Rome Pt: 2

Vatican City

Friday brought us to Vatican City and I must say this was one of my favorite days so far. Full of education and amazing works of art, I was in heaven! We meant to visit the church and the museum, but ended up taking a tour with a guide instead and boy was it worth the money. I think I learned so much on that tour that many of the works of art would not have meant nearly as much if I had just walked by them to look. The tour started in the museum and we were told about the Sistine Chapel before visiting the chapel. We learned it took 4 years for Michelangelo to paint the ceiling and that he and the Pope were not getting along so there are several spots on the ceiling that he deliberately placed there to anger the Pope. Such as showing God going to create man on earth, by showing his back side with his uncovered butt facing everyone to see, he also painted a self portrait of his head on a platter in the corner to show that he felt beheaded by the church for being forced into creating this project. He also painted another Pope into the scene being bitten on the groin by a snake to show his dislike for the Pope. Nero’s bath is also located in the museum as well as works by Rafael in the area that used to be where the Pope’s live. We then went to St. Peters Basilica and this church is so huge and so amazing words cannot describe. The amount of gold in these churches alone is enough to make any jewelry lover drool. We climbed to the top of the dome and looked out over Rome to see a beautiful site. By then it was dark so we headed for home on the bus. (love public transportation in these cities, it is so advanced and well planned)

We also climbed to the top of Saint Peter's Basilica, it was ONLY a couple hundred steps and it took a very long time to climb to the top, but it was well worth it!

Our last day in Rome we toured the Coliseum, Palatine Hill and the Forum. We took a tour at the Coliseum as well and it was pretty informative. They explain how the stadium was built and faced with marble and how there were elevators beneath the stadium to raise and lower animals to participate in the gladiator fights.

The famous Accademia painting in the former Pope's apartment located in the Vatican. Our guide told us so much about this painting and the former scholars featured inside the painting as well as a self portrait by Rafael and his lover that he was not allowd to be with, due to the fact he was engaged to a Cardinal's daughter.

blurry photo of the Sistine Chapel. A film company came in and paid for the restoration and now holds the copyright, not the Vatican. So...no one is allowed to take photos of the room because it's under copyright. This was all we were able to sneak out for you all, as well as some steath videography by Philip (call us secret agents!)