vatican city

We had a plan. Get up early and go to the Vatican. I don't remember the last time I was up and out the door at 7:45am, but we were and really excited too. St. Peters opens everyday at 7 and the Museum opens at 9, our plan was to beat the rush.

We got to st.peters around 8:20 and there really wasn't anyone in the piazza and the sun was coming up and it was all very magical. We were able to go into st.peters without waiting in any lines or anything, which was awesome. I was totally blown away walking in and then Enza hits me on the shoulder and says look, and there to the right was the Pieta. I have always wanted to see the Pieta and finally I was standing in front of it. It is one of the most beautiful pieces of art I have every seen and in st. peters, I found it to be really emotional. There weren't a lot of people around so it was even more special just sharing the moment between us. St. Peters is unbelievable and so overwhelming. Everywhere i looked was an alter or a statue or a shrine to a pope, there is no way to see everything fully. The main alter was another highlight, we just stood there in awe for a good while. Also I found the ceiling to be very cool. When we left the basilica there was already a long line outside- beat the rush!

Onto the museum, which already had a huge line even though it just opened. We ended up waiting in line for a hour, behind some crazy spanish girls. We got student tickets for 8 euros (!!) And we split an audio guide to listen when we wanted to. Highlights: the gallery of the tapestries (also the ceiling), the gallery of the maps, Laccon, Belvedere Torso, the Rafael rooms especially The School of Athens (its always really awesome to see something that I've studied in real life, perspectives totally change).
Then after a long wait and many rooms of crazy modern art we were at the Sisten Chapel. I always have pictured in my head what it was going to look like and what kind of room it was going to be but it was nothing like I thought. The room was darker and bigger than I expected and completely crowded with noisy tourists. The guards just kept yelling at people taking pictures or to be quiet. It wasn't the peaceful chapel that I'd imagine. I mainly focused my attention to Michelangelos Last Judgment, which I found to be remarkable. Of course the center painting of Genesis where their fingers almost touch is amazing. I tried my hardest to ignore my surroundings and focus on the art, but I found it hard. The art itself was incredible, but it wasn't the experience I was expecting.

We got lunch and sat in St. Peters piazza, which was packed and then sent postcards to our family from the vatican. I'm really never going to forget the Pieta, its surprising that something that's behind glass and 15 feet away can still be so emotional and breathtaking.