The Vatican - again!

Brad didn't get quite enough Vatican yesterday so we went back again today after we hit up some shopping, fountains, and other notable Roman stuff (post to come). We were too tired to climb the dome of St. Peters yesterday and Brad really wanted to... so in the 30 degree heat I agreed. Sure 700+ stairs up an enclosed space with hundreds of other people sounds fantastic in this heat while keeping my shoulders and knees covered... and let me tell you ... it was!!!

And so it begins...

It was pretty hot as we made our way up, and there were these REALLY annoying people behind us that kept trying to budge while we were in line and Brad pushed them out of the way, lifted his hand and said "ehhh!" in a very Italian manner. We think they were gypsies... When we were walking up the steps they were right behind me again and kept invading my personal space and shushing people. We did the Canadian thing and let them pass us eventually.

We got up to the interior dome some 20 or 30 stories up. Look at the teeny people!!

There was a huge fence making sure that no one had an accident

As we went up into the dome, things started to get a little slanty...I am standing up straight.

So not only are you walking in tight circles, the walls are slanting inwards!! It was a little off putting. The final staircase was very scary with a little rope up the middle and a very tight spiral. I heard some people yelling "Finito! Finito!!" And then we saw this:

It was really amazing!! We could see right into the Vatican Gardens and all the way across Rome. It was hot and sticky getting up but man was it worth it!! Everyone up there was so nice and we were all helping each other take photos.

You can't really tell from this photo, but it was wall to wall people crammed in up there!! Hot, super high up, tons of people but an amazing view!!