I wasn't sure what to expect today when we toured the Vatican Museums. Going into it, all I knew is that the Vatican was the center of modern Catholicism, and that St. Peter was buried at the Basilica.

When we got to the Vatican, a few things really surprised me.

First of all, there was an extremely high concentration of rude tourists. More rude tourists here than anywhere else on the trip, which struck me as very ironic. Why were there so many people blatantly cutting, pushing, and trying to cheat their way through the lines when the Vatican is supposed to be a holy place? It seemed like few people had respect for that.

Secondly, it was weird to see how much MONEY the Vatican has. There was so much opulence and finery. This lavish decor went along with the highest price for an audio-guide I've seen anywhere, and additional ticket charges to climb St. Peter's basilica, or light a prayer candle. I know the Church needs to make money to do what it does, but it sort of made me cringe that all this money was adorning the Vatican, and not being used to help the poor - especially since there were so many beggers lying prostrate outside the Vatican.

Lastly, I was surprised by how removed things seemed at the Vatican. I had been really excited to see St. Peter's tomb, and I would have liked some space to reflect there, but there were always glass walls, gates, and massive amounts of people, guards, and signage keeping you from the place you wanted to be. It made it difficult to really feel anything spiritual there, and it made me feel very removed. It seemed like a commentary on Catholicism in general - a faith that presents the Pope, Mary, and the Saints as intermediaries between you and God, and where sentimentality doesn't seem to be highly encouraged. I don't know, it was very different than the Protestant Christianity I was familiar with.

I don't know, the Vatican was beautiful - I saw some amazing art today, and seeing St. Peter's tomb was definitely a highlight, but it was exhausting, and I left with very mixed feelings about the overall experience.