When in Rome…

Well, it’s finally here. The last week of classes has begun. I can’t believe I’ve already been in Italy for almost a month!! This past weekend I made it to the one place in Italy I’ve wanted to go the most, Rome! We decided to dedicate Friday to Vatican City, knowing there was so much to see and that we would want to do as much as we could. Thankfully we bought tickets online because the line was SO long. There were hundreds of people all waiting to buy tickets, but we got to go in front of them! We went through the Vatican museum and saw all kinds of statues and art. The ceilings were one of the most beautiful parts of the entire museum, each one delicately hand molded and painted. They were all unique and different in their own way, and it’s incredible they were created by hand without any tools!! It must have taken so much time and effort-I don’t have the patience for that kind of work! We finally made it through all the rooms and long hallways of art to the Sistine Chapel, and it was AMAZING. I cannot believe Michelangelo did all of that by himself. The ceiling was much higher than I expected, and every inch was covered in murals that collaborated to make the incredible masterpiece. I wanted to take pictures, but you aren’t allowed! They also made you be quiet and security guards kept saying “SHHHHHH!!!!” the entire time. It’s a very special and holy place, and it’s evident in the way the tour is run. After the chapel, we went into St. Peter’s Basilica which was MUCH bigger than I expected! It too was ornate and detailed with beautiful ceilings and walls. You can even go underground and see the tombs all of the former popes which was interesting too!

Saturday was our big tourist venture. We decided to see the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, and the Pantheon all in one day! We took a bus down to the Colosseum (the wrong bus which left us with a long walk to get there) and walked by the Forum and then to the Colosseum. It still amazes me every time I’ve seen ancient ruins how these things are still standing, and in pretty good condition! Its hard to believe it was built to watch people fight to the death thousands of years ago. I’d say times have changed just a bit! And the fact that this massive building of stone was all done without tools, it’s incredible! Of course, as they say, Rome wasn’t built in a day!

After the Colosseum, we made our way to the Trevi Fountain. This was, by far, my most FAVORITE place I have be to in Italy. There were hundreds of people all swarming the fountain, taking pictures and tossing in their coins, but it was still so beautiful! The fountain, like many other things I’ve seen, was a lot bigger than I expected it to be. You can look at pictures of all these historic places, but literally nothing compares to the moment when you stand in awe, just staring, wondering if you’re really seeing it in person with your own eyes. It was such a magical feeling, knowing everyone there is tossing in a coin with that little bit of faith that it may bring them love or luck. In America, there’s so much pessimism nowadays, it was refreshing to see there’s still so much hope in the world. The statues and architecture of the fountain are magnificent, and there’s no question it’s the most beautiful fountain I’ve ever seen!

Finally, we made our way to the Pantheon. It was also beautiful! I found out that Pantheon actually means “everything divine” and I learned the engraving on the front is actually the name of the creator of the original Pantheon (which was burned down and rebuilt): M. AGRIPPA L. F. COS. TERTIUM FECIT, which means “Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, Consul for the third time built this”. Very interesting!

I had an awesome weekend in Rome, but I can’t believe I’ll be home in less than a week!!! This month has gone by so quickly, but I’m starting to feel ready to go home. A girl can only eat so much pasta!!!! Last night, we had our formal dinner, or “CIMBA Prom”, as everyone likes to call it. It was fun seeing everyone all dressed up, and the meal was great! We had Risotto, Pasta Pomodoro, and Lamb. We leave campus Friday, and I’ll be going to Milan for two days, with a possible trip to Lake Como, which I’m very excited about! Then I return to Rome to fly home on Monday morning! It’s been an amazing experience so far, and I can’t wait to finish it with one last great trip.