Brad and Char's European Adventure: Enough with the flowers, which way to the brothel?

That, I have to say, is the first time I (Brad) have ever asked the previous question. Probably the only time as well.
Two days ago, we took a trip to Pompeii, the city ruined by a volcano in 79 A.D. After extensive archeological digging, they have unearthed a city that is very well preserved. We got to wander around the ruins and see houses, shops, the forum, what must have been magnificent villas, theatres, and last but not least, a brothel. Needless to say, the frescoes on the inside were not the most "tasteful" or "family oriented" but rather pictures of services offered in that type of establishment. 'Nuff said.
All in all, a very interesting trip though. To see and imagine how people lived in that time of the world, and to walk on really old streets was very intriguing.
Yesterday, we dropped in on the Pope. He wasn't available to have tea. But, we did tour the museums and see the Sistine Chapel. With about a million other people. I felt kind of like we were in a herd of cattle, being herded through a corral system. There was only one way to go, and to go the other way would've been impossible. We find that tour groups can be pushy, as they all want to stay close to their tour guide and they are not opposed to using their elbows to get through. So, in turn, I don't feel bad about elbowing them back.
St. Peter's Basillica was truly magnificent as well. After a strict check by the morality police (a VERY strict dress code is enforced for in the basillica) we entered by far the biggest church we've ever been in. Covered in gold, marble and big fat cherubs, it definitely did what the architects wanted it to do: put you in awe of the Creator, and His splendor. Michelangelo's 'Pietà' scultpure was a simple portrayal of Mary's sorrow and pathos for her Son after he had died and had been taken down from the cross.
We found something that I (Brad) found very interesting: a bare cross. As you probably know, the Catholic church usually portrays Jesus still on the cross, and rarely is there a bare cross. But a few times in St. Peter's there were bare crosses. It was interesting.
Along with the theme of early Christian history, we visited the catacombs a few days ago as well, which was nice because it was underground and only about 15 degrees!! Quite nice to have natural air conditioning as we walked around 12 meters underground. We saw how the Christians, before Christianity was legalized, buried their dead in a way to differentiate themselves from pagans and in a way that was hidden from view. You can still see some of the early Christian art that decorated the tombs, such as the fish, the anchor, the dove, and other symbols of faith. I asked the question, "I've heard that Christians lived in the catacombs to escape persecution. Is that true?" After touring the catacombs, we could answer that question for ourselves: there's no way that people could live down there. For one, the constant coolness and dampness would've made it very uncomfortable, and secondly, the tufa rock that it was made out of, gives off sulphur gas, which is unhealthy for the lungs. As well, there was no evidence of habitation down there. So, the guide said conclusively that there was no way that people lived down in the catacombs.