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| sistine chapel |
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| the creation of adam |
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| the school of athens |
Hello People !!
Today has been equally amazing……I think we have been walking about 15 kms everyday….no public transport. We headed straight for the Vatican city ! which is infact its own country !! :D if you look it up the population in this country is “ 1 “ aka the pope….:D how cool is that ! he is the only one with resident permit….so much security checking when we enter..just like the airport…it must be receiving a lot of terrorist threats …..it was exciting …the very idea of being inside the Vatican city….its like a walled fortress….
We enter the Vatican Museums….there are many many….the place is just humungous! one leading to another…and it was soo beautifullll I can not tell you…maybe the photos will explain a bit..
The statues….of gods…names that we ve read and heard in front of you by artists you ve heard of being spoken of in revered tones….and then the corriodors start…stretch on for kms….each better than the previous ! the whole day my neck has been bent looking up…
Ceiling paintings by Michealangelo , Botticelli, rafaelo…..they were the most amazing sights ive seen…the Sistine chapel was breathtaking….there was not one inch left unpainted my Michealangelo…they were so detailed..the colours the expressions, the clothing….so realistic yet fantastical….in there I just sat for 20 mins neck craned upwards…the last judgement, the creation of adam, the last supper(not the original) brilliant stuff….
There was one random painting of a boat in a storm..there are too many people in it so they are throwing an old man out into the sea so that it gets more steady….he is shown to be praying to god…the look in his eyes…the fright on his face was something…it was so intense I could not stop staring…
Then saw room after room of Rafaello s frescos…..they were fabulous !! most of them had a 3D effect to them ! you can not make out immediately if they are paintings of sculptures….they seem to come out of the wall ! his most famous being the school of Athens…in which stroll about the famous philosophers plato, Aristotle, Socrates and pythagorus….it was thrilling ! J
I walked through a km of corridor with a golden ceiling and paintings and sculptures in it….and I have no idea what it was called…..it was gorgeous…but it was so much to take in….in rome it is rightly said…you can get overwhelmed in a day…I was experiencing all sorts of emotions….it was like a dream….when things come in real life like this you can hardly believe it…and you feel in awe…of it of yourself….and feel so lucky to be able to see such grand sights..
Went into another section of the museum which had Egyptian antiquities….rome and Egypt were connected at the hip im guessing by Cleopatra….who was the love interest of both Marcus and Ceasar…here there was a mummy too like in the louvre except this one was not covered…I could see he had blonde hair and his toes and fingers….creepy…
Entered many many more museums saw soo many more paintings, carpet weavings, sculptures….i just can not describe…I have begun to forget already which makes me sad….
This done we went to the st Peters Basilica… !it was already 4 by now… the st. Peters square is hugee with cpillars and statues and fountains …the basilica itself is enchanting…..we can see the spot from which the pope addresses the gathering….his balcony ( a surprise at the end of this mail ! )
We entered the Basilica which was the best church ive ever seen…….it had to be…the pope was there after all….so grand and so big !! the colours the paintings and sculptures…..(as usual) so royal…
In here was the Pieta something I heard of for the first time today. This is a sculpture by Michealangelo of mother mary holding Jesus Christ in her arms after he was taken down from his cross….this was the original while there are many replicas scattered around…the catholics were already in awe of being inside the Vatican and in the basilica…when they saw this they went nuts….it is of great importance to them….iit looked beautiful…
We had heard that every Wednesday the pope addresses the people…so today I went and asked the guards at the Vatican….they directed me to a bronze door to get tickets…they were free but limited and we needed to have them…so I go and the guards there are colourfully dressed and standing still…they would not move their eyeballs !! and stood soo still ! I tried so much to get him to move but dint work…I looked and smiled..laughed….nope..
The view at night was very pretty too….then we went to get dinner…it was 6.30…we had not had lunch….ate at subway….got some gelato and headed back now….we walked back from the Vatican…40 mins walk…my feet hurt like hell….toes feel glued together but we just walk anyway….cuz it’s the best way to experience a city…
Took a bath…and mailing now…will sleep early cuz have to wake up at 6…the pope speaks at 10.30…but we ll have to be there by 8.30!! but im going cuz it’s a once in a lifetime thing…
That’s all for now !
Love
Aishu
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| st.Peters Basilica |
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| Pieta |
I just love the way you described the trip...feels like i'm in Rome again :)
ReplyDeleteNatasha