Short Post from Rome

I feel bad for not writing longer posts, but I suppose I'd feel worse if I didn't see the sights. Rach and I (since I last wrote) have finished Firenze (Florence) and moved on to Rome. I'm uploading six completely random pictures from Florence at the moment and we'll see how long that takes. Internet cafes here seem to have very slow upload times.
So, yessterday morning we waited in line for three hours for the Uffizi and are hoping to not have to do that tomorrow for the Vatican museums. My guidebook says that people start queuing at 6.30 am, so we're planning to get an early start. This morning we went to visit the pope. When I say went to visit I mean that we went through the metal detectors and stood in St. Peter's Square for 3 hours. Luckily the guard left his post after the homily and ANYONE was allowed in to sit on the chairs. We enjoyed the chairs. My arms did not enjoy the sun quite so much :) It was really interesting because the last time I was at a papal audience (ok, so the only other time in my life) was about this time of year in 2002. Pope John Paul II was very ill though and it was impossible to understand him no matter what language he was speaking. Pope Benedict XVI is so much healthier and young than his predecessor. Not only could I understand him in English, but also, partly, in Italian, German, Spanish, and French.
More on all this later though, we are trying to make it to the Colosseo before it closes. I leave you with these two pictures.

Rach and Me squinting on top of Monte San Salvatore (picture by Jon)

The Ponte Vecchio at night...a somehow miraculous photo by yours truly.