Join for free
Page 1 of 2 1 2 >
Rehab44
Chatterbox
Rehab44 is offline
Nil
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 10,394
Rehab44 is male  Rehab44 has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
08-03-2018, 09:42 PM
1

Meeting the Pope..

I am not too sure where to post this..in Religion ? Sports or in Travel and Holidays, anyway here goes... I was in my shed hitting something with an hammer and thinking about the up and coming Rugby match on Saturday (for my American and Canadian readers, Rugby..a sport..like American football but without the body armour) when my mind drifted to a trip to Rome

Many moons ago I met the Pope, when I say met, he was on a balcony and I was in St Peter Square

A few ex military guys and myself had decided to go to Rome to watch the Italy England rugby game it was a weekend so we did the sites before the match
We kicked off with St. Peter’s Square right...The whole place was packed, nuns everywhere like a bloody enormous penguin colony.
The female tourists have on their "I'm With Stupid" t-shirts. There were ‘men’ are in blue jean cutoffs, showing far too much cleavage ... We steered away from them,
Do you know what it sounds like when 30,000 sweaty-faced god botherers walk into St. Peter's Square wearing flip-flops? Yes! It sounds like a thousand Canadian geese farting.

They were all waiting for the big man to do his thing, they were all craving answers. And what better way to provide them answers they deserve than with an hour long speech during which he spoke in mostly indecipherable English, frequently making references to holy passages that have astoundingly little relevance to any current situation they may be facing, and occasionally lapse into long periods of silence during which we, were pretty confident that he had dropped off, so we slopped off to the local boozer for some of that Absinthe stuff much favoured by the Popehood, Bloody Hell! After 6 of them I now understand why he is always carried around in a bloody big chair!
We had a guick gander at the Coliseum, which will look quite grand when it’s finished, it’s where Russel Crowe in the film Gladiator chopped off the head of Gluteus Maximus and won a medal or something. There was a quick tour of of a chapel which had a nice ceiling personally I thought it was a bit garish, I am not not one for pictures of naked little cherubs staring down at me. It was kinda Pervy staring up at them. A quick going over with a roller brush and a 5 litre can of Matt magnolia would have made it gentler on the eyes. There was a big fountain which people threw money into in order to keep the water flowing I think. Anyway it was a nice weekend and England won.
Lion Queen
Chatterbox
Lion Queen is offline
UK
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 9,592
Lion Queen is female  Lion Queen has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
08-03-2018, 09:52 PM
2

Re: Meeting the Pope..

Sounds like a great memory Rehab. I'd love to go to Rome, in fact only recently my husband and I have been talking about going because I believe there is so much wonderful architecture there and I would love to see the sistine chapel, go the the vatican and see the pope.
Rehab44
Chatterbox
Rehab44 is offline
Nil
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 10,394
Rehab44 is male  Rehab44 has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
08-03-2018, 09:55 PM
3

Re: Meeting the Pope..

It’s worth going just for the architecture, some of the local bars, restaurants in the tourist hotspots can try and rip you off. Put it in your bucket list
Puddle Duck's Avatar
Puddle Duck
Senior Member
Puddle Duck is offline
Cheshire. UK
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 4,600
Puddle Duck is female  Puddle Duck has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
08-03-2018, 10:23 PM
4

Re: Meeting the Pope..

Originally Posted by Lion Queen ->
Sounds like a great memory Rehab. I'd love to go to Rome, in fact only recently my husband and I have been talking about going because I believe there is so much wonderful architecture there and I would love to see the sistine chapel, go the the vatican and see the pope.
If you can, make the effort, Lion Queen. A wonderful place, packed with the history . The Appian Way from ancient times, the Forum is a must, over the road from the Colosseum(get a guide for both) , the wonderful fountains everywhere, the Pantheon , architecture, Colosseum , Catacombs (didn't fancy those). Churches at every corner , one shows the science of Galileo and mysterious charts. The Vatican Museum housing wonderful art , the gardens and St Peter's Square which is awe inspiring as one walks towards those huge mighty columns. The Pope didn't bore us, he did his trip around in the pope mobile and then spoke for about 15 mins. Tuesday is the day to go to the Vatican tour. Get a guide, well worth it. The list goes on, so whilst you can climb steps, as there are many.... take a trip. Some eating places are expensive, but being the capitol, probably not compared to London prices .You won't be disappointed. History will never be the same again.
JBR's Avatar
JBR
Chatterbox
JBR is offline
Cheshire, UK
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 32,785
JBR is male  JBR has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
08-03-2018, 10:32 PM
5

Re: Meeting the Pope..

Originally Posted by Rehab44 ->
We had a guick gander at the Coliseum, which will look quite grand when it’s finished, it’s where Russel Crowe in the film Gladiator chopped off the head of Gluteus Maximus and won a medal or something.
That is all very interesting, but I'm afraid you have made an historical mistake.

The person whose head was chopped off was not Gluteus Maxumus, but Biggus Dickus, and his wife, Incontinentia, was there to witness the event.

I know that because it was all explained on a Monty Python documentary.
Lion Queen
Chatterbox
Lion Queen is offline
UK
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 9,592
Lion Queen is female  Lion Queen has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
08-03-2018, 10:32 PM
6

Re: Meeting the Pope..

Originally Posted by Puddle Duck ->
If you can, make the effort, Lion Queen. A wonderful place, packed with the history . The Appian Way from ancient times, the Forum is a must, over the road from the Colosseum(get a guide for both) , the wonderful fountains everywhere, the Pantheon , architecture, Colosseum , Catacombs (didn't fancy those). Churches at every corner , one shows the science of Galileo and mysterious charts. The Vatican Museum housing wonderful art , the gardens and St Peter's Square which is awe inspiring as one walks towards those huge mighty columns. The Pope didn't bore us, he did his trip around in the pope mobile and then spoke for about 15 mins. Tuesday is the day to go to the Vatican tour. Get a guide, well worth it. The list goes on, so whilst you can climb steps, as there are many.... take a trip. Some eating places are expensive, but being the capitol, probably not compared to London prices .You won't be disappointed. History will never be the same again.
Wow there really is a lot to go to Rome for isn't there. I bet you can actually feel the history there, I'm excited about the prospect of going, thank you for telling me all this.
JBR's Avatar
JBR
Chatterbox
JBR is offline
Cheshire, UK
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 32,785
JBR is male  JBR has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
08-03-2018, 10:36 PM
7

Re: Meeting the Pope..

Originally Posted by Puddle Duck ->
The Pope didn't bore us, he did his trip around in the pope mobile and then spoke for about 15 mins.
Sounds interesting.

Does he do a daily performance or do you have to book?
Rehab44
Chatterbox
Rehab44 is offline
Nil
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 10,394
Rehab44 is male  Rehab44 has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
08-03-2018, 10:39 PM
8

Re: Meeting the Pope..

Originally Posted by JBR ->
That is all very interesting, but I'm afraid you have made an historical mistake.

The person whose head was chopped off was not Gluteus Maxumus, but Biggus Dickus, and his wife, Incontinentia, was there to witness the event.

I know that because it was all explained on a Monty Python documentary.
Ahhh, thanks mate, I was off sick from school when we did history
Puddle Duck's Avatar
Puddle Duck
Senior Member
Puddle Duck is offline
Cheshire. UK
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 4,600
Puddle Duck is female  Puddle Duck has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
08-03-2018, 10:52 PM
9

Re: Meeting the Pope..

Originally Posted by JBR ->
Sounds interesting.

Does he do a daily performance or do you have to book?
He's outside in St Peter's Square. Open to all.
We didn't have to book. In fact we were incredibly lucky, as going to the Colosseum on the Monday, we weren't going to have a guide, but with the queue to get in so long we thought it would be a better option and straight through. We got tagged with a Scottish guy, he was really good and he then took us across to the Forum, (amazing history ) which was included in the price. (I think we paid about £70, but can't be exactly sure) He then told us he was doing tours at the Vatican the next day. So we met him there. I think it was a day that was geared towards the tourists to be honest , Pope and Vatican Museum or Basilica, I don't think Pope does it everyday, but it might have changed now. This is about 7 yrs ago.
Always best to do your reading before you get on the plane, then at least you know where is the most interesting to you.
JBR's Avatar
JBR
Chatterbox
JBR is offline
Cheshire, UK
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 32,785
JBR is male  JBR has posted at least 25 times and has been a member for 3 months or more 
 
08-03-2018, 10:59 PM
10

Re: Meeting the Pope..

Originally Posted by Puddle Duck ->
We didn't have to book. In fact we were incredibly lucky, as going to the Colosseum on the Monday, we weren't going to have a guide, but with the queue to get in so long we thought it would be a better option and straight through. We got tagged with a Scottish guy, he was really good and he then took us across to the Forum, (amazing history ) which was included in the price. (I think we paid about £70, but can't be exactly sure) He then told us he was doing tours at the Vatican the next day. So we met him there. I think it was a day that was geared towards the tourists to be honest , Pope and Vatican Museum or Basilica, I don't think Pope does it everyday, but it might have changed now. This is about 7 yrs ago.
Always best to do your reading before you get on the plane, then at least you know where is the most interesting to you.
Hmmm.

Does the Pope sign autograph books?
He sounds an interesting bloke.
Does he do impressions?
 
Page 1 of 2 1 2 >

Thread Tools


© Copyright 2009, Over50sForum   Contact Us | Over 50s Forum! | Archive | Privacy Statement | Terms of Use | Top

Powered by vBulletin Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.