hoarding

that's the word stuck in my mind after visiting the vatican.  so much excess.  so much pillaging, really.  while i found looking at the antiquities collections fascinating and most of the frescoes impressive, i have to say i left the vatican feeling mostly disgusted by the ornate display of power and fury.

the "pricelessness" of those collections is as hard to imagine as the size of our national debt.  and it all just sits there.  i do realize that at least in this way these magnificent works have been preserved.  so i guess that's one good thing to come of it all.

after the FOUR HOUR vatican tour we had a decent lunch then walked back to our place in the cold rain.