21/8 Day 31: Rome - Bari

(Written on ferry to Patras, Greece)   After blogging what Anita prayed I cleared the room and almost forgot my hat. I have never worn it on the whole journey yet, and somehow I have not managed to loose it either. It went in the top of my little backpack. I took some pictures of the hotel and got directions from the owner on how to buy bus tikets and where to wait for a bus that would take me to the Vatican. He told me to take nr 18, so when nr 180 came allong I thought I heard wrong and took it. 180 only went half way. This caused some adventure in the middle and added to my sence of urgency to get there.   When I spoke to Anita I started feeling like a little boat tossed on a very big see. You know that feeling you have on a swing when it had reached its zenith and is just in the processs of accelerating downwards - your stomack gets lifted into a different place in your body and the adrenalin shoots all around. Anita did not cause it, it just started when she mentioned then. At first I thought it must have been the very strong coffee that the kind cleaner had offered me. But it continued long after the coffee should have been out of my blood.   The bus wriggled its way through narrow streets past most of the tourist attractions marked on the map I got at the hotel. I saw the colloseum and various other ruins and spectacular newer buildings. It was the first time for me in Rome, and I don't know what I expected but I was supprised to find it so homely. Its like the styles you see in other great cities like Paris and London but it somehow has a home-made feel about it. I guess its because this is the place where many of te styles were born and the other cities copied it with more planning and more advanced tecnique.   My train was booked for 13:38 so my time was short and the bus seemed to take forever. When I finally rushed to the huge dome of the St Peter's cathedral an oldfashioned street clock told me it was 11:05. We joke about prophetic people interpreting everything they see as something significant, but arriving at the Vatigan at the 11th hour to remind it of the words of Revelations was too strong a picture to miss.   As I approached I felt the tention build up inside me. It was something like a bit of butterflies before a performance. Like when you wait behind the curtain for your moment in the spotlight. And was the square before the cathedral and impressive backdrop! With all the colomns and the petrified saints on top and the massive domed roof of the church with the impressive facade. I had a kind of larger than life experience walking up to the church. I felt like a javelin thrown with great force and accuracy.   But back in the physical realm it was very hot in the sun. I found a place at the feet of the stairs to the main entrance right before the door where the pope comes out to make his speeches, put my hat on and I read as fast as I could.   The reading went very smooth. When I was done all the awe of the environment was gone and I felt almost at home. But I had to hurry for a bus that would miander its long way to the station, and then I had to find some nourishment - I had fasted in the morning.   I was ancious and the Lord told me off about it, and proved himself faithfull once more. And even thought the train was a bit delayed I was in time for the ferry and they had place for me and all was ok.   So now I'm going to sleep on the deck somewhere and see Greece on the morrow.   The Lord is So Faithful!