2/16/09
Rome was really fantastic!! We were running the whole time (not literally, but you know) so no time was wasted! Getting up at 5:30 sucked ass, and sleeping on the bus wasn’t the most comfortable thing, but once we started going the places the trip was awesome. First we took the train to the Spanish Steps, which were completely full of people on Valentines Day. The street was packed with tourists, beautiful Italians, and people selling crap, and it was magical. Then we jetted over to the Trevi Fountain, learned about it (though I couldn’t really hear, so I didn’t learn much), and threw some coins into the fountain backwards over our shoulders, Lizzie McGuire style. Once again we were off, this time to the Pantheon, also full of people, learned about the church’s history and the hole in the roof. And off again (!) to Piazza Navona to look at the buildings, fountains, and Egyptian column/post things that mark the four directions of the city. After we had 15 minutes for lunch, and we wolfed down our food like starving children. Most of us hadn’t eaten that day, except for whatever we could find in the dark at 6:00 in the morning, and it was now almost 2. I know, right? After wolfing, we blazed across the city to the Vatican! Walking on the street I ran into two people I knew from totally different contexts walking together, and it was such a weird coincidence but cool. We waited in line before learning that Arcadia never sent out money in to see the Sistine Chapel. Most of us decided to go anyway, so we waited in line once again, got a student discount, and moseyed our way through the art galleries, elaborate hallways covered in maps and tapestries, and the Raphael rooms covered in frescos. It struck me as a little odd that monks commit to a life of poverty and the Vatican is dripping with wealth. I know they’re not the same thing, but both monks and the pope/bishops/etc. give their entire life to Christianity but in completely different ways. Something to ponder, anyway. Finally we made it to the Sistine Chapel. I found a place to sit and look for a while, and luckily it was right next to a personal guide who was telling two people all about the Sistine Chapel. When I stood up, I think my hand slipped over the plastic cover and landed on the actual wall, but I’m not sure. Our group stayed looking at the chapel for a real long time because it’s something that doesn’t lose its awe. You know how sometimes you look at a painting or movie or sculpture or building or whatever, and it first it seems like the most amazing thing in the world, but after 5 minutes you see how, well, it’s not. Yeah, that doesn’t happen with the Sistine Chapel, and I think it’s tied with The Last Supper in my book. Looking around the room, every person just stood there with their jaws dropped. We couldn’t figure out what the last section of the painting was of, though. It’s creation, Adam and Eve, sacrificing the ram instead of the son, the flood, then…… the last one is still a mystery. Anybody know?
That night our program went out for the free traditional Roman dinner, complete with two appetizers, pizza, dessert, and diet coke. Since we are all college students, we take advantage of anything free, and pretty much ate until we couldn’t eat anymore. Afterward, 10 or so of us, primarily girls, went to a classy bar-lounge thing for a bit, but we were all so tired that we were in bed by midnight. I coughed pretty badly all night, but still managed to sleep.
Day 2: Took advantage of the free breakfast after getting up early again (7:30 am… rough for a Sunday). Once we were packed up, we went to a church (whose name is slipping from me right now) where the whole ceiling was covered in gold leaf. I remembered it from last time I visited Rome, but even now I’m having trouble keeping track of the details. We couldn’t stay long because mass was going on, so we kicked at pigeons outside. Next we went to the church were Michelangelo’s Moses is. THAT I had never seen before, and it was awesome. You can’t go right up to it, or else I might have accidentally run into it or something. Also, they have a relic of Peter’s chains that he wore while imprisoned. I couldn’t hear where the real ones are. Actually, maybe they are the real ones… hmmm. Next it was Coliseum time, and we spent a long time there, which was wonderful! Since the weather was absolutely perfect both days, we could take our time walking around the open structure and, at times, pretend to be animals fighting. We spent an equal amount of time going around the Forum, and our guide Maurizio pointed out all the different time periods in the ruins. The pace was much more relaxed, which made it more enjoyable for me, though Saturday was great as well. After the forum, a bunch of us went to go see Baccio la Verità or The Mouth of Truth. The myth is that you’re supposed to stick your hand in the mouth, and if it doesn’t bite it off, then you’re truthful and innocent. We leisurely wandered the city after that, picking up some panini and gelato before heading back to the hotel to meet the bus. We were all exhausted last night after getting home, and I pretty much passed out after I finished my dinner, but it was totally worth it.
Today is a little less fun. The sun is peaking out, but I’ve got a mad migraine, which is why I’m writing this now. I went home after cinema because I was starting to see spots in my vision and get dizzy, so I should technically be in Italian right now. I told some people in my class to tell me teacher what was up, though, and I’ve only missed one day, so I think I have the best attendance in the class. Missing today is OK. I’m still debating about whether or not to go to photography later. We’ll see. I think I probably just didn’t get enough sleep over the weekend, and combine that with grinding my teeth and the curse of the gods, and you’ve got a migraine! Now I’m off to sleep.
Update: Well, I slept for most of the day. After I ate some dinner, I was feeling better so I went to see Benjamin Button with some friends. It was great, but definitely long. My butt was asleep by the end. I’m not sure what they could’ve cut, though. Also, I’m not sure how I felt about the end. Cate Blanchette and Brad Pitt were both great though. I’m curious to know how much they had to animate when they were making them both really old. It’s worth seeing anyway. My head is worse now, so I’m going back to bed. That is all.