We had an early start today, 7:30, as we made our way to Citta
Del Vaticano, Vatican City. A city which not a city at all but a country
surrounding by walls in the middle of another city. The crowds were amazing,
but more amazing still was the fastness of those lines. It felt like it took
longer with the sun starting to bear down on us but really didn’t take long at
all, however, if you don’t like crowds The Vatican is not going to be your
thing.
We were given a presentation on the Sistine Chapel and its
famous ceiling before heading into the main one-way museum. I liked hearing the
stories and history, but I could have done without the sun. In the main museum
we stopped at the major sites, but we couldn’t linger at the lesser known ones.
I missed out on my chance to see Van Gogh’s painting housed in The Vatican, but
we were in a rush to get to the Sistine Chapel. Why look at not the most
impressive work of contemporary artist when you have Michelangelo’s work
waiting?
As you enter the Sistine Chapel the are guards telling you:
no pictures, no video, no talking. A mass of people huddle together in the
middle of the room and look up and at the walls. The Sistine Chapel is
impressive. The work that went into everything. It’s beautiful. Unfortunately,
that beauty is lessen with the guards having to speak over the intercom “Silenzio
Shhhhhh. No pictures. No Video” over and over again because tourists can’t
follow directions. You also have to crane your head back to really appreciate
the artwork – God creating Adam. I can enjoy the artwork for art’s sake but
some of the iconography and meaning behind things is lost on me.
Exiting the Sistine Chapel we headed over to St. Peter’s Basilica.
A basilica is just another work for a church. St. Peter’s is massive. They have
markings on the floor which tell you where other cathedrals around the world
would end showing the vastness of it. Everywhere you look there is intricate detail.
Lettering towards the ceiling is 7 feet
Our tour ended at a gift shop and we headed back to the
hotel for lunch before the next tour which because our first tour went a little
long was pushed back a bit. I went and had lunch at a new place down the
street, opposite from my usual café, and sat out enjoying the streets of Roma.
I felt ready for the second tour that afternoon, a walking
tour of baroque and catholic architecture, but I must have had too much sun in
the first half of the day. (I’ve had enough sun to last me 10 years) I fell ill
after the first church! I soldiered through and made it to the Pantheon. I
would have been more impressed had I not felt so sick, although I did get to go
inside for a few minutes. Its dome is beautiful and I’ve seen a lot of domes
recently. From the Pantheon we visited another church, but instead of following
the group I sat down and just listened to the ear piece. I followed along for
the rest of the tour but hung in the back worrying the other people on the tour
who kept trying to get me to get a taxi, but I was determined to finish. I paid
for the tour after all and even if I didn’t get as much out of it as I had wanted,
it was good to walk and hear the stories. I was aware of the cat sanctuary in
Rome which is housed in a series of temple ruins aptly named A, B, C, and D. I
even saw some cats in it! 
Returning to the hotel I took a cold shower to cool down and
just laid down for a bit to feel better. Eventually, I made it down to hotel
restaurant for a bowl of vegetable soup and was able to complete my work for
the next day.
It was such a long day, and I think I might have skipped the
afternoon tour had I known but on the plus side I slept hard. The first decent
sleep I’ve gotten while here.
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