People parked everywhere creating their own spaces for their small cars. We had a tour of the Vatican booked for 2:00 so we made our way via the subway toward that part of town.
We met Valeria who led us through the maze of getting our tickets, up and down long stairs, we ran past the view of an open green area where Pope John Paul II’s gift rested. A huge bronze sculpture rolled onto the lawn. Domes in the sky above like mountains watching over a city. We only caught glimpses as we followed mama, as she instructed to call her.
We went into open courtyards with marble statues, purple bathing tubs, as old coffins with side holes to let out the remains. The seven of us were attentive children as she explained the art, the artists who worked only for honor for the church, their timeless gifts still staring us in the face. These open-air museums were surrounded by portrait sculptures. Pea gravel centers made all of the tourists sounds militant. From here rooms and rooms of mazes and domes, one bronze sculpture that wasn’t melted during the war-time for casts still stood there.
Passive Architect 