Where the Pope goes shopping

Our favourite experience from visiting St Peters Basilica wasn’t the basilica. (The basilica was as expected – lots of gold gilt, saints and marble - nice but after a few basilicas they start to look the same.) The best part was finding a nearby street where wannabee popes (and nuns) go shopping to get their tools of the trade.

There were several shops with full window displays of the goods on offer. They had specials on quality Greek incense. You could get natty Italian made shirts with white doggy collar for a cool 150 euro. Or be custom fitted for a fabulous, ornate Pope robe. For that special occasion.

Ah yes, for a little Catholic boy from South Australian, this was as exciting as it gets.