Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Holy S*@# The Vatican City

The bunned girls stare in wonder what awaits them in the Vatican City state.
Holy lines formed to enter St. Peter's Basilica. 
The door is just to right of the water fountain.
I found my sign and birthday on the ground so I had to stand there.
The view of the square. Pope John Paul II's beatification happened a week before so a lot of banners featuring his greatest hits were still hanging around the columns.
We arranged an appointment to visit the Vatican Muesem. 
On the way in.
"Marco!? Are we allowing scepters inside the museum?"
Red hats and 'olds' a plenty.
Inside there were many castrated statues. Maybe the hell hound or the cloaked beast had something to do with this one.
I pointed the camera behind me during the shuffle through some of the museum halls. The look on the ladies faces to the left says it all.
Some sort of safety net was hung in case some of the angels fell down from the frescoes.
Many tour guides decorated their tour scepters with colorful handkerchiefs.
"Please sir no photos!"
 "Let the baby slaughter commence!"
"I can't bare to watch."
"What should we do?"
"Kill more?"
"Its cool guys, I'm here!"
 Halls for days. Every inch had to be decorated.
The halls were filled with so many tourists it got to the point were statues starting mocking them.
 Sardinia coming in hot.
The weak fell to the wayside.
 The Holy parking lot. Do you think the Pope drives a hybrid?
 Ed harnesses the light.
The pope's water bottle.
Some surprising art inside the Vatican gallery.
Dali.
I offer the Goddess of Cute a kiss.
Onto the Sistine Chapel, follow the rules.
Inside the chapel where professional "shushers" kept the crowed silent and photos had to be sneaked.
I imagine the Pope gesturing from this balcony.
Michelangelo's famously painted fresco.
The center piece was a lot smaller than I imagined.
Holy cake slicer. The pope always gets the most frosted piece.
The rest of the exhibits in the museum were overlooked, all everybody wants to see is the Sistine Chapel.
"All my friends are in boxes."
 Skate spot check: Vatican Museum.
Ed gestures a back smith.
 Ancient spine ramp.
Out the window we spotted an epic vert wall.
We could have nailed a quick frontside air while the guard was texting.
Leaving the Vatican Museum. Just another creative way to shuffle people out.
After the Museum we went back to St. Peter's Basilica where there was no more line.
 "God light" was shooting around every way, illuminating the domes of balding tourists.
 Pope John Paul II's new alter.
 He's in there...
 Holy speakers carved of marble.
 Some people performing a ritualistic foot rubbing.
 An offering for the Holy Doctor.
 Ashley appreciates the size of the place. You could serious fly a Cessna through the place.
 The brutal doors that a lot of people miss.
Coming out of the Basilica.
 The silly Swiss Guards.
 Supposedly the best mail service in the world.
JPII banner.
"Pffffffffrrrrrt"
We reminisced on our time in the Vatican City as the sun went down over St. Peters Basilica.
 We rewarded ourselves with Gelato. (Not actual cone size)
 The Templetons were quite pleased on their first round of Vegan Gelato.
Another warm night on our Roman Holiday.
La Dolce Vita indeed.

2 comments:

  1. My mam was at JPII's beatification, her words were, "it was like the most beautiful rock concert I've ever been to." She's obsessed with him. Poor old Eggs Benedict doesn't even get a look in. She even went to JP's funeral and asked me to contribute to her flights cos she couldn't go see him when he visited Ireland in 1979 cos she was pregnant with me and she missed out on a serious party. Ok mam.

    I laughed out loud at that "Pffffffffrrrrrt". That's my mam all over.

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  2. Very nicely done Grant !! Lois and I were there in 2008. Being Polish ,I appreciated our previos Pope, John Paul II. I loved your pictures and most of all your captions. Stuff that I would write . Great sense of humor dude !!
    Bob Styrna

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