“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.”

I had this grand thought that I would be able to update everyone on my adventures in Rome with one post, but then I realized that trying to do so would do no justice to my time and experience there, especially Vatican City.  This cannot be overlooked, although the tour guide that led us through must have missed that memo..
The Vatican.  What can you say?  Even if you have no religious affiliation or put your faith in something outside of traditional deity figures, this place is breathtaking.  There's no other way to put it.  Anyone with an ounce of respect for history and art can find a place in their heart for the Vatican.  There's just so much- I don't even know where to begin.  I guess I'll start at the beginning.

Getting to the Vatican is definitely part of the experience.  First, you load onto your ridiculous tour bus and weave your way around the city that has suddenly evolved into an obstacle course.  There are times those buses get INCHES away from walls and people.  Inches.  Let's not mention the game of chicken the bus engages in with every pedestrian it encounters.  As soon as the bus drops you off, you get a taste of the August Roman sun, who is all too friendly, even at 11 in the morning.  Shade becomes your new best friend.  Your walk to museums makes the experience in the non-air conditioned museums worth the wait.  You're finally admitted and you soon come to realize that the tour guide that has been assigned to your group is on a mission to break the world record for the fastest power walk through the Vatican.  It's a crime to think that such a thing exists, but also a small blessing.  If you consider how much there is to see and learn about and photograph and read in the Vatican, had I been left to my own devices, I would still be there.  There's so much and we saw a lot and the only way we saw as much as we did was thanks to the mini death march through the museums.  And when I say death march, I'm only half joking.  We were given a clear warning that if you fell behind, you were screwed.  Only worded a little more gently.
The first significant pieces we were shown (two of the few we actually stopped for) were located in a courtyard in the beginning of the museum (let's count how many times I have to say 'museum' in this post..).  One was a statue of Apollo and the other was of Laocoon and his sons, a Trojan priest who predicted that the acceptance of the wooden horse would be Troy's downfall.  To be honest, I had never heard of this pieces before and was a little disappointed that this is what the guide chose to stop and talk about, of all things.  But I found a piece of art that made up for it, not that they weren't impressive, but I found this just to be a little bit more endearing.

Our guide then led us through a tricky little dance among the crowd.  Hercules was a dance partner for a brief moment, among others, many mythological, though I couldn't tell you who they were we blew by so quickly.  My attempts of capturing the event were focused on the ceilings.  They were astounding and they were easy to focus on with a camera while moving.  The tapestry room was interesting in the fact they we were immersed into an entirely different medium of art.  And they are simply HUGE.  How someone was able to sit down and plan something so intricate and monstrous and then successfully carry it out is quite the feat.  And this is working with cloth and thread in who knows what time period with who knows what technology.  Human innovation is such a treasure.  If only it was always used for art.
The Marian Room was intriguing to me simply for the history it contains.  This room contains the documents declaring the Immaculate Conceptions of Mary.  These documents are in every major language and were presented to the current Pope at the time as a gift.  It's a major teaching of the Church and its rather touching to see real doctrine in front of you.

From there, we saw a room dedicated to Constantine, the first Christian emperor.  This room stands out to me simply because of the little jewel I stumble upon and has become my favorite of that day.  It was on the ceiling (of course).  It's simply a gold crucifix in an empty room with a scattered statue of a pagan god at its base.  It's simple.  It's powerful.  I love the meaning and the significance it portrays.

From there, I met another cool piece of art.  This is had seen before and no clue that its residence was in Vatican City!  It's so cool to say that I've seen this in person.  It's quite the phenomena to look back and say, "I was there!  I've been to that painting!"

Next was some contemporary art which was actually pretty cool.  I guess the Pope keeps around some people with pretty good taste and then, the moment we've all been waiting for- the Sistine Chapel.  We had had the art in the Sistine Chapel explained to us before the tour because "no talking is allowed in the chapel." Then again, neither is photography.  The Sistine Chapel is an experience within itself.  You expect quite and reverence.  It's a mad house.  You expect respect for the rules.  The first thing you see as you walk in is a sea of cameras, all pointed at the ceiling.  And I confess, I was guilty.  You can't let everyone else have all the fun..  The chapel is also a lot smaller than I expected, but stunning nonetheless.  Moses and Jesus tell their stories on opposite walls and the Last Judgment is right behind the altar.  It's the ceiling (in knew my love for the ceilings would pay off!) that gets all the glory.  You'll always remember the day you saw the Sistine Chapel.  Talk about a God wink kind of day.

Last but not least is the Basilica.  I was in love.  Despite the crowds, this does have a little more serenity to it.  The size of it is overwhelming and you feel like you're walking on clouds.  Stunning.  Every inch of it is simply beautiful.  I've met a friend in my study abroad group who isn't Catholic and had never heard of the Basilica and what she had to say pretty much sums it up- "This is amazing!  Oh my gosh!"  It's all you can do but to keep saying it over and over again.  This. Is. Amazing.

Well, despite the rush in which I saw the Vatican, I still have to count it as a success.  A day in which your soul grows a little more and your heart is a little brighter cannot be seen as a day wasted.  All I can say at the end of it all is that I can't wait to go back.

"Traveling is a brutality.  It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends.  You are constantly off balance.  Nothing is yours except the essential things- air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky- all things tending toward the eternal or what we imagine of it." -Cesare Pavese