garyandpearl

This morning we braved the Metro on our way to the Vatican Museum and we did NOT get pick pocketed! 🙂. We were squished together like sardines!

We had purchased skip the line tickets and our entry time was 10:00. It took a while to clear security, and we were on our way to explore the Vatican collection of artwork, statues, relics, and painted ceilings! There were thousands of people doing the same thing, and a few times I heard Gary and Keanna mooing like we were cattle being herded through chutes.

Here are a few photos from the museum:

Here we are just about to step into the Sistine Chapel. No photos allowed.

It was amazing! We downloaded podcasts from Rick Steves’ audio Europe app and listened to his commentary explaining the paintings.

As we headed out of the museum, we had a discussion to see if this was a fancy Vatican trowel or cake lifter.

It is a jewel encrusted trowel.

Here is the famous Bramante staircase as we exited: two separate staircases that don’t meet until the bottom.

At this point we headed to St. Peter’s square and decided not to stand in line for hours to see the church. We rested instead.

What to do next?

Crepes, of course!

As we wandered back to our hotel for a rest, we happened upon a market where an young Italian man tempted us with samples from his family deli. We ended up buying different cheeses and meat, and he threw in some bread, ricotta, and chocolate for good measure. He has 5 scholarship offers in the US to play soccer, and now he must decide where to go!

Since today is Halloween, we booked an after hours tour to the Capuchin Crypt and Priscilla catacombs. The Capuchin Crypt is a place where they took human remains and turned them into artwork. Creepy!

The catacombs were not a place where Christians hid, but where they buried their dead, as the pagans practiced cremation. We were not allowed pictures in either place, but it was a neat experience. I was a bit creeped out at times when I was the last one in line and my back was toward the darkened burial chambers. 😟

We met our tour group at Triton Fountain.

After enjoying a late supper of meat, cheese, and bread, we found a new gelato place, and enjoyed a late-night treat.