Welcome!

My name, Karin, was pretty common when I was growing up...just not the spelling. Unless you are of German heritage like I am. So, I have spent my entire life answering the question, "What is your name"?... With, "Karin...with an "i"! Who knew it would come in handy all these years later when I went to name my blog.

Monday, April 30, 2012

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 :)

12 comments:

Monica said...

Welcome back from your holiday... I know what you mean when you say that you left your brain behind... it happens to me all the time... when we travel... I kinda take time to get back mentally. Super pics... Thanks for sharing... That lady with a cigarette made me laugh...

Hugs to a special blogger,

Monica xxx

Barbara Bruder said...

Welcome home. I would love to go to Rome and see all the sights you photographed and saw along the way. It's amazing what fabulous works they have in their everyday lives. Lucky you to have gotten to go to Easter mass at the Vatican. TFS

1CardCreator said...

Wow, what interesting and gorgeous photos! It all looks so breathtaking!

Amanda R said...

Karin this is absolutely amazing, thank you so much for sharing with us. Makes our art seem very inconsequential though doesn't it?

TannyP said...

Oh the memories. I think we all had sore necks from trying to see everything! Your photos are spectacular (nice job sneaking the Sistine pic!) I'm happy to see you survived Easter Mass with the masses. Apparently the questionably washed masses given what you sat behind. LOL!!!

Brenda said...

If you get a chance to go back again - you'll find that you have missed tons of things LOL. There's just so much artwork and unbelievable things to see there. I can't even begin to imagine all the stuff they have that's not even on display! I did manage to get a pretty good photo of the Pieta even though it was behind the glass. Not sure how that happened :)
What fun that you were able to attend the mass there too.....

Julie Z said...

WOW - simply AMAZING! I don't what else to say....the art, the sights, the mass - hard to imagine. Thanks so much for sharing this all with us.

Gina Lindsay said...

WOW, thanks for sharing your photos, I would love to go there one day.

Shona Erlenborn said...

Great photos Karin. I never once went to an Easter Service, while I lived there. Wishing I had now! It actually looks quite civilized (well apart from Cowgirl Annie!). TFS

Monica Hunter said...

Thanks for sharing your pictures and fun observations! Had to laugh especially about those pants and the magic Tic-Tacs! :)

E. Marie said...

You must have had an amazing time!!

Cheryl said...

Thank you for sharing your pictures and stories. How wonderful!

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