Yesterday we toured the Vatican museums and city. We spent 7 hours looking around! Needless to say we were exhausted by the end. It was pretty cool. We saw Leonardo DaVinci, Raphael, Michelangelo and many other famous artists works. At first the Sistine Chapel was not as exciting as I thought it would be. There were about 4 or 500 people inside at one time all “speaking in hushed tones” which meant talking loudly (: But as we looked closely at the paintings on the walls and ceilings it grew on me. It is really quite spectacular. It was neat to see the famous “Creation of Adam”… I’ve seen it so many times in posters and such, it was surreal to see the original.

We also spent some time climbing to the top of St. Peter’s Basilica to see Michelangelo’s Duomo up close… but AFTER we got to the top (like 500 stairs or something ridiculous like that) we discovered that it was closed due to mass. Argh. We went into the Basilica and saw two popes… their bodies anyway… each in a glass tomb. Sort of weird… one was green.

Today we head to the Forum, Palatine hill and the Colosseum. We are looking forward to seeing these, some of which being over 2000 years old.

We’re slowly posting pictures, internet is expensive and slow in Italy so some may wait until we are back in Canada. Which is coming soon…. we’re sad to be at the end but ready for our own bed to sleep in!!