Greetings from the Vatican!

While Monica and Xavi were in Australia, Paul was over in Rome on Friday/Saturday for a 2-day meeting at the St Regis Hotel. First time back on Italian soil since 2007.

On Friday evening after the meeting, we were taken over to the Vatican City for a private evening tour of the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel. Saturday afternoon after the meeting, I went on a walking tour of the Old Center, using the same guidebook by Earl Steinbicker that we first took to Italy in 1998. Guess what - everything is still in the same place! Pics from that walk appear on the next blog.

Sorry about the poor quality of these photos; took them with my iPod Touch and the light wasn't great...

Entrance to the Vatican Museum.

There are 9 km of hallways in the Mueseum; we did 2.5 km. No crowds.

The famous painting of the Greek philosophers by Raphael (done in 1510). it is located in the Stanza della Segnatura, just after one leaves the Sistine Chapel. No photography allowed inside the Chapel, and didn't want to get arrested by a Swiss Guard!

The incredible spiral staircase at the exit of the Museum

Sunset over St Peter's Basilica. It had been a beautiful day, sunny and 21 deg C