Must Go Back Again

Saint Peter’s Basilica, Italy via bhawi

It was the year 2008, March 22nd (Just a day after Good Friday and the day before Easter). I was in the Vatican City with a bunch of choir-mates and obviously it felt really cool to touch the 'Holy Water' there, to walk around looking at the statues of the many Saints; felt great despite the lousy weather and the fact that the Vatican City was freaking crowded (with Catholic Pilgrims? no idea). 

You know how they always say for certain places of the certain cities, there's always a 'must-visit' place no matter how touristy that place is or how commercialize it has become. For Paris would be the Effel Tower. For Tokyo would be Mt Fuji. For South Korea it would be Jeju Island or the 38th parallel demilitarized zone; probably depends on whether you are a nature person or a history geek. For Singapore it would be the Merlion...hahaha

So for the Vatican City is (which is in Rome), the 'must-visit' place would be the Saint Peter's Basilica, which is actually open all year round for tourist to enter. yay. However unlucky us were at the Vatican City on the day between Good Friday and Easter and that iconic place, which is usually open all year round, was CLOSE that day because they need to keep that place safe for the Pope who would appear for his Easter's speech the next day.

Oh that's not all there is to it. I was at Milan as well, outside the Duomo di Milano, and guess what, I was stupid enough not to enter the place but rather went to search for lunch. It's only much later when I look back to that moment to realize how stupid I was.

And that isn't quite it as well. The whole choir was outside the Colosseum at Rome and entering that place was not part of the trip. zzz. what the heck? oh and randomly taking photos of Italian guys in gladiator costumes will cost you 8euros. 

Also, we were all at Venice and we had to miss out Venice at night...Self-consolation; I saw the sunset at Venice. There's other little plus points to my trip in Italy with AJchoir years back; like being near to the Alps somewhat at the village that we were in for the choral competition, looking out at Lake Garda etc but ever since those mentioned missed opportunities, I told myself I will return to Italy for a proper trip when I have the money. Maybe that's why I threw like 3 coins backwards at the Trevi Fountain, as legend says that when one throws coins into the fountain, a return to Rome will be granted eventually.

See how I was at many iconic places in Italy but yet not really as well? sigh. Just suddenly thought of all these when I saw that picture up there.

Moral of the lesson: Do your homework before going on a trip. I didn't, and I thought the Spanish steps was just a flight of steps with no significance when I was near it.