Urbi et Orbi

Today was the Canonisation Service in St Peters. We had standing places in one of the side aisles but with the raised altar did get to see quite a bit of Pope Paul VI.
The thing I remember best was the clapping that went on. I had never heard a congregation clap after a priest or even a bishop had said a few words.

To celebrate we went out in the larger world of Rome. Hours hanging around the Spanish Steps where our smallish group of I suspect six or so, somehow got in to conversation with two American girl students who had been in Rome for some time. They, like us, had little money but knew all the cheap backstreet bars that sold wine that cost 10% of what coke cost. I think the Italians use it for firing their central heating should the need arise.

Now I was a very late developer and due to my weird home/school set up, had had little contact with alcohol. The odd flagon of cider that we used to be able to buy from the backdoor of a pub not far from the school and where the publican knew the drill. But that was about it.

Tonight I was totally gone and barely able to walk back towards the hotel. At some point we had to cross the Tiber River to get from Rome city to Vatican City and in the confusion someone spotted a bar that was still open. Luckily it was extremely expensive and thus I only managed one Martini. Who carried me back to the hotel remains a mystery.

They dumped me on the floor of the bedroom heavily and thus waking me up. Then the straw that broke the camels back - beside me a full bottle of the hotel wine served at dinner which we used to put under our jackets as thanksgiving prayers were said after the meal.

I spent the rest of that night and at least the following day until lunch in the toilet. Never had I, nor have I 47 years on, ever been so drunk and ill. To this day I cringe at the thought of that night.