Our second day in Rome began bright and early but I think our whole group was really just excited to have been given a bed and a shower and a normal breakfast. My group of four (Me, Jamie, Jennifer and Nicole) were put in room 408 at our hotel Carlo Magno the night before. Check out our four beds shoved into the room. I was laughing so hard because J-squared (I wish I could do superscript in blogger - but I don't think that's possible) (Also - J-squared is Jamie and Jennifer. They will probably be referred to as such in the future posts about Europe because they are basically the same person in two bodies) kept complaning about how small our room was and I kept saying that it was so warm and cozy! Anyway... We were in room 408 which is actually something like 10 flights of stairs from the lobby and I'm not complaining because really I appreciated all the extra exercise, I just want to make it known why I was able to lose some much hated poundage from my body on this trip. Add those flights of stairs multiple times a day or night to the miles and miles we were walking on this trip and the fact that I was basically NEVER hungry and it all makes perfect sense.
Wow I get off topic so easily.
Here is our room:
We hopped on the bus and were whisked away to the smallest country in the world: Vatican City. Vatican City is only 20% of a single square mile and has less than 1,000 inhabitants - none of whom live there permanently. Yes I got some of this info from About.com. Get over it.
We were so lucky to be with a guide (that's something I continued to repeat throughout the trip) because we got right into the Vatican Museums with absolutely no wait!! Apparently people can spend an entire day in Rome just waiting in line to get in. Crazy!
The courtyard ^^
The gardens which are taken care of by the nuns of the Vatican. ^^^
I know this is wildly innapropriate, but how funny would it be to see the Pope using a hose and watering this grass? And he'd be all tangled up in it and trying to weave it in and out of the planter boxes.
OK. OK. Anyway...
I can't remember what the heck this is behind me.
Jamie!
This is the Courtyard of the Pinecone ^^ That big bronze ball is called "Sfera Con Sfera". It's only been in the Courtyard for about 20 years and it's meaning is that of a complex world that we live in. This courtyard is a really big tourist spot so as you can see we were VERY lucky with the time of year that we traveled. Nothing was crowded and even the Sistine Chapel was empty. So cool!
The pinecone ^^^
I think this was when we entered the Pio-Clementine Museum (Greco-Roman Sculptures)
Notice the fig leaf over his umm.. private parts? Our guide was telling us the story of how Pope Pius IX ordered all the genitals to be cut off of the statues of the men in the Vatican because he felt it to be too vulgar. His successor added the fig leaves. Interesting stuff, right?
I loved all the animal sculptures. They reminded me of my little furry friends at home.
This guy up here is pretty cool ^^
Ceiling fresco ^^. Our guide (Franco) kept telling us that these frescos were done by the modern artists and that they "basically don't matter" in comparison to the masters of the past. Well DUH! They don't matter as much but they're still pretty amazing!!!
The Belvedere Torso ^^^ Apparently very famous because it was signed by the artist.
A little dome ^^
Me in the Vatican Museums ^^
This guy is like "meeehhh" hahaha ^^^
The Gallery of Tapestries was pretty cool. I can't believe these tapestries were woven between the 15th and 17th centuries. They are so detailed.
The Gallery of Maps ^^^ (Frescos of maps on the walls)
I kept looking and looking and looking at this fresco of the man writing with the skull and then I realized it reminded me of a Caravaggio! (below)
Seriously so comparison. You think they're linked?
Then we walked into the hall that leads to the Sistine Chapel. I think that from the minute I got off the bus that morning I had this overwhelming feeling of excitement like, "I'm going to stand in the Sistine Chapel!!!" It's weird. As you walk through all those rooms and see all those amazing statues, paintings and tapestries it's NOTHING compared to the sheer size and beauty of the Sistine. Once you see it nothing can compare. Some of my fellow travelers would probably disagree and vote for something of more natural wonder like a mountainside or body of water but for me the biggest highlight of the trip was the Sistine.
Photos are prohibited in the chapel because flash can ruin the paintings so I kept my camera put away.
(I bought a magnet off a street vendor though haha)
Franco told us a story about how the Vatican accidentally shot a canon into the ceiling and ruined one of the first scenes in the creation segment. That was pretty cool. Also the fact that the pope at the time felt it was too intricate and perfect before that he wouldn't allow anyone to paint over the part that was ruined. So it stays ruined. Funny because he allowed someone to repaint all the Berninis.
Anyway... enough about the Sistine. I could go on for days. But, again.. it was an empty chapel so we got lucky because apparently guests are usually pushed through the room like cattle.
After you leave the Sistine through the "secret door" there is a huge flight of stairs
oh look! Me and a flight of stairs!
Then we went over to St. Peter's Basillica. This is the bronze Holy Door ^^ which is only opened for very special celebrations commissioned by the current pope. You can't really tell... but it's massive.
Inside the church is the other side of the door ^^^ Inside that little box is something special but no one knows what it is. Apparently we will all find out the next time there's a Jubilee?!
Through the dome ^^ Isn't that amazing? It's like looking right into Heaven.
Michelangelo's Pieta. This is probably #2 on my list of favorite things from the trip. It's seriously amazing!! And it's behind glass so don't mind the glare from the window.
See those letters basing the ceiling of the entire church? Each one is 8 feet tall! It's impossible to explain how large this place is.
Oh yeah... my feet in St. Peter's
Pope John XXIII. Yep - that's a real guy in there. Weird.
OK here comes #3 of my top sites of the trip - The Baldacchino by Bernini. Whoa, right?! Seriously whoa! Like so whoa! I might actually try to see the Pope sitting under it on TV. And I generally avoid including the Pope in my life at all so that's big. and IT'S a BIG canopy.
Brenda and Franco
Just so I don't forget - Franco is the one who taught us ANDIAMO. It means "HURRY UP, LET'S GO!"
Basically, I love it!
Doesn't this guy ^^ just remind you of Billy Crystal in The Princess Bride?
oh you know he does!
Here I am in Piazza San Pietro
140 statues of saints line the walls of the Piazza. 
This one above kind of captures the shape of the colonnade ^^. It's rounded.
Oh hey it's me in front of a street vendor's cart! I just really liked the S.P.Q.R. everywhere.
S.P.Q.R stands for Senatus Populusque Romanus and it's really a nod to the ancient Roman senate and people. Once I learned that I was like snapping away everytime I saw one I liked.
S.P.Q.R stands for Senatus Populusque Romanus and it's really a nod to the ancient Roman senate and people. Once I learned that I was like snapping away everytime I saw one I liked.
I seriously only ate popcorn and a granola bar that day until we finally ate dinner around 9 PM or so.
J-squared and Nicole
me and Brenda
stay tuned for part 3... soon...
4 comments:
In case you're wondering if anyone is looking through all of these, check yes, I am. I LOOOVE it. My mom and Natalie went to the Sistine, and if I remember right it was booty crowded.
Kelsey, How fortunate you were to be in the Sistine Chapel while it was quiet and empty. I was like you in my anticipation of seeing it but the crowd was huge and noisy. It was still one the most remarkable places I have ever been but the crowd did detract. Natalie's choir were privileged to sing in St. Peter's Basilica. The words to the song they performed were the words that encircle the dome. Unbelievable experience! I could go on and on....about our trip too. So glad you had this opportunity. Nothing like it!
Awesome photos! I am really hoping to make a trip to Rome before my husband and I have to move back to the states. Basically, I'm super jealous! But in a cool, admiring way. ;)
Jealous of your trip!!! Looks awesome.
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