The Vatican

This was my first day after an intense orientation. I took it pretty easy. This is me in front of the Pope's house (St. Peter's Basilica: architects Bramante, Michelangelo, Bernini, among others). It is a monstrous building. We had to walk through security in order to get in. Even though my bags were beeping like crazy through the scanner, they let me go through without a fight. Unfortunately some renovations were going on which took away a bit from the view on the outside.

Most of the churches here in Rome are too ornate for my taste, but still amazing in scale and detail. It's incredible to imagine these architects designing every aspect of detail in this church, let alone the scope of materials necessary to create the structure.

The Pietà (Michelangelo) is on the right when you walk into the Vatican. It is actually smaller than I imagined, and very shiny.

New boyfriend in the background. He's a papal Swiss guard in uniform, but he looks like a jester.

Gelato cioccolato e mente! Delicioso.

Sales until the start of Spring... New clothes for me! All the stores scream "Saldi!" in the windows.