The Vatican

Hi Everyone,

I think I left part of my brain on vacation and I've had the worst time getting back in the groove of everyday life.  Not sure what my problem is, but even looking at the photos makes me feel a bit wistful and melancholy.  I've really never had this happen after coming home from a vacation, so I don't know what to make of it.  Anyway, here are more photos.

Our second full day had us visiting the Vatican museums and the Sistine Chapel. 

The Basilica

Again, there were so many people, and the amount to artwork is just staggering. 

Sculptures

And the the masterpiece, Laocoon.

It was so hard not to constantly be looking up.  This is why...

I mean, for real???!

There were enormous tapestries...

For those of you that don't know this, my home town is named Parma.  Yes, after THE Parma. 

And I managed to sneak this photo in the Sistine Chapel... Woo hoo!

Inside St. Peter's I wasn't sure where to look first...

The Pieta by Michelangelo.  Crummy photo from me.  It's behind glass, and you really can't get close to it.

Bernini's Baldacchino.

One thing I found kind of creepy, is that many of the churches in Rome have incorruptible bodies on display.

This is Pope John XXIII. 

Odd, no? And no one know why they don't decompose. I looked it up on the web after we got home.

While we were still inside St. Peter's, Jay gave me his mints and said there were two left, one for me and one for Rod.  I ate mine and told Rod the last one was for him and walked away.  A moment later Rod tapped me on the shoulder and said, "It's a miracle!"  Two more Tic Tacs had appeared. lol!  Yeah, yeah...We know they were probably stuck to the lid, but we're still going with the " It's a miracle" concept :)

The Swiss guards outside the Vatican.

As we were leaving, they we setting up for Easter Mass the next day.

And guess what?  We had tickets.

 It took a number of emails and also a couple to the concierge of the hotel to pick them up for us, but we were going to see the Pope on Easter.  On one of our many walks through Rome, I even happened on the place I emailed to get our tickets.  I was like, "Hey!  I know this place"...lol.

In line on Easter Sunday.

In our seats.

This was the view from our seats. 

I know this is sort of bad, but I had to snap this photo.  At one point the lady in front of us stands on her chair.  Really?  I know you want to see the Pope, but it's not a concert.  Then there was her attire.  I wish you could have seen the sequined top she was wearing.  It was in English and said something about being a "Hot Mama". That shirt, coupled with the leather inserts on the stretchy pants and the brown cowboy boots, made for an interesting Easter outfit.  Oh, and notice the cigarette.  She was smoking!  I know we're outside, but this is still church, right?! lol!

There were so many people, that when it was time for communion, these priests came out with umbrellas, so that you could find them.

It was a once in a lifetime event and an Easter that I will never forget.

Thanks for looking and have a great day :)