We had a glorious 4 day weekend in Rome and I got to do all the typical touristy things that one does when they go to Rome with the added benefit of my Professors who know all sorts of cool things and people in Rome. It was a really fun trip, but I'm not going to lie-its the end of the semester and running around cities in Europe and standing in museums for really long periods of time is catching up to me. Rome has left me really rather tired and ready for the semester to be over even if that means leaving Europe. (But that also means going home too. A catch 22)
Thursday we got into Rome around 9:30 am and began our trip with a tour of the Roman Forum, Capitoline Hill and the Colosseum. We had a lovely tour guide named Angela who Jodi knew from her previous program. Angela was super knowledgeable and really relaxing and pleasant to listen too as we hiked through all the ruiens hearing about the Republic and the Empire of Rome and of course the famous gladiators. It was a refreshing reminder of how much I really enjoy classical history and how useful the two classics classes I took just for fun really have ended up being for me.
After the Colosseum we went on a walking tour lead by Jodi to visit the ever famous Pantheon (yes its breath taking and my pictures taken around dusk do not do it justice. You simply have to come a visit and see it for your self.) and the Piazza Navona where Bernini's four rivers fountain is. (we were bribed with gelato since the walking tour was optional. I was going for the Pantheon to be truthful so my Champagne and Mango gelato was an added bonus. We wet to Giolitti's and I highly recommend you go there. Its historic and pretty famous I guess, and the gelato was phenomenal.)
After our walking tour we were released to spend the evening on our own. Anicka, Megan and I went and got dinner at L'Insalata Ricca, a yummy little restaurant that had reasonably priced pasta and a cheap, good house wine.
Friday we were up early to spend the day with the Pope! (Not actually we just went to the Vatican. Which was super cool.) I had a minny moment of panic as we went through security because I had forgotten to take my cork screw out of my purse...but it got through security three separate times no questions asked. It was raining and cool so wearing modest clothing was not a problem (shorts, short skirts and bare shoulders are not permitted in the Vatican so I advise don't visit during the summer. Just saying.) We first visited the Basilica of Saint Peters, our tour lead by Professor Solberg. I'm not normally in her class so it was really nice to hear her lecture. After Saint Peter's we broke down into two groups to tour the Necropoli or the old Saint Peters. Roman families built moselums for their dead which were filled in and leveled off to create the base for the new Saint Peters (the one that stands today) Bellow is also the grave of who we believe to be Saint Peter himself. I got to actually see his grave and the graffiti that marks his resting place. The Necropoli is underground and you go through sets of sliding glass doors. Its narrow and boarder line claustrophobic (personally I had not problems-it felt like a very well done interactive museum exhibit display and I had to keep reminding myself that it was an actual excavated site.) Though I'm not Catholic, I found this whole experience to be incredibly moving because I saw it as the history of the history of my church. It was very cool for me to see the history and the founding of the Catholic church which would lead to my church.
The day was finished off with a visit to the Vatican Museum where we toured the rooms of Raphael and Sistine Chapel. I wasn't really allowed to take too many pictures, so again, you'll just have to go see it yourself (and hopefully on a day where its not grey and raining so the lighting is better because its all naturally lit.)
Tired from our long day (over 8 hours on our feet) Anicka, Megan and I went to a local grocery store on our way home to grab cheese and tomatoes and bread to make sandwiches for a light dinner and an early night.
Saturday we got to sleep in a little bit longer (half an hour makes a difference I tell you) before we went for a tour of the Villa La Farnesina. The Villa was owned by the overly rich banker Agostino Chigi (he was so rich he threw a garden party with solid gold table ware and after every course the servants would take the dishes and throw them in the River as a show of his great wealth. But as a smart business men, he had them secretly caught in a net to be used again.) The Villa's walls are covered with beautiful fresco's done by Raphael which was why we visited.
After the tour, we had the afternoon free. Megan, Anicka and I did all the toursity things we had left to do-La Bocca di Verita (the Mouth of Truth from Roman Holiday) the Spanish steps and of course, lunch and a bottle of wine at the Trevi Fountain!
At 3 we had reservations to go to an Augustus exhibit at the Scuderie del Quirnale. It reminded me of the Cleopatra one that was in Milwaukee two years ago. It was a collection of Augustus statures and a display on his life and his impact on the empire. I found it so so so fascinating again reminiscing over my classics classes that I've enjoyed so much in the past.
We went back to L'Insalata Rica for dinner again before turning in rather early.
Sunday morning Anicka Megan and I enjoyed a relaxed walk to the Circus Maximus and then up back to the Colosseum and hung out until lunch time by the Wedding Cake. We just enjoyed the morning rather worn out by our long trip. We stopped at a grocery store to get things for sandwiches which we ate by the four rivers fountain before we had to head back to the hotel and pick up our bags to prepare to go home. We loaded our suitcases onto a bus before heading to the Galleria Borghese where we were blessed to see some Caravaggio's and more Bernini statues (again. I wasn't allowed to take pictures). We got to see Carvaggio's David, and Dionysus, and Madonna of the Palafrenieri and Bernini's Rape of Persephone, David, and Apollo and Daphne. Absolutely beautiful works of art that are just so cool to finally get to see in real life.
We took the bus home (it worked out that way so our things could be safely stored while we were in the Gallery) It took us around three hours to get home but it was actually pretty relaxing and we got to watch Gladiator to add the icing to the trip di Roma!
I had a wonderful time and it was really nice to be reminded just how much I love classical history and art. Rome was really pretty and its a place I will come back to someday in the future. But it did put a lot of things in perspective for me. In less than a month I'll be home (and that means I have a couple of ten page papers and exams to take in that less than a month space of time) As much as I don't want this adventure to end, I am tired (its the end of the semester) and I can't wait to get home to my pillow, my mom's chicken noodle soup, and my swimming pool just to name a few things. I miss my family and my friends a ton and while they have been with me every step of the way, I can't wait to come home and hug them in a month. A month-not a lot of time, and I plan to enjoy it while its still here.
No comments:
Post a Comment