairs or the elevator for 2 euro more...we chose stairs, but that turned out to be a decision we would lament. We climbed a spiral of wide stairs which turned out to be a trek and a half; however, the view from the top was quite a sight to see. We soon realized that not only were we not at the very top, but we had about four more excessively long and increasingly narrow flights of stairs to advance before completing our ascension of St. Peter's. 



When we finally made it to the peak of St. Peter's, we felt instant gratification as the leg quivering gave way to the awe of seeing the entirety of the Vatican city as well as all of Rome. The horizon went for miles and although it was cloudy, it brought a sense of tranquility that I found appropriate for the moment. We circled the platform to really take in all 360 degrees of beauty, then made our way back down the seemingly endless number of steps back to the main chamber of the basilica.

After this exhausting excursion came to an end, we decided that we had earned a much needed meal at a highly reputable eatery we had heard about from the groups of year's past. It wasn't far from our apartment and upon reaching it both our hunger and our appetites were quenched. I'm sure you all recognize it.