Day 114

Dad did find a new place for us to stay, an apartment right in the city of Rome. The internet connection was much better! And apart from the increasing hazard of dog dirt everywhere, it was wonderful to be able to walk to the grocery store and the metro.

St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican museum. We walk about 1/8th a mile to the subway station just down the road. The ride to the heart of the city was loud with all the people talking and the wheels of the subways extremely squeaky. Once arriving at the stop for St. Peter’s Basilica, we de-boarded the subway and walked the rest way to St. Peter’s. St. Peter’s Basilica is located in a square area full of fences directing people into lines for waiting. In the center of the square was a huge monument and beside it was a pine tree decorated for Christmas.

While waiting in line it started sprinkling. As we got closer to the Basilica we pulled out our phones and started listening to the Rick Steves audio guide for the Basilica. One interesting thing that Rick Steves told us was where the Pope’s window is. In the picture below is a tan nonagon around the Pope’s window.

Well, I should get on to telling you about the inside of the Basilica. Inside is totally different from the outside. There are lots of statues and beautiful paintings. In the front is a huge black carved alter. And straight above it is a dome. There are 15 windows in the dome, and in the smaller dome on the very top there are also 15 more smaller windows. And on the roof of the small dome is a painted picture of Jesus. The dome of St. Peter's rises to a total height of 448.1 ft from the floor of the basilica to the top of the external cross. It is the tallest dome in the world.

Through out the Basilica there are many smaller domes, also with many windows. Most of the works of art are made with real gold, or are painted gold. To the right of the entrance there is the Pietà by Michelangelo. People were all crowded around the Pietà, and that made it hard to take pictures.

When we were finished with the audio guide, Mom, Jack, and I left Dad, Bria and Landon and went to the Vatican Museum to see the Sistine chapel. Dad, Bria, and Landon went somewhere to have lunch and then headed back home. Bria and Landon’s legs were getting sore and they wanted to go home. Mom, Jack, and I went to a roadside stand and got sandwiches for lunch and then headed into the museum.

Inside, we followed signs to the Sistine chapel. As we walked more and more people appeared jamming the hallways to maximum capacity. Walking the halls with paintings and sculptures, was interesting. Most of the sculptures were parts or chipped —ancient. The golden ceilings of the halls were intricately painted pictures and designs.

Pictures form walking to the Sistine chapel below.

When we arrived at the Sistine chapel, there were men pushing us in the room, so that we would make room for all the people coming in. We were pushed in and tried to listen to Rick Steves guide for the chapel, but it was hard being constantly pushed and shoved. There were no pictures allowed in the Sistine chapel. When the audio guide had finished we exited and then found our way out of the museum. Out in the streets, Mom used her GPS, with my help, to get us to the subway station. Mom got us home just fine! We then walked to the house and then turned around and headed to the store. After a quiet dinner we started listening to a story and the neighbors on the other side of the wall, around 8:30pm started playing loud music. When we went to bed they were still playing the music, but we fell right to sleep.