Wed - still sick

Despite my unwillingness to give into this cold I am physically wearing down.  We went to the Vatican/St. Peter's/Sistine Chapel today.  The Pope had an audience just before we got there, 12,000 were in attendance.  We arranged a spur of the moment guided tour and it was fantastic.  We have been so lucky to have our accommodations provided by my friend Sangita that we don't mind spending a bit more on things like the guided tours and then later in the evening we went on a guided tour of Rome at night via a Segway.  This could not have been more jam packed with beauty and fun.

Courtyard of the Vatican Museum

Top of St Peter"s

Modern art in the courtyard, a world within a world.

Mosaic floor tiles.

This is on a ceiling. It is not a sculpture, rather a flat painting.

A ceiling joining the rooms.

Painting inside a dome.

Michelangelo's Pietre, the tomb of St Peter.  I've wanted to see this for a long time and it did not disappoint.

another ceiling

A door over a basement in St Peter's. wow.

This was the most surprising.  Many altar pieces have these pictorials over them.  I thought they were paintings but Kristina pointed out that they are mosaics. 

incredible.

This sculpture of a pope is only visible from this window and I love the way the bars frame his face.  Note his glasses.

Vatican police.

The wedding cake building, built by Mussolini, it has a better name but it's known as the wedding cake.

side of the Pantheon 

Front of the Pantheon

So much fun!!!

Tuesday - a bit better

We have managed the strength to do some serious sightseeing.  On the agenda today is walking followed with some more walking.  We set out with a map in hand and saw the most amazing fountains and architecture.

The Spanish Steps

A Bernini fountain

Looking down from the Steps

The beautiful  Trivoli? fountain is under repairs.

Inside one of the many Basillicas in the area we walked.

These are models made from Da Vinci's drawings, all hands on.  He was a brilliant mind, many of these are used in todays machines.