Pilgrims

Hey everybody back in the states!  Sorry I haven't posted in awhile, I've been doing school and spending most evenings with Mom and Dad.  I've been doing my best to be a good tour guide for them, or at least recommend good places to go.  I think I've been doing all right, they're enjoying their stay here.  On Saturday the three of us saw Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps and our studio.  Since then, we've been to Vatican City a few times, and Mom and Dad have found their way around the city admirably on days when I'm in class.  Well done, chaps!
Today was a rainy day.  Only the second rainy day since I've been in Rome, and also the "rainier" of the two.  Early this morning I caught the #8 tram and #23 bus to Vatican City to hear the pope speak with Mom and Dad.  Thank you, Father Leocke, for helping us get the tickets, we had great seats.  So we went to the Vatican early and found our seats in the papal auditorium, or as Dad called it, the funny-looking building.  Like good pilgrims we got there early so we had to wait awhile, but the pope did come out and speak.  His speech was entirely in Italian so none of us have any idea what he said, but still, how many chances to you get to see the Holy See?  Afterwards priests and cardinals of different nationalities came to the mic and announced the groups present in their native languages.  We weren't mentioned specifically, but I think Benedict knew we were there.  He had a wiley look in his eye.  Some of the groups were schools or choirs that would sing after they were called up, which was pretty cool.
To close the ceremony the pontiff lead the crowd in the Latin version of Our Father, and then we went back out into the rainy piazza.  We got some pizza for lunch and a restaurant in Piazza del Risorgimento, then I left to go back to studio.  On the way I made a detour to try and see rain come through the opening in the Pantheon, but right after I got there the sun came out.  I kind of couldn't believe it, because it had felt like it was going to rain all day.  As sure as I'm standing here, though, it stopped right at that moment.  I was a little disappointed, but you can't call any trip to the Pantheon a bad trip, so it wasn't too bad.  Hopefully there will be another rainy day while I'm in Rome.  April's coming up.  My fingers are crossed.

P.S. - My camera is currently in need of some repair, specifically the replacement of a few screws which hold the casing together.  So until that happens the posts will be text-only, excluding some sketches if I remember to scan them.