Vatican City, where history, art, & culture collide!

Today, we visit the world’s smallest country! Standing just outside the Vatican main gate we wait patiently for our guide’s flag to motion us on through. Of all the borders we’ve crossed since our arrival into Europe, this is the most stringent. The vigilant security staff and robust protocols, contributing to the building excitement that whatever is behind those doors, is worth guarding. 

Making it through feels like being let into a special bubble, a secret city with unrivaled power. And with an unfathomable array of detail and grandeur to look at, our guide knows he’s going to have to compete for our attention! Unfazed, and fast off the mark he asks with a wink, if we’ve all read the bible. Of course nobody has… “What about you?” He asks again in mock seriousness, “You haven’t read the entire bible!!??”, he directs his question to a gentle giant who conspiratorially plays along, shaking his head with a smile. “Ok, I see! It’s good you come to the Vatican today, I will give you some education.” He booms like a true showman. 

Soon, our guide has formed a strong bond with the gentle giant whose name we all learn is, “Andy”. And there ever after, our guide begins his monologues with a humorous inclusion of this unsuspecting gentleman for our amusement. “As Mr Andy must already know…” He begins another story… “Mr Andy, can you tell me the name of this building” he continues , “Mr Andy, you must read more books!” He playfully chides. Mr Andy himself, takes this all in his stride and the guide’s unconventional style has us hooked! 

Moving into the inner sanctums of the Vatican, we are gobsmacked! In the same way that nostrils can be overcome by a scent too sweet, so too were my eyeballs overcome by a sight too opulent. The numerous courtyards, terraces, hallways and hidden nooks each contributing to what I believe is the single most dense concentration of art, marble, gold leaf and glamour in existence. Observing that even just one small section of a ceiling is its own masterpiece among many others, I whisper in wonderment, “you could spend a lifetime here”. Alas, we have only but one day!

Completing our tour, we lace our farewell handshake with a handsome tip and continue on our own, exploring the stunning St Peter’s Basilica and St Peter’s square. With free rein, we now merrily complete a few side quests too, such as, sending a postcard from the world’s smallest country and recreating a photo we’d once taken of a miniature model of The Vatican. I recall taking the old photo, and Jesse excitedly suggesting we’d take it for real “one day”. Though in all honesty I’d not expected it to actually happen… And boy, have I never been so glad to be wrong!