Today was our Vatican day. We started really early this morning, since we woke up late yesterday. How early, well I finished the previous blog entry at 5.15am and the wake up call was scheduled for 6am. So right now, I am running on 50 minutes of sleep. We packed up and checked out before we left for the Vatican, since we knew we would not be back in time and it would have cramped our schedule to get back in time to check out.

First stop this morning was the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican museums. There was the Raphael room as well many other exhibits. There is not much to say about the Sistine Chapel, since everyone knows what is and what it is supposed to be. First thoughts about it – overrated!! The entire wing was spectacular from top to bottom, with amazing frescoes, mosaic floors and gorgeous tapestries. Nothing overrated about this all, but the whole hoopla about the Sistine Chapel made it seem to be this supremely amazing work of art, which it is, but all the fuss and I don’t see how it is sooo much more amazing than other great works of art I have seen. I am not an Art Expert by any stretch of the imagination, but these were just my thoughts about the whole Sistine Chapel experience. It seemed like a Renaissance joyride.

What was not overrated was St Peter’s Basilica. This is truly was one of the spectacular modern marvels of Italy! Going through the Basilica was pretty decent except the lines but this delves into one of the things I love about Italy:

No nonsense guards: The guards at the Vatican are not just strict; they are sick at how they just “Jack” people out of the line. If you don’t conform the dress code, they simply tell you, that you cannot go in.. and that’s that! NO questions, no answers, no nothing, you are ushered to the back of the line and escorted out!! I love it.. while watching and waiting for a little bit outside, you could see people who didn’t heed the dress code being escorted out with tantrums etc and the odd “I’m American! Why is this happening?!” … ummm cause you can’t read simple English.

© rishiray for Rishi Sankar: Ah Trini Travelogue / Ah Trini Traveller, 2008. | Permalink | No comment | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: cupola, how to see the sistine chapel, sistine chapel