Hanging out with the Pope and some cats

Pope Patrica Ann the First

I slept pretty good and was awake around 6 am. I got dressed headed to the restaurant for my breakfast a croissant and coffee. I was disappointed because I had had read about the awesome bread at the B and B. It was cold out and I decided to go back to my room a bit before heading to the Vatican.  I headed over and there were quite a lot of people going in. I went through the security and managed to get ahead of people, guess I picked the right line.  Then headed over to looking for a place to sit there were 2 sections of chairs and I was looking thinking I had to go to the 2nd section but a woman there pointed out section one and said go there.  I was about  rows back from the area where the pope would be, a bit off center and to the left side a good view even without a camera and a zoom. I had a book with me so I sat and read while I waited.  I could tell then pope was arriving earlier than I thought he would so I stood on my chair but he was nowhere that I could see so I just sat back on my chair. 

I listened to the speeches and since everything was in Italian and I do not speak Italian it really got to be too much. At one point one of priests gave a welcome in English and then we were blessed, the pope did some readings.  When it was over the pope went to meet people who were up on the steps of the Basilica. I moved closer to the barrier as so many people left and I was over by the center now about 3 people from the area roped off. I took some photos and stood with others wondering if he would come down towards us, it lasted awhile and many people left and then I overheard a security man near tell someone  I can not guarantee he will come here and take it. So I decided to hang around and see what would happen. The Pope mobile arrived and parked right in front of us and then I could see Pope Francis headed down the stairs. People started yelling to him Papa I had turned on the video of my camera as he got closer. I saw him climb into the Pope mobile and stand and he was waving and people were calling out to him papa. First he was handed a drink by security that I had seen someone with earlier and he held it up like he was drinking from it. He was then handed a scull cap like he was wearing he took off his cap and put on the cap and posed. Then he waved and left. Everyone was excited I started talking to the couple who gave him the cap as I detected their brogue they were from County Tyrone I mentioned I was there once and that my mom was from Co Mayo and they let me put the scull cap on my head and I had a photo taken wearing it.

I went back to my room got my Nikon camera and sat and rested a bit and then started walking the streets I came across an ancient site and was trying to figure out what it was. Then I started seeing cats and saw a sign that it was a Cat Sanctuary. There were some cats laying among the ruins and then found an entrance to an area with the cats.  I went in and looked around and I made a little donation.  There were all kinds of cats inside as well as outside. It was the Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary. The sacred ground our cats walk on was also shared by another Roman Julius Caesar. It was there in Torre Argentina in the year 44 BC that one of the most illustrious dictators was stabbed by his rival Brutus.

Santa Maria Sopra Minerva