Vatican City

For those who know me, today is a special day and you know why.  We had an early morning taxi pick up for the Vatican City tour, met the tour company at their office and boarded a full coach of English speaking tourists to the Vatican.  After entering the Vatican we looked at boards showing Michelangelo's paintings in the Sistine Chapel to have them explained by the guide as once in the chapel you have to be silent.  Inside the Sistine Chapel the artworks are overwhelming as every space of the walls and roof are painted.

Explanation of the artworks in the Sistine Chapel

One of the tapestries

Inside the Vatican 

After being in the Sistine Chapel we walked through a room full of paintings of maps of countries (Australia excluded), a room of tapestries and then we entered St Peter's Basilica which is full of mosaics, sculptures and marble.  This is where we saw John Paul II's tomb, outside we saw the place where the chimney goes up to signal the death of the Pope and that they have appointed another Pope.

Pope John Paul II's tomb

Inside St Peter's Basilica

  

Where the chimney will appear on the death of the Pope.

We finished off the tour with some souvenir shopping and then got dropped off by the tour company near the Ferrari shop where Trevor bought a Ferrari cap and I bought Justin a Ferrari flag.  

Ferrari in the Ferrari shop

We did more shopping and then returned to the Elite Hotel, where we planned the afternoon activity, the Catacombs or a sleep.  Having survived on about 4-5 hours sleep for 2 weeks it was decided a sleep would be the best option.  

After an afternoon nap we went out for gelato, walked to the Spanish Steps and then dinner at the Fillipo di Manta Restaurant at the Majestic Hotel, where we think we saw the bus returning with the Italian Soccer team after loosing the final in the European Soccer League against Spain.  

Dinner at Fillipo di Manta Restaurant, Rome