Easter Break

St. Peter's Square

We just got back to Nice having spent Easter break in Italy. Our vacation started in Rome and finished in Positano.   I had the most fun touring the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and St.Peter’s Basilica. I didn’t realize that Vatican is the world’s smallest state with its own coins, laws, security (army, fire department, police etc.) and their own king...the Pope.

Palazzo Venezia in Rome

The Sistine Chapel was my favourite building. The Popes get elected in the Chapel. Our tour guide Andrea told us that every time a new Pope must be elected there are crowds of people in Piazza St.Pietro waiting to see white smoke come out of the Sistine Chapel chimney. If the cardinals haven’t come to an agreement on the next Pope black smoke will come out of the chimney.

Enough Museums...

I really like the way the walls and ceiling were painted. In 1508 Pope Julius II commissioned Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the chapel. It took Michelangelo a bit over four years to paint the ceiling. The ceiling and the wall behind the alter were painted with pictures of saints and martyrs--every patch of the ceiling telling a different story from the Old Testament, like the creation of Adam and Eve.

More gelato!!

I loved looking at the ceiling because the people were three dimensional and they were popping out at you. Andrea said that because Michaelangelo was originally a sculptor, he was able to make the people look like they were statues.  After the Sistine Chapel was finished other artists learned through Michelangelo how to paint three dimensional.

Making it by the Swiss Guards

After a week of walking in and out of museums and taking pictures in front of historical monuments in Rome, I was happy to be going to Naples.  I wasn’t to sure what to expect of Naples. My dad and grandfather (who was born just outside of Naples) had told me many times that it’s chaotic, loud, dirty and now full of garbage... which it was, but that still didn’t change how much I enjoyed the city. I loved every moment of it.  I liked how it was always alive and the people were always so excited. I especially loved the Neapolitan humour, dialect, and pizza. We also spent a day in Pompeii, and since I had studied about Pompeii in history, it was neat to be there.

How do I look Maddy?

Aside from Napoli, I enjoyed visiting my grandfather’s hometown—Pozzuoli. It wasn’t nearly as big or exciting as Napoli, but I didn’t mind. We spent two days there. The first night there was a big family get together with all my dad’s cousins and my grandfather’s brother and sister that still live in Pozzuoli. I had never met this side of my family, but I was glad to know that I had more cousins.

Easter lunch in Pozzuoli

The following day was Easter which was also spent in Pozzuoli. We had a great fish lunch by the sea. For me, Pozzuoli was definitely one of the highlights of the trip.  I was really disappointed that we didn’t get to go to take a tour of Napoli underground. I guess that gives me a reason to go back.

Simona

The Pantheon