Free Day

Wednesday was our free day. Due to this freedom of the morning schedule,we went out to a nearby club Tuesday night. I'm not sure if it was a special or not, but the drinks were super cheap. We all had so much fun. We slept in a bit yesterday morning and then set out for the Vatican. We went with a tour group so we were able to skip the massive line and also had headphones to listen to our guide the whole time. Unfortunately, getting to the tour group proved to be difficult. It took us an hour to get into Vatican City because the sightseeing bus took forever. Then, we scrambled to find the place but ended up running around in a circle. Luckily the group was still there waiting for us when we showed up a half an hour late. The tour was really the best way to see it in my opinion. Our guide spoke pretty good English and was pretty knowledgable. Seeing the Sistine Chapel was my favorite part. I almost couldn't believe that the ceiling is in fact flat because Michelangelo did such an impressive job giving it the allusion that it's arched. I was kind of bummed out though when I saw the size of the iconic image of god reaching out. Most of the ceiling was comprised of scenes that fit into rectangles and that famous image is just another one of the rectangles. It was still pretty amazing though. Prior to seeing the Sistine chapel, we toured the actual Vatican museum, which had so many works of art in the form of: paintings, sculptures, tapestries, and monuments. After the Sistine Chapel, we moved to St. Peter's Basilica. What a sight! The detail was never ending and the building as a whole is just massive. Tall ceilings, arches, and open areas gave it a cool feeling. The 'Smiling Pope' (can't remember his name, died in 1963) was actually on display. With his hands and face  covered in wax, he laid in a glass case for everyone to see. Also inside was a famous sculpture by Michelangelo. The only piece he ever signed, it was of the Virgin Mary holding Jesus after his death. Once we left the Basilica our tour was over but the mob of shoving people made it a process. It took probably 20 minutes of confinement in the crowds to finally exit the premises. After that, our group of 4 girls and Dane the Australian, who we met on the tour, went out for an early dinner. Margarita pizza once again. I think I could eat that everyday of the trip seeing as I almost have so far. Once we got back, we had a low key evening in the hostel. We're all on this strange schedule where we shower right when we get back because we get so hot and sweaty, then nap for a couple hours, and then hangout. 

I'm not sure if I mention this already, but I really love the setup of restaurants here. The vast majority of the seating options is outside, you don't tip, and the waiters don't rush you out after you're done eating. They get the food out really quickly and then give you however long you'd like to talk and relax afterward. 

In the Basilica

The signed Michelangelo sculpture

In the museum

This sculpture is really famous because it led to the founding of Rome. Its called Laecoön. Laecoön is the father shown and a priest in the temple of Apollo in Troy during the Trojan war. He warned his people not to bring in the wooden horse. Since Athena and Poseidon favored the Greeks, they released 2 giant sea-serpents and killed the innocent three. The warning of Laecoön's led to the fleeing of Aeneas and thus the eventual founding of Rome.

Hercules. He killed a family and to repent, he needed to steal apples from a garden with a 9-headed beast (apples in his hand), and kill the lion he's holding with his club

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