Happy Birthday to me! For my birthday, and third day staying in Rome, I traveled to Vatican City.

As always, Chrissy and I struggled a bit to figure out public transportation, but with the help of Google Maps we found our destination. The panorama below shows the endless-seeming line that we waited on for our ticket. Do not be fooled, the line does not end when you reach the building: it continues inside. 

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Upon receiving our entrance ticket, we first headed to climb the Dome. I did not really understand what this meant, but two hour later I realized we were climbing thin, steep stairwells up to the top of Saint Peter's Church. My claustrophobic anxiety peaked new levels, but WE MADE IT. Pictured immediately below are views from the Dome and the artwork painted on the ceiling. 

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After viewing Saint Peter's Church from the top, we did a ground level tour. The architecture and paintings done by Michelangelo are stunning, as you will see below. 

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