This time I thought I knew what was coming: the travel brochure had said our visit to Vatican City would take approximately 2-3 hours, and include “two significant staircases.” It did not, however, mention the other 10 or 12 “insignificant” staircases, or the fact that “approximately” meant it could very well take more than 4 ½ hours to see the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica. There is no shortcut available; the Sistine Chapel has one way in, and one way out, and that involves traversing the maze of themed museums first.
But boy howdy, is it worth the wait! If you’ve seen pictures of the Sistine Chapel, and think you won’t be all that impressed, you’re very wrong. Our Vatican guide spoke softly into the headsets we all wore, carefully explaining the Biblical story behind each panel on every wall, and then did the same for the ceiling.
My neck ached, but I couldn’t look away. I found a spot on one of the few benches along the wall and just sat staring upward, listening intently. The “Wow Factor” was intense and quite personal, even among a room full of milling tourists. Breathtaking and astonishingly awesome in the truest sense of the word, I hated to pull myself away.
St. Peter’s Basilica was next, and I saw the Pieta, completed by Michelangelo in 1499. The Virgin Mary mourning over the dead body of Jesus is one of the most emotionally powerful sculptures ever done, even if you’re not Catholic, which I am not. The details of line and shape are beyond exquisite, and again, the pictures do not do it justice.
Outside, we saw the square where the Pope stands and speaks, which I immediately recognized from the movie “Angels and Demons.” Then there was just a moment to dash inside the Vatican Post Office to send the postcards I’d addressed the night before, anticipating this opportunity. I had to be quick about it, but I’m sure the nine recipients had never before received a Vatican postmark. Stamps were 1.60 euros each, which translated into just about $2, US.
Then a short stop outside the Vatican walls for souvenirs and gelato. I got a few charms, blessed by the Pope, for my friends back home, and a Vatican shot glass for a collector friend of mine. Who knew I’d find her a shot glass at the Vatican gift shop?!
Our two-day Roman Holiday came to an end with an early wake-up call set for the next morning. I began to refer to the days as “travel days” or “adventure days,” even though there were many sights and stops along our travel route as well.