Rome, Italy September 14-15, 2016

Rome

Twenty-seven years ago we drove our rental car into Rome with the kids hanging out of the windows.  We had maps that were worthless.  To find our way to the Vatican we would ask the drivers stuck in traffic with us:  Vaticano???? And we would point in all directions.  They would respond by pointing and we would follow.  After multiple repeats of that technique we eventually drove down the Via that ran directly into the Piazza San Pietro the Basilica di San Pietro and the Cappella Sistina.

 This time we took a 20-minute taxi ride from our hotel.

Our Hotel:  The Gran Melia Hotel, which is on the Vatican side of the Tiber River.

 The history and treasures contained in and around the Vatican are amazing.  We hired a guide (Alessio),  for 3 hours.

For 14 years the Cappella Sistina had scaffolding inside while they cleaned and repaired the frescos of Michelangelo.  All renovation is complete and the colors and contrasts are bright.  They no longer allow photos to be taken inside the chapel, so no photos to show.

Michelangelo was first and foremost a sculptor.  His renderings of the human body wonderfully display his three dimensional understanding of the human form. 

The nude paintings offended many of his time and generations since.  During the 1800s the Pope had drapes covering the nudity.  All drapes were removed during the recent renovations.

At the time Michelangelo was painting the final judgement in the Sistine Chapel, an official of the Vatican complained loudly to the Pope about the nudity depicted.  It aggravated Michelangelo and as a result he got even with the official by painting the his face into the painting with him shown in hell with donkey ears.  The offended official complained to the Pope but the Pope reportedly replied that he had no authority to interfere in Hell and allowed the painting to remain as painted.

Photos in and around the Vatican City.  There seems to be a fountain in front of every important building and square.

 The Map room.

 Inside St. Peters Basilica.

 In the Museum.

In the evening we hired another guide, (Riccardo) to take us around the main attractions by night.  We went to a hilltop for a full view of Rome and then to the Pantheon, Forum, Coliseum, the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, and by the Villa Borghesa.

 Drinking from fresh water fountains from the aquaducts.

 The Coliseum.

 View of Rome.

 Of course we stopped for Gelato.