The Vatican!

     Since both Trump and Trudeau thought it was worthwhile to visit the Vatican while they were recently in Rome, I thought I should too.
    My first contact with the Vatican was as a 10 year-old stamp collector in Toronto. As a Jewish boy, the Vatican and the Pope did not have the same significance for me as they did for some of my classmates. 11 years later, when I visited Rome for the first time, I didn't visit the Vatican, preferring to hang out on the Spanish steps trying to meet girls.
      However, this time we made a reservation on-line and were prepared to spend as much time as necessary visiting the complex. My first stop, not surprisingly, was the philatelic museum, which brought back memories. The rest of the time was spent battling the crowds to view the incredible art collections and frescoes.

Unfortunately, this photo does not convey the impressive parade of galleries which extend endlessly.

This corridor/gallery was crammed, literally crammed with Roman sculptures. You could spend months studying the stories about the various pieces on display.

The many frescoes are all the more impressive when you think about how they were made.

As I was leaving I came across this large model of the property. It's all quite breathtaking.

The exit stair is pretty to look at but not that comfortable to descend.