# The proverbial "picture is worth a thousand words". (Vatican) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 7, 2005, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proverbial-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words-vatican/298232 "2005-04-07T15:58:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proverbial-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words-vatican/298232/1 "2005-04-07T15:58:10Z")
I only have one word though. [Wow.](http://www.digitalglobe.com/images/qb/rome_vaticancity_april5_05_dg.jpg) (large photo…scroll down) ---
**Author:** ![haardvark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@haardvark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/haardvark)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proverbial-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words-vatican/298232/2 "2005-04-07T16:03:27Z")
Incredible. Having been in the Square, knowing how big it is alone…:jaw drops: Thank heaven they aren’t into full blown summer temps yet – could get nasty with a close crowd like that. ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proverbial-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words-vatican/298232/3 "2005-04-07T16:04:19Z")
Heheh…sweet. Some of you might have to scroll down fast, though. The pic resized itself on my computer after a few seconds, but not before I got to see the goods. It’s just not as impressive on a smaller picture. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proverbial-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words-vatican/298232/4 "2005-04-07T16:06:39Z")
If the Vatican were smart, they’d sell tickets, if only a euro, to see The Pontiff On Ice. ---
**Author:** ![haardvark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@haardvark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/haardvark)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proverbial-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words-vatican/298232/5 "2005-04-07T16:34:20Z")
> [@badbadrubberpiggy](#): > > Heheh…sweet. > > Some of you might have to scroll down fast, though. The pic resized itself on my computer after a few seconds, but not before I got to see the goods. It’s just not as impressive on a smaller picture. my browser did that too (IE on WinXP) but there’s a floatover icon which blows the image back up to full size. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proverbial-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words-vatican/298232/6 "2005-04-07T16:49:45Z")
> [@haardvark](#): > > my browser did that too (IE on WinXP) but there’s a floatover icon which blows the image back up to full size. There’s a way to turn that off. Go to tools -\>options -\>advanced. Scroll down to multimedioa, and uncheck the box ‘Enable Automatic Image Resizing.’ ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Goob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c77e96/32.png) [@Mr.Goob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Goob)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proverbial-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words-vatican/298232/7 "2005-04-07T17:20:18Z")
**Bouv,** thank you thank you thank you. That’s been bugging me not knowing how to turn that off. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proverbial-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words-vatican/298232/8 "2005-04-07T17:29:22Z")
I remember thinking the wait was interminable when I went to St. Peter’s several years ago, and that was just a regular day. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![twelvericepaddies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@twelvericepaddies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twelvericepaddies)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proverbial-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words-vatican/298232/9 "2005-04-07T17:58:19Z")
The building centre right in the star shape spot is Castelo St. Angelo - former prison and the place that the opera Tosca allegedly occurs - at the end of which, our heroine tosses herself into the river Tiber - some feat considering the distance. Still, it is one of the greatest operas and that is a great photo. I last was in Italy in '67 and the Italians were one of the nastiest populations in the entire world and I happily never went back. But the place is lovely except for the people. ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proverbial-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words-vatican/298232/10 "2005-04-07T19:04:59Z")
Unbelievable… _stares_ ---
**Author:** ![Big\_Norse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/big_norse/32/9954_2.png) [@Big\_Norse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Big_Norse)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proverbial-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words-vatican/298232/11 "2005-04-07T20:07:25Z")
I’ll bet the pickpockets are having a busy week! ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proverbial-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words-vatican/298232/12 "2005-04-07T20:24:31Z")
How are they handling, ummm, bathroom facilities? ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proverbial-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words-vatican/298232/13 "2005-04-07T20:29:48Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > …see The Pontiff On Ice. Pope-sicle! Get your Pope-sicles, right here! Pope-sicle! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proverbial-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words-vatican/298232/14 "2005-04-07T20:36:58Z")
So THAT’s what a million people look like. That line runs the length of the street, wraps around, goes back, and turns another corner. Wow indeed. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proverbial-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words-vatican/298232/15 "2005-04-07T20:56:59Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > If the Vatican were smart, they’d sell tickets, if only a euro, to see The Pontiff On Ice. Starring Brian Boitano as the Pope. And Nancy Kerrigan as. Ummmm. Ummmm. Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi? ---
**Author:** ![Phnord\_Prephect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/df705f/32.png) [@Phnord\_Prephect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phnord_Prephect)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proverbial-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words-vatican/298232/16 "2005-04-07T22:50:46Z")
> [@NurseCarmen](#): > > Starring Brian Boitano as the Pope. And Nancy Kerrigan as. Ummmm. Ummmm. Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi? What would Brian Boitano do If he were here right now? He’d be the Pope And he’d be dead too 'cuz that’s what Brian Boitano’d do! ---
**Author:** ![Yamirskoonir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/c0e974/32.png) [@Yamirskoonir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yamirskoonir)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proverbial-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words-vatican/298232/17 "2005-04-07T23:00:29Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > How are they handling, ummm, bathroom facilities? Well, when I was there back in '98, the closest restroom was just off the square. But I don’t think it really could be called a toilet, because there were no toilets – just big, black, scary, dank holes cut out in the floor, over which people squatted and did their business. No paper to wipe with, and no doors on the stalls either (although, looking back, I’m surprised there were even stalls…) :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proverbial-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words-vatican/298232/18 "2005-04-07T23:07:28Z")
> [@Yamirskoonir](#): > > Well, when I was there back in '98, the closest restroom was just off the square. But I don’t think it really could be called a toilet, because there were no toilets – just big, black, scary, dank holes cut out in the floor, over which people squatted and did their business. No paper to wipe with, and no doors on the stalls either (although, looking back, I’m surprised there were even stalls…) > > :eek: …there’s comedy in there somewhere…must…resist… ---
**Author:** ![gardentraveler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gardentraveler/32/3576_2.png) [@gardentraveler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gardentraveler)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proverbial-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words-vatican/298232/19 "2005-04-07T23:30:19Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > How are they handling, ummm, bathroom facilities? NBC News had one of their reporters wait in line (he said the line was 2 miles long). One of the shots was of PortaPotties along the way - also with long lines. I think he’d been waiting in line five hours when he got to them. Amazing photo, by the way. GT ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2005, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proverbial-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words-vatican/298232/20 "2005-04-07T23:39:06Z")
**twelvericepaddies** wrote > [@](#): > > I last was in Italy in '67 I was also last there in '67, in the summer. At the time I was in the Marines and doing a cruise of the Med. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-proverbial-picture-is-worth-a-thousand-words-vatican/298232.md?page=2)