Vatican & on to Capri!

The Vatican tour was amazing.  Before we did it I really didn't know what was entailed.  I knew there would be the Sistine chapel and St. Peter's Square but there was much more.  I took a million pics but will only share a few.
Below we are waiting in line to enter...

This is one of the beautiful gardens that seem to be everywhere...I think the Pope has a pretty good thing goin' on....  :)

Our tour guide, Roberto (another older Italian dude that was quite the character) told us that this umbrella pine was hundreds of years old.  They truly look like an umbrella too.

Your first stop on the tour is the Vatican museuum.  This hold tons of sculpures, paintings and artwork.  Again, I'm only going to post a few....

One of the many gorgeous ceilings in the musueum...

and.....there's Roberto!  He seemed to follow everything he said with, "eh?"
Kinda like - "this sculpture by Michelangelo is a masterpiece, eh?

I'm not only into the wooden doors but also the shutters, ok!  These were absolutely gorgeous.

The Pieta.  Need I say more?  This sculpture (by Michelangelo if you didn't know) always reminds me of my Mom because she always had this on her dresser when I was a kid.  Sadly, I don't know what happened to it. Oh....and this is displayed in St. Peter's church where the following pics were taken.

The duomo of St. Peter's looking up.....

This fact I didn't know.  The church was erected on top of St. Peter's tomb - and here it is.

The Swiss guard that guards the Vatican.  Guard on the left can't move for 4 hours at a time.  Crazy!
Kind of like the guards at Buckingham Palace.  Just try to make them laugh!

The beautiful St. Peter's Square.  Breathtaking!

Window in the center is where the Pope comes out to bless everyone on Sunday at 12 noon.

Ciao, ciao Roma and onto Capri.  At the Tibertina train station waiting for our train to Naples.

Arriving on the dock in Capri!
I have to say they are pretty organized here.  They meet you at the dock, have a list of everyone who's on the hydrofoil and where they're staying.  Then they take your bags and deliver to your hotel.
Sweet!

You take a cable car up the mountain and this is the view when you get off.  Stunning!

This is a framer for sure!

We are staying at "Villa Brunella" and this is a pic of our room.  Oh, and we were upgraded to a suite because our room wasn't available yet.  hehe

The gardens outside our room are so pretty......

View from the pool.....

These beautiful flowers grow all along the rock walls lining the walkways...

Our first night in Capri Nina & Joe Peri suggested a restaurant named "Le Grottelle" for dinner.  It truly was a hidden gem.  It is actually built into the side of the mountain and as Nina would say "Mama cooks in the cave" - and she wasn't kidding.
It was quite a trek getting there - up winding narrow roads which were only about 6ft. wide and also lots and lots of stairs.  We worked for our dinner, that's for sure.  But it was well worth it!  We ordered the fish for two - fresh fish that he brings to your table - you choose which you'd like and they grill it to perfection.  Served with assorted roasted vegetables!  Bueno!!!!!
Below is a picture I took as we were making our way there....

You can't see it in this pic but the view was beautiful of the Amalfi Coast at night.  Twinkling lights everywhere.

Christmas lights in the trees!  Loved it!

Indoor the restaurant...told ya it was in a cave :)

This was a really cool part of Le Grottelle.  Up a flight of stairs on the side of the restaurant you will find the pizza station.  He has a wood burning stove right inside the mountain.  You  order what kind of pizza you want and he calls you when it's ready.  This little boy was waiting for his!

Our waiters who were fantastico!

Leaving for Sorrento in the morning but will never forget our time in Capri!

Posting pics of the "Blue Grotto" later, stay tuned!!!