Andrew got us tickets to see Pope Benedict XVI!! He gave his Wednesday morning weekly address, and when he entered the auditorium at the Vatican it was more like being at a NFL football game or a rock concert! People were standing on their chairs screaming, random group cheers erupted, and there was even a pep band in the crowd...from Germany I'm guessing by their garb! The Pope spoke mostly in Italian, so I have no idea what he said, but he greeted at the beginning and blessed at the end in Italian, French, Spanish, English, German and Russian/Polish (we weren't sure). That was an experience!
We got delicious pizza for lunch (I love this country!), then went to the Vatican Museum. We were unaware of the shortened winter hours until we entered the museum, so instead of 3+ hours, we had only 1 hour. We need to go back and see it again, but we caught some of the highlights and the grand finale.... the Sistine Chapel. it took Michangelo 4 years to complete. Everyone always refers to it, but I didn't know what to expect. It is the entire ceiling of the chapel, and it is a series of small paintings...like a collage. Wow. Our necks were sore after that!
Finally we met for a free English tour of the Vatican and St. Peter's Square. We learned a lot about architecture and Catholic history, but it was a rainy day and Jen was still pretty sick. We called it a day after Jen coughed so hard she threw up in St. Peter's square!
The moral of the story... when you see the Pope, be sure to wait around for the Papal Blessing!!!
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