Rome Part 2

The Vatican- Day 2

The second day (Thanksgiving) was reserved for the Vatican, museums, and surrounding area. 

You can't walk past the Colosseum and not take pictures. Here is another view of the Arch of Constantine. 

I just love this place! 

My gorgeous kiddos did pretty well with pictures all week long. No bribing needed. 

Thankfully, both kids enjoy taking pictures of James and I. 

Just some random pictures while on our way to the Vatican. 

This is part of Palatine Hill and the ruins there. We will discuss more of this area tomorrow. 

I don't know why this amused me so much, but it did. He's directing traffic at a very busy unmarked intersection. Drivers do not pay attention to the lines on the road nor obey basic traffic rules. I suppose this time of day is necessary to have someone direct traffic to prevent accidents. 

And we are here. The Vatican! 

Its a gorgeous building, but like everything else in Rome, its under construction. 

The wall that separates The Vatican City from Rome. 

Wyatt gets his very own map of interesting things to see in the Vatican Museums.

A public water fountain inside Vatican City. 

I've never seen a hallway with so many heads! 

View of Rome from one of the windows in the Vatican City

On our walk from the museum back to the Vatican we saw this. Parking is nothing short of crazy here. I think this driver might be waiting a while to get out. 

Back in front of the Vatican I start taking more pictures. The kids really enjoyed this fountain. 

Did you know The Vatican City has their own police and Swiss Guards!

View from the Vatican

View towards the Vatican

We didn't go inside St. Peter's Basilica. By the time we were done with the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel we were all worn out. The plan was to go back the next day but we decided to save it for a future Rome trip. 

The Sistine Chapel was amazing. After a really long walk through the museums you finally get to the Sistine Chapel. Its worth the walk though. The paintings are beautiful and breathtaking. Pictures were not allowed sadly. Apparently Fuji Film once cleaned all of the Sistine Chapel in the late 1900's and therefore has copyrights to all paintings. 

Vatican Fun Facts

Did you know that the Vatican is its own State? It is not part of Rome nor of Italy. In 1929 the Lateran Treaty between Italy and the Holy See finally recognized its sovereignty. It is only 108 acres and is the smallest sovereign state. It has its own postal city, radio station, currency, passport, newspaper and railway station! And of course the Pope lives here. 

Did you know that Michalangelo originally painted The Last Judgment with the people totally exposed? But then many years later after much controversy another painter came in and added clothes to cover them up. 

Did you know that Fuji Film once cleaned all of the Sistine Chapel in the late 1900's and therefore has copyrights to all paintings. That's why we can't take pictures. 

Did you know that The Sistine Chapel also holds the famous chimney that releases black smoke to announce the pope has died and white smoke to announce a new pope has been selected.