On the second day we got up early to go to Vatican City & see the Sistine Chapel & St. Peter’s Basilica. We joined some others & had a guided tour. Our guide was an American girl who lives in Italy about 6 months of the year, speaks about 4 different languages & is learning a 5th. She was a great guide - it is definitely a skill - you need to be a great story teller. What an amazing place - the history, the art, the propaganda, the workings of the Catholic Church & the wealth!
An interesting fact that I learnt today - 30,000 people visit Vatican City each day.
Second interesting fact from today (there was actually heaps of things I learnt but I figure two is enough to tell you about - don‘t want to turn this into a history lesson - also I didn‘t retain them all) - Michaelangelo had never painted before he did he the Sistine Chapel, he didn’t want to do it but was forced to by the Pope, it took him about 4 & a half years & ruined his health.
The first photo is of a board which shows you the Sistine Chapel - you can't take photos in the actual Chapel so this was the best I could do (the amount of people that do though is unbelievable). The camera flashes ruin the painting over time plus the Japanese production company that paid for the restoration have copyright to it. Then we have a photo in the main courtyard of the Vatican & one of me in St Peter's Basilica.
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