Let's go see the pope!

Well, we're in Rome... might as well... even though it means getting up early to go to the Vatican. 

 Black and magenta... very stylish... it is Italy after all.

 Is that the pope?? Is he coming?

 No, relax.

 Is that him?

 No, it's not.

 Waiting, waiting.

 It's the pope, in the pope-mobile!

 Here he is... wow, we're close.

 I've gotta say, nice head of hair for a man his age.

 Can't understand a word... and speaking of stylish Italians, check out the guy with the shades.

 This guy below is doing the English portion, but it's all "we'd like to welcome the students from the Saint (insert name here) School of Boston"... and the kids cheer and the pope waves at them.

 

 OK, it's over.

 The place clears out remarkably fast... and then we get the scariest cab ride back to town that you could ever imagine.

Florence... Firenze...

Firenze sounds so much cooler than Florence.
These first two photos were taken just before I was wrestled to the ground by security guards... well... reprimanded anyway.  It turns out you're not supposed to take pictures of Michelangelo's David. Click on the image to view a larger slideshow.

The Uffizi Gallery... under construction since 1560... like everything else in Italy, it'll be nice when it's finished.