Vatican Museum part II

Anytime I saw a window open to the outside I took a look at the beautiful scenery. Beauty within and without...

But we had to keep moving as there was so much to see and the clock was ticking.

Some of the rooms have security guards at the entrances which are roped off. There are different tours with different routes happening simultaneously. Massimo joked with some of the guards as he passed- he seemed to be well known-this would come in handy....

Carol had asked him about some Raphael paintings she had learned about in college- the School of Athens. Massimo said we were close by. When we got to that room there was a rope and a security guard blocking the door. A tour group was already in there. Massimo spoke to the guard-the guard laughed-the rope was lifted and we were in! Carol was thrilled.

By this time were were approaching the Sistine Chapel and so I packed my camera away as photography is not permitted. There was a crush of people in the doorway and the interior was a mass of closely-packed people staring upwards. See google images as I have no photos to share. Guards are there to make sure the cameras aren't used and to keep the crowd quiet as there is a babble and much pointing at the ceiling-and now I know why. It has to be seen to be believed.

There were some benches around the walls of the room and Massimo went up to some young ladies sitting on one and spoke to them. In seconds they got up and he motioned over to Carol to come sit!
What an excellent, considerate guide and what a smooth talker he must be. We were very lucky to have him-so knowledgeable, witty and a gentleman. If we do the tour again in the future (and there's so much to see that one visit is not enough), we will ask for him specially through Rome in Limo.

The Chapel was the end of our Museum tour and we sat for a while in a marble hallway to decompress.

Next would be something even more impressive-St Peter's Basilica.

I reached for my camera....