St. Peter's Basilica
After leaving the Sistine Chapel, we proceeded through the tour group exit (a shortcut we learned about through our extensive research which allowed us to avoid having to take a 15 minute walk plus endure the security lines again) and found ourselves down in the crypt of 
St. Peter's Basilica. Many of the popes are entombed within the crypt, which seems more like a museum than a cemetery. There was a noticeable crowd praying around one tomb, that of the recently deceased Pope John Paul II. People were mostly praying or stopping briefly to pay their respects, but there were some attempting to take pictures which is strictly forbidden (two security guards were very vigilant for this activity). After passing by his tomb we stopped briefly at St. Peter's tomb, where his bones were buried and the altar of the church was built upon. After this we opted to head up to the church to tour this lovely (and massive) building.
The Pope's Swiss Guards were out guarding the various entrances and exits, ensuring no unsavory characters made their way into an area they weren't allowed. It took a bit of explanation but I finally convinced Alli that these guards are indeed Swiss and are among the elite of Swiss military. There are many doors that go into St. Peter's Basilica, however the most interesting is only opened once every 25 years (the Holy Door). This is interesting enough but what I found even more intriguing was that on the other side the door is cemented closed. (Are they really that concerned about some sneaky bishop coming in the middle of the night and opening it for giggles?) After finally deciding on entering an open door we were amazed to walk inside and see the massive basilica. 
The central nave has inscriptions on the floor as you walk towards the altar showing where other basilicas and churches around the world would end in they were placed inside St. Peter's. Let's just say this basilica is very large compared to the rest (no need to brag).
Outside of the basilica are many other sights, including the main plaza which surrounds a fountain an Egyptian obelisk (the Romans liked to bring back the spoils of war to remind themselves of all of the foreign lands they conquered). We also utilized the Vatican Post Office to mail some letters, which I found exciting for some reason (the Vatican Postal System is one of the most efficient in the world, but the Italian Postal System is not, which is why we mailed things from the Vatican and not from Rome). We chose not to ascend to the top of the dome as we had already been in the museum, Sistine Chapel, and Basilica for almost four hours and needed lunch...I guess that means we have something to look forward to for our next visit.
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