The Vatican, June 5

 I am just posting the remaining entries now (June 12). I have always blogged our trips in the evening after dinner, when everyone used to settle down after a long day of exploring. But now that Sarah and Sam are adults, we've taken to eating and staying out late (When in Rome....), and by the time we get back, I don't have the energy to write and find photos on everybody's phones. So the rest of the trip's posts are to the best of my recollection (when I can recollect at all!)

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The Vatican! June 5

We walked to the Vatican again, trying to make our 10am timed entrance to the Holy City. For some reason, large parts of the area were blocked off to taxi traffic, so we couldn't ride, and had to hustle instead.

Then, late, we navigated way around the back of the complex to where the timed entrance tickets were accepted. The complex is incredibly vast, with dozens of separate small museums, each concentrating on a specific aspect of the history of the site and the Catholic Church. I can't begin to remember which pictures are from which (except the Sistine Chapel which will be separate and further down this post.

One of the highlights was the map room, where ancient maps of the entire world from all different eras. 

Finally we moved on (with a thousand other tourists) to the Sistene Chapel, where a very bored guard periodically intoned "Silencio! No foto!

Being rulebreakers, we managed to get a few clandestine shots, including the famous ceiling by Michaelangelo. Don't tell that guard!

We went through a few more halls of exhibits, but were quickly fading.

Walked back toward the apartment, stopping at an outdoor place ("Claps!") for lunch. I found Moretti Red on tap!

After a rest at the apartment we ventured back out, got some supplies, and got another great dinner. We were seated next to a huge table of locals out partying so it was a lively evening. The house gave us all shots of Limoncello as a thank you!

Big day tomorrow, with timed tickets for both the Pantheon and the Colosseum.