The Pope's house
Trip Start
Jul 26, 2008
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Trip End
Sep 19, 2008
A tour of the Vatican city today. Onto the bus and off at the nearest stop. had a while to wait before meeting the tour guide (same guy as yesterday) so had a wander through some local markets. Met the tour guide a the train station an lined up for access to the Vatican. After a short wait we were inside and kitted up with our headsets. Very informative 3 hour tour of the buildings and amazing art collection - tour guide obviously knew his stuff. Into the Sistine Chapel - exquisite - although a little disappointing with the number of people inside. 'Silence please!' shouted every 2 minutes was pretty annoying - that's big crowds I guess. Would love to visit late at night with nobody around to really appreciate it in silence . . . Late picnic lunch (sandwiches) in a small courtyard before we moved on to St Peter's Basillica, an extraordinary building, especially its scale and grandeur. Escpecially liked Michaelangelo's sculpture of Pieta (virgin Mary cradling the dead Jesus). Tour of the crypts below, housing many past popes including the recent John Paul II. Out into the sunshine again of Piazza San Pietro, with Bernini's magnificent colonnade topped with statues of saints. Boys stood on the marked spot in the piazza where all the columns of the colonnade disappear (line up with each other). Back to camp where the boys had a swim in the pool . . .
