Vatican

 Wow.  We had a 4 hour private tour and it may not have been enough.  The history, the art, the beauty, the expanse of the property.  They took 80% of the stone to make this from the Colosseum so it didn’t just ‘ruin’ itself.  So much intimate details that would be impossible to understand or maybe even know without a lot of research.  Some are pretty funny, some are tragic but all a magical, woven part of history.  The art is endless.  The Sistine Chapel is unbelievable.  You cannot take pictures in there so our guide sat us down before had to show us the pictures and explain it all.  St. Peter’s Basilica is IMMENSE.  Understatement. You can be baptized, go to church every day and even get married here.  Hard to comprehend the size from pictures.  Dead popes and even a (former) queen. They were also setting up for Wed mass tomorrow outside, which happens every week.  

This is actually a guard  a Swiss guard  in one of their real uniforms.  Apparently they are bad asses despite the uniform. They live on the property. 

And then the Vatican 

Giant Bathtub used by Nero.  Probably not alone.

Maps in the hall of maps (dozens of them) The pope commissioned maps Italy to be done.  They are 85% to scale done hundreds of years ago.  

Insane, gorgeous, precious mosaics.  A dying art.  

Acorns are good luck, prosperity.  Peacocks eternal life.

Tapestry.  A dead art.  

800 yards from the entrance to the altar.  

Michaelangelo’s most famous piece.  Behind bullet proof glass.  

The WINE GOD.  With crazy, googley eyes :)

St. Peter’s outside.  

And then lunch w wine. Carafe w $8  🤣

We came back to hotel and enjoyed the air conditioning. It was super humid out today. And then dinner w more wine and a walk by the Trevi Fountain which was only slightly less crowded than day light.