Vatican-They Actually let me in!

WOOT WOOT! I am in with only the slightest "once over" from the guard!

I do not know how to express the emotion I felt when I walked in those doors. I never thought there was any religious belief inside me.  I have NEVER gone into a church or building and felt God. I have seen beautiful buildings before and I can appreciate the WOW factor, the AWE factor in all the churches we have been in. But to be honest, I am more of a "spiritual" person than a "religious" person. Only in nature have I ever felt as if there was something "Bigger" than me out there.

When I walked into the Vatican, I said, "Oh my God."

How did we time it perfectly so that we were there when the sun was doingn it's thing.

 I immediately choked up with tears (as I am right now, just thinking about it). I don't understand the emotion I felt in there. It was indescribable and I am even a little embarrassed by it. 

It is almost funny to me that I had that kind of reaction, the only other time I have ever felt that is out in nature. Most of you who know me, know that religion and I don’t see eye to eye, I follow a much more natural type path, but this was the closest I have ever been to a “religious” experience. Does this make me a little bit catholic? 

Tim might be a little Catholic too.

This is what you see when you first walk in.

Tim actually took a picture of me wiping tears out of my eyes. Nice.

Gathering my religion.

Standing back looking at Michelangelo's Original Pieta. (Pronounced Pee-eh-ta)

A closer look at Pieta. It's behind glass so it hard to get a great pic.

Pieta

It was really pretty amazing.

One of the many domes in the ceiling.

The Holy Water 

Guess what I am about to do.

This is called CYA

I made Tim do it too. Just in case.

I am not sure what he is doing here, but it was right after the holy water thing. I hope it still took.

We think this is actually a baptismal fountain.

That wood thing on the right... that is where they keep the 90 candles burning all the time. Supposedly St Peter is buried down there.

My baptism is scheduled for Monday at 10:00am. Hope you can all make it.

Headed down to the tombs where all the deceased Popes are resting.

It was both eerie and peaceful down here.

Kind of weird to think there is someone in that catacomb.

I thought I would add my prayers.

They built them to fit the height of the Pope that will rest in it. They were all kind of short.

Do I look as serene as she does?

I couldn't budge it.

Bronze statue of St. Peter. Everyone goes by and touches the toe. The toe is rubbed down so much that it looks like plastic.

The Swiss Guard are the ones who protect the Vatican. They aren't allowed to smile, their faces will crack. I could see them looking at me from the corner of their eyes as I took my pic with them. 

The front of the Vatican.

Peek a boo

Hey! How's he doing that?

Being silly.

The closest I will get to a Swiss Guard pic.

I really wanted a pic with the nuns or priests, this was the closest I got. I did ask a priest who was standing outside the Vatican but he politely declined. I guess I wasn't his type.

The bus ride back. It wasn't this full when we got on. I couldn't even breathe by the time it was this packed.

Please God, let this be short. Tim kept telling me to just close my eyes.

Really uncomfortable here. Trying not to cry. LOL

After he got me off the bus without a full blown panic attack, we went back to our little ristorante from the night before.

We are sitting in the farthest corner of the ristorante. You can see all of the tables in the entire place.

My friend was very happy to see us back. He even remembered our names! :)

Funny, the food wasn't even that great but the atmosphere was fun.

He kind of looks like Mr. Bean, doesn't he?

He told us that he said to his wife, "I sold you to a very nice man." I told him he wasn't getting a very good deal since I don't like to cook OR clean.

This was an amazing day and I will look back on it fondly... every time I put on a naughty school-girl outfit at Halloween. LOL (to my Catholic friends, please don’t be offended. I mean that in the best possible way and am not trying to be dis-respectful).

Hugs!