The Vatican

Oh the Vatican. So many people!! But of course, you have to see it when you come to Rome.

As usual, we started our day early to beat all the people who can't wake up before 9:00 to the sights. At 7:45 in the morning there is no line to get into St. Peter's Basilica except 200 nuns running into the church in denim habits. I asked them why they were running and one very nice nun said that they were late for the 8:00 mass that was being held specially for them. My next question was where they were from and she said Spain. My third question would have been why are you wearing denim... but she ran off before I got to ask.

Running of the Nuns. Syd competes too.

The basilica has so many historic and famous things to see inside, it is a little overwhelming, even for someone who visited it before. Our first stop was the pieta of Mary and Jesus. This is like THE statue of statues and it is cool to see in person.

There must have been at least 6 different masses or prayer services going on at once.  I am curious how many people they can fit in the basilica. I was able to snap a photo of the alter and the tomb of St. Peter before the mass for the Spanish nuns started.

After touring St. Peters we went to the Vatican Museum where the main attraction is the Sistine Chapel. The museum is shoulder to shoulder walking in the halls leading to the Sistine Chapel, and then the actual chapel is packed too. Last time I was in the Sistine Chapel I forgot to look at the Creation of Adam and was really disappointed. This time the first thing I did was look up and there it was. WIN. Pictures still aren't allowed in the Sistine Chapel, but Syd was very slick and snapped a few in the name of the blog.

I think my favorite mural in the chapel is behind the alter. I love the blue color that is the background for all the angles.

We excited the Sistine Chapel and the crowd thinned out so we felt more up to seeing things on display (most people exit the museum straight from the chapel, but we circled around back to the museum). We looked in a glass case that everyone walks by and saw a piece of the "true cross of Jesus." It looked like really old wood with some metal. I can't believe that probably the most important Catholic relics are ignored by the masses of visitors.

After dealing with the heat (you can't wear shorts in the Vatican) and all the people, Syd and I were exhausted. We promised each other to never go back to the Vatican unless we are invited on a private tour from the Pope himself.