Vatican city.

The last few days we have been away from wi-fi and have been so exhausted from our day, we fall asleep right as we hit the pillow.

Though we have been focused on our food... When in Roma, you have to see the Vatican city (the smallest city in the world). We took a 3 hour tour of the Vatican museum and it was worth every penny. Our tour was with a company called City Wonders.  It was advertised as a "Skip the line" tour and sure enough... We cut the line of maybe 1 to 2 hours and was in the Vatican museum in less then 15 mins. That alone was worth the money in my opinion.  


We were all given headsets and receved a guided tour through the Vatican. Receiving way more information then was possible to retain and an amazing glimpse of the art, culture, architecture, and religious development through the ages. Imagine someone one pointing at a statue like this..

 

Then giving you a age when it was crafted like 100B.C. or 20A.D. or during the Renassance. Hard to imagine people sculpting things like this with no power tools or electricity. It is truly mind blowing!
I am still having a hard time processing that some of these works were designed and started by a team of architects, artists, mathematicians and engineers - built over the course of years. Or even a lifetime for some.

These works are the marble floors we walk on... I show you this because it's truly difficult to try to explain the craftsmanship that we had the honor to witness. These floors are made with thousands... millions... trillions of tiny shards of different kinds and color stone and marble, pressed together to make the image before you. No paint. No grout between the stones. Just stone on stone. Held together under pressure. Knowing what I know about flooring. HOLY COW! HOW LONG DO YOU THINK THAT TOOK TO PUT TOGETHER!?!?!


That's only the floor. Everything your eye touches had the same level of care. Floor to ceiling.  Doors to window openings. Even the design of the building layout was considered.

So we covered some of the architecture and statues (barely). How about some art??

This museum houses a wide range of art collected over the ages. From stones to brass, fabric to clay. Paintings and treasures won from battles or war.

Now imagine the Pope coming up to you and saying "Hey (Insert artist name here) (in this case, Michelangelo)! I want you to paint my ceiling."

Four years later.. one of the greatest works of arts known to man. The Sistine chapel.

Unfortunately no photos are permitted in the Sistine chapel. Due to legal, and preservation reasons. But I can insure you that a picture would have been a waste and never could do it justice.

I HAVE MORE TO COME...