Vatican

I know this is a few days late and that is my fault to all of you who are reading the blog back home. So, Wed. we went to the Vatican Museums and St. Peter's with a guided tour and Man oh man was it a long day, but a good one at that.  So, we left the Convent at 8:15 trying to bet rush hour and that did NOT happen. The bus that we needed was so packed each time that we ended up having to take a different bus, we then tried to take the tram that we needed and we waited and waited and that never came so we hoped on a ANOTHER bus and got to the metro station were we got on the subway that finally got us near to the place where we were meeting our tour guide. That was just the start of the day. hahah, I know you have to love Rome and all the things that one must go through to get to one simple place. So, we finally meet up with the guy who is going to give us our tour and get into the museum get our audio sets so we can hear our tour guide among all of the other people that were there that day. I can't even begin to tell you all the different pieces of art that we saw that day. From tapestries that were so detailed that it looked like the eyes were following you, to pieces from Greece that were brought back, to tombs of people that you only ever think that you will read about. I will try my best to describe some of the major pieces that we saw and some of my "feeling" about them. As my teacher saying, "I really don't like the words feelings but I really don't know another word." Some of the first major art work that we saw were done by Raphael. The work that he did was incredible and breathe taking some of the best that I had seen up until this point. He used colors and shading in ways that we very unique to his style. Raphael has about four rooms that he painted. Most of it is done by him but I think the tour guide said that at least one of the rooms were finished by his students and you could see a difference in their work and the work of the master. It was in of these rooms that the famous "School of Athens" is painted in. I walked into the room and walked right past it and didn't even realize that it was that particular painting until the tour guide told us to look up and we would see the "School of Athens" on my goodness, no picture can do it justice. It was cool to be able to look at it and realize that the people that are in the painting are meant to look like someone of that particular time that Raphael was painting. Our teacher told us that he thought that Raphael's paintings looked perfect almost too perfect and I didn't understand what he meant by that statement and after seeing Raphael's work and the work of Michelangelo I can see what he meant. Raphael has a unique style of painting that I don't know if I completely like. Don't get me wrong his work is incredible and it blew my mind at the details and the way that he had things look but I think that I like Michelangelo a little better. Now, you as the reader have to understand that as I am writing this I am really having to work because art really is not my thing. I can appreciate it cause I know that it has been around a really long time and I know that it is famous. I know the history behind why it was painted and some about the painting itself. I like it for the fact that I have read about it in my history books for years and now I am getting to see it, but that is about it. I don't normally stand in front of a painting and say oh this moves me this way  or that way, and a lot of other things that people say when they see art. Saying all of that gives you a little bit better understanding of how I view art. The next major thing that we saw was the Sistine Chapel. Now, there was so much there that we went through it twice and I know for a fact that I was not able to take everything in. It was so overwhelming. The colors and the different scenes and everything wow. I got to see the "Hand of God" in person and I think that was one of the coolest moments for me. The Last Judgment which is painted at the front of the chapel was incredible was well. It is interesting when you know a little about the background of the painter and who some of his enemies were and friends how you can see them in the paintings in different positions. It is interesting that Michelangelo did not want to paint the Sistine Chapel and I think that comes out in the work with the way that he paints certain people of he gives them clothes or not what kind of positions they are in. Someone who didn't know certain things would never pick up on it but knowing a little of the background you can see it. There was so much more that we saw that day but in all honest I really blurred together at some point. We saw all sorts of famous artist that I could never begin to imagine that I would get see their original works of arts. I wish I was more into it so I could better explain to you all that I saw, but I can tell you this that I was amazed and in awe of all that I saw there. I hope that you enjoyed this post it is a bit different but I did my best to try and explain what I "felt" as I went the the Vatican museums. Ciao from Rome.