Bongiorno!

  Bongiorno and happy Fourth of July! I am writing this while on one of the speedy trains from Rome to Civitaveccia, where I will board the ship and have an American BBQ (I'm now typing this after attending the BBQ and it was the best food the ship has served in a month!!) Tonight we set sail for Naples and tomorrow my roommate and I will catch a train into Pompeii.

I was expecting Rome to be wonderful a second time around, but was pleasantly surprised to find it absolutely amazing again!! Unlike three years ago, when we experienced Italy's coldest winter in 60 years, this time we experienced an African heatwave, making it 100 degrees on average- but it was so worth it! I fell in love with all of the fountains around the city because they are connected to ancient aqueducts and provide free drinking water, which was much needed on our long days! I spent my first day with my Art Architecture History class and we kept a tight schedule. We started at New Saint Peter's and had a tour led by my professor. Although it was my second time in NSP, it felt as if I was seeing it for the first time. My class spent two of our nine days studying NSP and it sure paid off! I learned in Spain that I didn't want to travel with my camera glued to my face. I took about half as many pictures as I did in Barcelona, but they are more meaningful and directed. The class tour lasted until 9pm and then with my money belt, purse and backpack awkwardly layered on top of each other I hailed a cab before it became too dark. I met up with Kaitlin at the hostel (which was in a fun and friendly neighborhood.) The hostel was wonderful, kind, clean and very safe. I met a girl who is from NE Portland and went to Catlin Gabel! She thinks she knows Lauren Ellis, our former neighbor!

Kaitlin and I got up early and headed straight to the Colosium. We entered right when it opened and it was really special seeing it with minimal crowds- and while the temperature was cool. Once again, my architecture class gave me a new perspective on the Colosseum (and just about every building or site in Rome!) In the two full days I spent in Rome I managed to fill up about a fifth of my journal, so instead of listing each thing I saw (which is almost every major site) I will give you some of the highlights. 

1) Seeing the inside of NSP and getting to ask my professor question after question. It was nice seeing it for a second time and not feeling like I had to rush through it to cram it all in. 2) Learning about Michael Angelo's complicated relationship with Pope Julius II, who commissioned NSP. Michael Angelo designed part of the exterior of NSP, but when asked to paint the Sistine Chapel he felt the Pope was trying to set him up for failure and fled the country. Michael Angelo later returned and agreed, but under his own conditions. He told the Pope he would not paint the 12 apostles, and that he would design the ceiling, not use the Pope's design. Some think that Michael Angelo was making a statement by having the mural, above the door where the Pope enters, of man's shame and fall- when Noah is seen drunk and naked by his sons. The paintings go in reverse chronological order to finally end with the creation of man. The Pope favored Rafael and commissioned him to create wall tapestries of the 12 apostles, but unfortunately those were stolen and burned a few hundred years ago. I love the specific and unique history of all the sites we visited! 3) Walking through hidden ruins/excavated sites that weren't known about by many tourists. One place we went walked through had taken marble slabs off an ancient- and now historic site- to display fish on for a fish market in 600 ce. It is crazy how much value we put on these building now and they once were just an abandoned old building in the neighborhood. 4) Stumbling upon a gorgeous cathedral, S. Maria dell' Orto that was tucked away in a neighborhood that we were very lost in. It reminded me of miniature NSP, but with the building structure of Old Saint Peter's. I hadn't seen a building like OSP yet, so it was exciting seeing the actual architecture, not just a sketch. (Grandma Falconer, thank you for the scarf! I always have it in my purse and wear it into all of the cathedrals. It is so cute, light and convenient! Gratzi!)   5) Running into my ship roommate and her sorority sister at the Pantheon and getting dinner together. I got to serve as their (poorly trained) "tour guide." 6) GILATO, Paninos and fresh squeezed orange juice!! 7) Skyping with my family- I miss you all SOO much!!)   9) The ship BBQ.    10) Seeing Italian night life. I preferred it over Spain's night life because it was more social and casual. We walked around the neighborhood and ate gilato, I can't ask for much more!

I'm about to head to bed, but I'll leave you with some of my "adventure" moments on my three day break from the ship. --We didn't know you had to bring your own towels to the hostel, so we had to get creative...I used my dress as a towel. --We always were getting lost and turned around on their zigzag streets (not like the grid street pattern used in Barcelona) and found the best way to get directions is to ask an Italian, follow their directions for two blocks and then ask another local and repeat the step from before. This will prevent you from walking miles and miles in circles.  --Although we walked countless, unnecessary extra miles while being lost, it gave us the opportunity to stumble upon some hidden gems of Rome. There is so much to see that is not well publicized or even on a map and while walking we found amazing cathedrals, piazzas (plazas) and cafes.

I fell in love with Rome yet again. I guess I should blame the Trevi Fountain because when you toss in a coin it ensures that you will return to Rome. Mom and Dad, I apologize in advanced because I tossed in another coin- so I see a trip to Rome in my future!!

Ciao!! Tori