The Vatican & Sorrento - Week 6 (GL 350)

View from the top of the dome, looking out over St. Peter's square

     Week six in Rome was surely an eventful one; one that I had been both looking forward to and one that I will always remember. On Monday, we went to Vatican City to climb to the top of St. Peter's dome. This alone was an incredible accomplishment. After climbing the many steps up to the dome, we were exhausted, yet amazed by the view below, from which we could see St. Peter's square. The time we were given to be at the top was short, but it definitely makes me want to come back.
     After the dome, we headed to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. This was undeniably one of the best parts of my stay here in Rome. We hear so much about the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo and his paintings growing up, which makes actually being there so much more enjoyable. One of the paintings on the ceiling, The Creation of Adam, by Michelangelo is one of the most famous works of art not only in the Sistine Chapel, but in the world. To see it in person is indescribable, and if pictures were allowed to be taken of it, they would not even compare to its beauty. As Michelangelo writes in one of his lesser known works of art, his poems, "art lives forever."
     On Tuesday, we had a tour of the underground excavations beneath St. Peter's. It was interesting to go beneath the basilica to see what it used to be like and the remains of what is said to be the actual St. Peter. To know that only 100 people are allowed to visit the underground part of the basilica a day, and that we got to have a tour of it, makes it more unique and special to me. Then we had a student-led tour of the Basilica of St. Peter and the vicinity. It was a great tour led by Katie Moore and Brandon. St. Peter's basilica is amazing and massive. I feel as if I could stay in there forever and just explore, and still not be finished.

Pompeii

     At the end of the week, we found ourselves on our way to our third and final group weekend trip to Sorrento. After three different trains and a van ride, we made it to our hotel. Sorrento is defnitely one of my favorite cities we've visited so far. Even though it was raining almost the whole time we were there, I enjoyed the mountainous landscape, the ocean and the Christmas decorations. I would love to go back and visit Sorrento on a warm Summer day. On Saturday, we took a train to the city of Pompeii, which was both destroyed and preserved by a volcanic explosion. It was very cool to take a tour of, even though we were literally walking through a thunderstorm. It was very enjoyable and even though our trip here is beginning to come to an end, I'm trying not to think of how many days we have left, and instead making the most of every day and enjoying it while it lasts.

Arrivederci!