Becoming Italian: Our Trip to the Vatican Museum

It’s a little-known guidebook fact that the Vatican Museum opens its doors for free on the last Sunday of every month. With Lainie here for her visit we thought this was the perfect opportunity to finally see the Sistine Chapel and all the wonderful artifacts relating to the history of Christianity and Catholicism (and we saved ourselves the 12 euro admission cost).

So, we woke up at 7 am in order to get to the museum by 8:30 (doors open at 9). As we rode the metro we noticed it was unusually full at this early hour on a Sunday, and we deduced that, in fact, we were not the only people in Rome with the idea to go to the Vatican today (turns out our little-known fact is in every guidebook). So, as we stepped out of the metro and headed towards the museum I began speed walking in order to get us as far ahead of the other people as possible. As I approached the line from the end nearest the entrance, I could look down the street and I noticed that the line was really, really, really, really long already! Immediately my heart sunk as I realized we’d probably have to stand and wait forever just to get in. Then it happened.
Where the line curved around a corner the barrier was only a bit of caution-type tape instead of the iron gate that shapes the rest of the line. A few people quickly ducked under the tape and got in the line right at the front (maybe 20 people back from the front). I thought for a moment or two and then I just said, screw it, I’m going in! And I ducked under there, too and secured us a spot at the front.

Charles and Lainie soon caught up to me and as they were trying to get in line with me some random Italian guy (who wasn’t even standing in line) began arguing with Charles and trying to keep them from cutting in. We used the old “non capito” to pretend we didn’t understand why he was yelling at us, and soon he ran out of steam and walked off. For a few seconds I did feel slightly guilty, because the people we cut in front of were not your typical pushy Italians. They were tourists who probably saved a lot of money to come and see the Vatican, and many were nuns and priests (which is why no one in line tried to kick us out).
I quickly got over my guilt and had a wonderful afternoon in the museum. It is fantastic, and the Sistine Chapel is breathtaking. It was totally worth it.

A few days later, back at school, Charles asked our boss Steve what he had done at the weekend. Turns out he went to the Vatican Museum too, and stood in line for 3 hours to get in!! Charles told him our story and all he had to say was, “You f**ers!” How can you not laugh at that?