The Whisper System

Bus 11...Trouble!












Our day began with a breakfast room full of parents (and students) delighting in the latte, hot chocolate and capuccino that was being served as many of our travelers needed to fortify themselves with some caffine after a short night's sleep and a long day of travel. Once on board our buses the travelers received their "whisper system" box that is used for tour guide narration. Mr. Murdy, however, informed our guide that he did not need a box as he had brought his from the hotel. "Hotel?" the guide responded. Mr. M quickly learned that while his box would perhaps operate several televisions in the local area, it would not do much for him on the tour as it belonged to the television in the room. :) Poor Mr. M is still being harassed by bus 11 for this misunderstanding.

Once at the Vatican, the group took four separate tours of the Sistine Chapel and the halls leading up to the chapel as well as the Papal crypts at the base of the basilica and the nave of the basilica. The highlights were of course the ceiling of the chapel and the Peita.

Lunch time was spent in the Vatican area where several of our groups learned that it did not really matter what prices were listed on the menu, you were going to be charged what ever the restaurant owners felt they could get from the American tourist groups...and the Schwartz and Herzfeld families quickly learned how the local entrepenours made up for the slow seasons of travel traffic....that ghnocci was totally worth the investment...and who really needs to consider college at this point for the kids - right?

Next we attended the Pueri Cantores Opening Ceremonies in Sala Nervi which is located in on the Vatican property. While it was amazing to hear the children from around the world join in song, after two hours of time in the audience hall and ten translations of every prayer, blessing, and story, we were losing singers left and right to exhaustion. We will post the name of the cardinal who presided over the ceremony tomorrow when a program can be located.

Dinner was enjoyed at a local restaurant and it included lasagna, veal Milanese style, and tiramisu. Many more of our travelers were sleepy by dinner time and began to drop into sleep....we were prepared for a quiet night. However, once back at the housing, the students seemed to either get a second wind or are using the hallways as a bolwing alley. Everyone is bonding...that is for sure!

Ciao!