Our first stop was the Vatican Museum. We saw many thousands of pieces of priceless art and I cannot even begin to describe everything. Here are some pictures to give me some help (I took over 300 just today so I think I will have enough to show!).
The museum is unlike anything I could have every conceived and it just keeps growing and growing over the years. Originally it was a repository for rulers and rich families to get their art to the church instead of giving it away or selling it and now it shows a rich artistic tradition that is centuries old.
Next we got to visit the Sistine Chapel. I was very, very excited to be able to get to this famous chapel pained by Michelangelo but I think I was just so starstruck by the overall atmosphere of the museum that the chapel with its crowds and myriad of symbols and paintings was almost too much to take in. I loved the Scrovegni Chapel’s simple elegance with ornateness intermingled with quiet solitude, but the Sistine Chapel was definitely all the way on the top of the decorated scale. Again, photos are supposed to be prohibited but I managed to snap a few for your enjoyment.
Our next stop was St. Peter’s Basilica. As I mentioned a few days ago we sang a mass in the basilica but our time was very short overall and we were not allowed to have any cameras on us. Here are some of the best photos that I got with the commentary kept to a minimum. Our tour was very thorough and I’m sure you will be almost in awe as I was.
I really can’t say anything that will justify the Basilica so again I won’t try. Next we left, grabbed lunch, and decided to climb to the top of the dome much like in Florence. For 551 steps we toiled up the small, narrow staircases and at the top we were met with a similarly breathtaking view. Here are some shots of this for your viewing pleasure as well. Imagine the wind in your hair and the roman ambiance all around you as you stand atop the world’s largest church.
Lastly, That evening we sang our last concert on tour, and my last concert with the Glee Club, at the Basilica San Agostino. We had a really nice, open space and quite frankly, I think we sounded the best we have every sounded on tour. I was singing the whole time but when I got to the last few pieces I couldn’t really hold it in any more and after looking around at the guys next to me while thinking about all that I have been through with them I couldn’t help but cry because of how awesome it has been and how much I will miss it.
After our concert there was a champagne toast on the steps and we got to sing joyfully together our favorite Rutgers Songs and celebrate all that the seniors, and the Glee Club in general, have done on the tour and throughout the whole year.
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