Ciao! This past weekend we went to Rome with the school. Love Arcadia because it gives us two free overnight trips and two day trips. Woot Woot! We hopped on a bus at 6:30am on Saturday morning and traveled 4 hours to Rome. We dropped our stuff off at our really nice hotel (I was surprised at how nice it was for this "free trip") then headed off with our tour guide Maurizzio (cute lil old guy :) hehe) and saw the famous Spanish Steps in the Piazza della Spagna. Then the Trevi Fountain, where of course I threw in a coin and made a wish! Then we walked by the Templo Andriano... which is a really old facade of an ancient temple? I wasn't really listening, and Maurizzio was sometimes very hard to hear. Then to the Pantheon. SOOOO cool to see. I just look around at all the buildings surrounding it and wonder "what it'd be like to live and see the pantheon out your front window". The pantheon was awesome, its got an opening in the roof which first of all works as a sundial, and second of all is completely open so when it rains...well there're drains in the floor. The pantheon has tons of decor in it which I was surprised at, and I guess they still have some church services in there. We then walked to the Piazza Navona, which was a cool piazza, but once again wasn't listening/couldn't hear what Maurizzio said it was. Guess I should do some research?? Then we broke for a quick lunch, where I found a street vendor with cool wire rings he made. I've decided that in each major city I visit I'm going to find a cool ring, since I got a cool iron one in Barcelona for only €8. So in Roma I found 3 for €8. Hehe. After lunch we headed for the Vatican. We crossed over the ponte sant'angelo which you can see in the pictures and then walked to St. Peters Basilica. We didn't get to go into St. Peter's because the line was so long, but I will hopefully get into it when Mom and Dad come since Michelangelo's "Pietá" is in there and I really want to see it. We went into the vatican through the museum and got to see the Sistene Chapel though, and that was really cool. I snuck a few "illegal" pictures from my lap on a bench. Haha. Saturday night after the Vatican we went out with some Rome Arcardia students for pizza. A free meal. Love Arcadia. Saturday night we just found an Irish Pub and had a few beers. And I played cupid with Emma and Matt and so I left them early to give them some "alone time" so I believe I had a successful Valentine's day.
Sunday we woke up bright and early, got breakfast in us, stole a bunch of small packets of nutella from the continental breakfast (its a very popular chocolate spread, amazing!) and then checked out of the hotel to head toward Imperial Rome (where the colosseum is!). We first saw Santa Maria Maggiore church, where we went in during mass! I felt that I was being sinful, but there were tons of other tourists in there taking pictures with flash even! tsk tsk... We then walked to St. Peter in Chains, a church where St. Peter was chained up, hence the name. Got to see the chains and Michelangelo's "Moses", another masterpiece. And then to the colosseum! That was so cool to see, and I was so glad I drug my fish eye/wide angle lens around all day since I got some great pictures of the whole thing from right across the street! The line was crazy long to go in, but because Arcadia rocks, we got to go right in for some reason. No waiting. You'll have to check out all the pictures. Me and few others lost Maurizzio, so we didn't get to see the Forum, so that's another thing I'll have to do next time I go back. Emma and Matt and I just walked around Imperial Rome and then found a place to eat and then we had to meet back at the hotel. We left the hotel for Florence around 4:00pm. It was a fantastic trip and even more so for being free! Woot Woot! It'll be fun to go back.
Sorry this blog is very choppy and short, but the pictures will speak for themselves.
The photo albums: When in Rome... and ...do as the Romans do. are the two very condensed albums of Rome. The others, (Rome 1,2,3,4,&5) are not so condensed. (And they'll be up eventually)
Also, last night, got to talk to Daddy on the webcam when he got back from Canada. So you'll have to check out the video-chatting album to see how "fun" our chat was. :)
6 comments:
I finaly got on from your e-mail and hope I got signed in. I am so far behind it will take awhile to catch up as sitting gets my bottom. Love you
Did you see that Gr. Don learnt how to blog!?!? Good job grandpa. Once again, it sounds like an awesome trip and I'm glad you left some stuff for us to see for the first time:) Speaking of sounds....I really like your sound effects you include when describing your thoughts. (ex:woot-woot/tsk-tsk/ect)Makes for a good picture of you talking to us first hand!!! More please....au revoir!(still working on my french!)Mi amore you and your blogs! Madam mere.
yay grandpa! i'm proud you got on and even commented! and mom, seeing as i have enough on my plate with italian, i'm relying on you for speaking french. i'll take care of londra and dublino! haha!
Flo - Love your colorful writing and I did get brave and sign up to facebook so I could see your pictures. I skipped all the personal info they wanted so hopefully nobody will FIND me. Your pictures are awesome - your head must be swimming with all the wonderful sights.
Auntie Letta also is really enjoying your blog - she's a little computer shy so hasn't been brave enough to comment or now can't see your pictures either. They have been to a lot of these places you are going so enjoy so much hearing about them.
I agree with everyone else - you're doing a great job "communicating" with us back home. I do actually read it like it was you talking to me - insert lots of giggles!! So let's just see G-pa Don get his picture attached to his name - ha! (j/k) And Namma is on Facebook - what next?!? (I think I better join just so I can be her "friend" that she doesn't want!) You sure keep on the go Wee-Wee and it's hard to keep up sometimes. We're headed to Mexico on Fri. so slow it down for a week so I don't miss much - K?!? Love ya lots!
p.s. You and your "mere" need to stop talking in code to each other!
So, does anyone agree with me that Rome reminds you of Ceasar's palace in Vegas???? I think they copied us!!!! I wonder if Venice will remind you of the Venetian Whit???? Have fun at Carnevale! Can't wait to see your mask!
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