Our last day today and we managed to get a late check out at Saraceno, so we can go and quite happily sweat it up at the Vatican, come back, have showers and go to the airport.
We got to the Vatican at around 9:30am to get good seats for the audience with the Pope. Rather that try and get seats at the front, we got a seat close to the back and sides, so that when Pope Benidict comes around on his Pope Mobile, we'd get a good look. Not bad huh?
As he goes around he does the sign of the cross and blesses us all, the kids were rapped, all Olivia kept saying was "I was blessed, these rosary beads were blessed, we have been blessed" Total highlight!
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| The Pope mobile |
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| Mass with the Pope |
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| The tapestry of Pope John Paul II was just beautiful. So glad to have been here at the time of the Beautification. We saw PJP II the last time we were here at the Papal audience, and we have similar photos from that day back in 2000 too. |
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| We then got ourselves into a tour with a very knowlegable guide, who really had a way with words. He was clever and witty and funny and the amount of information he gave us was incredible. My brain was in information overload. I'm not even sure how much of it I was able to retain! |
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| This statue brought a lot of insiration to all the Renaisance artists and was a favourite of Michaelangelos. It is the body he painted on Christ in the final paining he did in the Sistine Chapel "Judgement Day" and also the inspiration for the artist who carved the 'Thinking Man"... like I said, information overload, can't remember his name... |
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| This mosaic was moved from a Palace, tile by tile and relaid here at the Vatican Museum. They tiles were removed and numbered in order and then transported and relaid in sequence. That job took years (and I complain about my job???) |
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| This is where the expression "AS TOEY AS A ROMAN SANDLE " comes from |
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| This style of work is called 'Chiaro Scuro', which literally means 'Light Dark' There is no raised plater work here, all of this is painted onto a totally flat surface in a way to make it look 3D. Amazing. |
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| A tapestry of the Assumption of Jesus. This was made in a special technique (I can't remember the name of it) but as you walk from the left to the right past the Tapestry, it moves with you. So when you're standing to the left, the door that Jesus is standing on is facing you and Jesus is looking at you, then when you stand to the right of the painting all the angles change and he is still looking at you and the door is jutting out towards you still. There were 2 tapestries done in this style. |
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| The Long Room ( Not at the MCG ) |
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| This is the ceiling to the Private Chapel of the Pope. The guide pointed out that the ceiling depicts the Angels of Christ in battle with the evils of Hell..... nice... |
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| Another place your not allowed to take photos (Ben couldn't help himself ) |
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| Ben told Nic that when this car was released back in the day, it was advertised with a naked lady on the bonnet. After hearing that he wanted a photo with it . |
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| I feel like Lawrence of Arabia |
We are on our way home now thanks for following and we will see you all very soon.
Love Ben, Lee, Liv and Nic
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