Vatican City

You really can't know how much 320 steps are, until you climb them to the top of St Peter's Basillica Dome.

It is worth the panoramic view of Rome, but if you are unfit, have blisters all over your feet or asthmatic, don't bother.  It starts out okay, but towards the top the stairs are narrow, winding and there are no handrails.  Add claustrophobic to the list too, I think.  But if you don't have issues with the above, do it - the views truely are stunning. 

View from the Dome

Firstly, I visited St Peter's Basillica.  W-O-W.  They may not have contributed much else to society, but if there is one thing the Catholics know how to do (other than steal things), it's build over the top basillicas.  This thing is humongous and over the top opulent.  It's really impossible to convey it in one or two pictures. 

The canopy thing in the middle (below) is huge - not sure exactly of it's purpose, but it looks ultra important, so I imagine it's the sort of place where the Pope sits when he's making his really important announcements, such as advising the people in Africa that using contraceptives causes AIDS.  That sort of thing.

Ultra Important Canopy

There are a few tombs about the place, including one that appears to hold a mumified Pope, which is a little disconcerting.  His hands are all clawlike.  So I won't post that photo here, you may get nightmares.

Dotted around the place are also the largely ceremonial guards, which I think look just gorgeous, and they do these funny little salutes and pike movements when People of Importance walk by.  Only the Really Important Ones get the pike movements and foot stamping.  Along with generally just looking pretty, their other main function seems to be trying not to burst out laughing. 

Ceremonial Guards

The Vatican Museums are simply amazing, and hold a lot of statues and paintings.  Unfortunately I ran out of time to see it all before they closed.  It includes apartments that Raphael painted, walls and ceilings, for some pope or another. 

Of course, then there is the Sistine Chapel, which is the only part you aren't allowed to take photos in.  Michaelangelo was clearly either insane, or incredible bored when he decided to paint that ceiling.  Probably both.  It's huge, high, and absolutely... I've run out of superlatives.  Even if you have absolutely no idea what the paintings are supposed to symbolise, you can appreciate the work itself, and it's stunning.  There are a few Botticelli's in there too on the walls - he is one of my favourite painters. 

Vatican Square, with the Basillica in the centre

On the way to the Vatican I made a few stops, not all intentional - refer yesterday's post - and saw the Castle next to the Vatican, a Basillica, and a few other things, but I have an early start tomorrow for my tour to Pompeii, so I have to get to bed.  I'll write about those tomorrow.

Buonsomethinginitalian night.