At the Vatican

Today was visit the Vatican Day which meant another early start as wanted to get in ahead of the crowds and long lines. I headed to the restaurant and had my coffee and pastry at 7.15  I was in St Peter's Basilica quickly as the lines were short. I was quite impressed with everything inside and amazed at the size of it, and it is the largest Christian building church in the world.  I was there for over 2 hours I constantly running into priests carrying communion followed by groups of people. I almost missed seeing Michelangelo Pieta and the fact that I did not see it when I first went in was that that area must have been covered up, as some areas were.

Pieta

St Peter

Then it was time for a bit of a break and I looked around for something to eat because I knew I would be in the Vatican museums quite awhile, I grabbed something at Mickey D 
as it was the only place close.  I had purchased a ticket online from the Vatican Museum website, they charge an extra 4 euro for the service and well worth it, because without one I knew I would be standing in line for hours.   I then headed over to the museums which was  a bit of a walk, along the Vatican walls it was great to have a ticket and pass the lines of people.  The Museum was quite crowded in some areas and I was so thankful that I did not do the guide thing as they sailed through the gallery hardly stopping. I was able to take my time in each area and just enjoy some of the amazing works of art that I was seeing.  I was totally impressed at some of the things I saw and was in there for over 4 hours I could have spent more time but was exhausted doing St Peters and Vatican Museum the same day can be exhausting especially as I had only arrived 2 days earlier. I was starved by now and found a place to eat called Pastasciutta it was a tiny place where they sold pasta very inexpensive and very good. I managed to find a seat inside rather than sit on the steps out side as many people were doing. 

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Vatican post office