You don’t need your passport to enter the Stato della Città del Vaticano, the strange sovereign state stuck bang in the centre of Rome, but I would have liked mine stamped. I would have liked the Pope to stamp it personally for me. A reward for standing in the queue, in the sun, practicing my Italian on strangers while other strangers practiced their English on me.
In any case, the Vatican Museum was worth the wait, well worth the wait.
The treasures amassed by the Catholic Church truly defy belief – and I only saw a handful. I need another two days to see about half of the hoard.
No wonder the Pope, surrounded by this incredible abundance of riches, imagines himself to be above every other human being on the planet.
I wish Il Papa had stamped my passport, I would have asked him for a couple of souvenirs.
This is the Stanza della Segnatura one of the Stanze di Raffaello (Raphael’s rooms). A classy bit of interior design indeed.
The celebrated Dome in the Pope’s church.
Sigh
