From Florence we headed south to Rome, center of the ancient universe. Expectations were high.
The first stop was Vatican City, where you can see some of the most amazing art collections in the whole wide world. We ended up queuing for over two hours to get into the Vatican museums and were plagued constantly by tour guides offering various deals to skip the queue. Was it worth the wait? Let's have a look.
The first item of interest I spotted on the spiral staircase up to the entrance. It's a carving all the way from New Zealand! A little piece of Aotearoa had made it to the Vatican. Choice.
Onwards to the tapestry room. I must admit I've never been that impressed with tapestries until I saw the ones in the Vatican. Aled, my artistic consultant, further explained the fine art of weaving these sorts of tapestries. The drawing alone is impressive but then imagine having to re-create it with tiny strands of thread from the backside of a gigantic piece of material. Incredible.
After perusing various rooms full of Renaissance art, we headed in the direction of the famous Sistine Chapel. As you can see, Aled and I weren't the only ones with this plan...
Inch by inch, we were herded from room to room like cattle, admiring centuries-old frescoes overhead. My neck was starting to get a little sore from staring upwards but I didn't want to miss anything.
While everyone looked up, they were missing some awesome stuff on the floor...
And then finally we reached the Sistine Chapel itself. Signs demanded no cameras but in the age of digital photos and smart phones, I'm afraid no one was listening. Snap snap, flash flash...! The ceiling which took Michelangelo four years to complete was instantly posted on Facebook.
Afterwards, we headed over to St. Peter's Basilica, possibly the most famous of all Catholic churches. It's hard to imagine the scale of this structure from this picture...
...but maybe this one of Aled helps. St. Peter's was totally awe-inspiring.
The crowds we experienced in the Vatican existed all over Rome. No matter where we went, the mob was there. It was here at the Colosseum...
...and here at the Roman forum...
...and here at Trevi Fountain...
...and here at the Pantheon...
By the time I arrived at the Spanish Steps, I was totally over the crowds. "Look at that fungus on the steps!" I exclaimed to Aled. We snapped a photo and hopped on the subway back to our hotel for a shower and dinner.
My final verdict? Rome was a little bit too crowded for me. Although the sights were really worth seeing, the sheer volume of people vying for photos of each and every inch of Rome's treasures detracted from the experience. Legend has it that throwing coins over your shoulder at Trevi Fountain ensures your return to Rome. I'm hoping my stingy euro penny toss means it might be a few years.









































