Review of My Themes

The first theme that I chose for my blog was the theme of police in Rome. I chose this theme because this was one of the first things I noticed in Rome. I noticed that there were more police in this city then I had ever seen in any city in America. It gave me a feeling of security and also enticed me to learn more about the police force.

My second theme was the method of transportation of choice for many Romans: mopeds. I chose this theme because this was also something that I noticed immediately after arriving in Rome. Mopeds are everywhere and seem to be one of the most (if not THE most) efficient ways of getting around the city.

My third theme was one that was very simple for me to travel to every day: my apartment! Living in Santa Maria in Cappella turned out to be, at times, a trying experience. However, the rich history and interesting characters of the place really made it worth it.

Renting Mopeds

As soon as I first arrived in Rome, I noticed the overwhelming number of mopeds cruising around the cobblestone streets of the city. They were always flying by, sometimes jamming out to the radio or on a cell phone, with hair blowing in the wind (from under a helmet of course.) The people driving around on mopeds always made it look like such a fun way to get around the city. I wanted to rent a moped and drive around and explore Rome, but I never got around to it. In our Eyewitness Guide, there is information about renting a moped from various businesses. All you have to do is leave a credit card number or cash as a deposit when you pick up the moped. I guess this is something I'll have to save for my next visit to Rome!

Leaving Santa Maria in Cappella

Friday, I will be leaving my apartment for good. At first, it was really hard to get used to the apartment. This was the first time I EVER had to share a room with some one. Luckily, I got two great roommates (Ilana and Nicole V.) and everything worked out fine. Another thing that was hard to get used to were all the small problems that occurred during our stay. Showers not draining, faucets breaking, sinks leaking, almost NEVER having hot water and bugs constantly attacking you night and day were small annoyances that were hard for me to deal with some days. However, I am going to miss our apartment once I'm gone. Like I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm going to miss our friendly doorman always saying a pleasant "Ciao!" to greet us. I'm also going to miss constantly having 12 amazing girls that I have become close with constantly around me. I'm going to miss the views from our windows and being able to wonder through a great neighborhood like Trastevere whatever night I feel like. It's safe to say that although I may have complained a lot over the past seven weeks, I'm definitely going to miss Rome!

Riot Police in Zurich

While I was in Switzerland this past weekend, there was a large festival in celebration of Euro Cup 2008. The night we were there, Czech Republic and Turkey had their playoff game. Because of this, there were crazy Europeans everywhere at the festival. Although a lot of them were intoxicated and REALLY dedicated to their teams, I still felt like nothing bad would happen like a riot or serious brawls. The reason? There were riot police EVERYWHERE. They were on nearly every corner and also patrolling up and down the road that the festival was on. They had full riot gear which consisted of large shin guards, loaded weapons and an array of other tools/weapons on their belts. The only thing that was missing that I've seen American riot police use are the giant shields to protect themselves. I guess they don't whip these out until it gets really out of hand!

Doria Pamphilj Gallery

Last Tuesday, I was able to go to the Doria Pamphilj Gallery with a few of my classmates. This is a gallery that is owned by the Doria Pamphilj family and is the same building as our classroom. Actually, our classroom is part of the palace where the family lived. I was trying to figure out what our classroom, office and computer lab could have been used for in the 17th-19th century when the family was still living there. I decided that it was used for the servants or maybe some sort of storage for the palace. One of my favorite pieces in the collection was a piece by Caravaggio called “Rest on the Flight into Egypt.” This is a painting from around the year 1600 and features the Holy Family resting while they are fleeing from Herod because he threatened to kill Jesus. This painting not only features the Holy Family, it also pictures an angel with its back facing us. The angel is playing music on a violin and is reading a score that is being held by Joseph. The attention to detail and the realness of the humans in the painting is mesmerizing. I also really enjoyed seeing the parts of the palace where the family used to live. It was neat to see the rooms that they used to sit in every day still preserved just as they were when they family was there.

Group Walk

Yesterday, my group spent the entire morning going to one place on each of our group member's walks. The walks that we had to design incorporated places that were related to one of our themes on our blogs. We began our walk by going to the main street in Trastevere called Vle. di Trastevere which was one of Shane’s places. After that, we went to the Villa Doria Pamphilj which was one of my places. This is one of the largest public parks in Rome and is still owned by the Doria Pamphilj family. It was nice to see Romans exercising and walking their dogs. This is a side of Rome I have never seen before. After that, we got lunch at the Pantheon which was one of the things on Melissa's walk. We then went to a coffee shop that is famous for having the best expresso in Rome which was one of Alyssa's places. Finally, we ended at Giolittis which Hilary told us is the most famous gelateria in Rome. I was really happy with our walk today because I went to a few places that I probably would not go to normally. It was nice to see the things that my classmates have been experiencing during their time in Rome.

Mopeds.. in Gimmelwald?

This past weekend, three of my classmates and I went to Switzerland. On our second day in the country, we decided to go to a tiny town tucked away in the Alps called Gimmelwald. To get to this town, you had to take three difference trains, a bus, then a gondola (a huge cable car) to the top of the mountain. All of this traveling time is totally worth is because during it all, you're going through the heart of the Alps! Once you reach Gimmelwald, you realize that this is a "town" of only 130 people. There aren't televisions, newspapers... there isn't even a food store. Another thing that Gimmelwald doesn't have? CARS! No mopeds, cars, trucks.. nothing! Automobiles are not allowed in the town. The only people who have any kind of vehicles are farmers who get special permits to have tractors and stuff! I couldn't believe this until I saw a "road sign" that measure everything in how long it would take you to walk there. Thank God I brought my sneakers! I've included a picture of the hostel I stayed at and some of the view along with another picture of the street signs. Enjoy : )

Police in Angels and Demons

While I was at the filming of Angels and Demons, the particular scene that was being shot was Tom Hanks' character rushing towards the fountain in the center of Piazza Navona. The reason that I enjoyed this shot so much is because the character was being escorted by two Carabiniere. Although they were fake, I thought that it was cool that I'm going to see and understand the police that are being used in the movie. The only difference was that these policemen were not armed with the semi-automatic weapons like most of the real Carabiniere around Rome are! I've included a picture, but it's a little dark and blurry. It's a picture of Tom Hanks standing with the two "policemen." Enjoy : )

Catacombs of Saint Sebastian

Today, Courtney and I decided to journey to the Catacombs that are located along the Via Appia Antica. In an earlier blog, I discussed in detail what the Appia Antica is and also how to get there. We chose to take Bus 118 which only cost one Euro each way. We went into the Catacombs of Saint Sebastian first. This offered a quick tour with a guide through a predetermined route through the catacombs. It was amazing to see tunnels that looked like they went on forever. It was eerie, though, being in the dark, cold silence of the catacombs. It was hard not to imagine what these walls had seen. My favorite part, however, was learning about Saint Sebastian. He was a Christian that rose to high ranks in the Roman army. However, when it was discovered that he was a Christian, he was ordered to be executed. He was shot with arrows, but did not die. After he was nursed back to health, he was found and beaten to death. St. Sebastian is the patron saint of soldiers, athletes and municipal police officers.

Places in Guided Walk

For the guided walk assignment, I chose three places that were related to the Doria Pamphilj family. The first place that I decided to stop at was the Doria Pamphilj Gallery. I chose this spot because this is actually in the Doria Pamphilj Palazzo and is where the family used to live. Some of the building is still used as apartments, but another party has been renovated and turned into a gallery displaying the family's collection. This gallery holds a more personal meaning to me because directly below the gallery is our classroom that we're in everyday. To be more specific, directly about our classroom is a chapel that holds the bodies of St. Justin and St. Theodora. There are also a lot of great paintings to see and rooms that have been refurbished to look as they did when the family lived there in the 17th-18th centuries.

My second place is Santa Maria in Cappella which is where the girls in my program live. This is a place that was owned by Donna Olimpia Pamphilj and in the 17th century, she turned the courtyard into a playground for children. However, in 1860 her descendants turned the place into an elderly care facility which half of it is still used for today. The other half is where our apartments are located. We're allowed to go into the courtyard, but we aren't supposed to mingle with the elderly people that live here.

The third place that I chose was a place that I haven't been to yet, but it looks beautiful. It's the Villa Doria Pamphilj. This is one of Rome's largest public parks. It was built in the mid-17th century by Pope Innocent X. There are still some summerhouses and fountains that have survived to this day.

Doria Pamphilj Guided Walk

Because one of my themes is our apartment which was previously owned by the Doria Pamphilj family, I decided to create a guided walk hitting some of the main areas of interest related to the family.

Beginning at the Museo del Corso, head south V. del Corso. After a short distance, the entrance for the Doria Pamphilj Gallery will be on your right. There are signs for the gallery on this dark stone building so you won't miss it. Coming out of the gallery, continue heading south on V. del Corso and head to the right of the capital until you reach V. del Teatro di Marcello. Follow this towards the river and cross over Lungotevere dei Pierleoni and head slightly south. Cross over the river when you reach Ponte Palatino. Head south, then turn right onto Via Ripense. turn left onto Via P. Peretti. Following this road, you will see Santa Maria in Cappella on your left. There is a large archway for the entrance and you will be able to see the chapel straight ahead. The entrance to the building is on the right inside the courtyard entryway. From Santa Maria in Cappella, go west on Bia dei Genovesi until you reach Viale Trastevere. take V. d. Gratte di trastevere west, then go north on Via Garibaldi. Go west again on Via di Porta S. Pancrazio. Continue west on V. Aurelia Antica. this will take you to the outskirts of the Villa Doria Pamphilj. I've included a makeshift map that will take you to all three locations. Good luck.

Tom Hanks in Roma!

Last Friday (the 13th.. ah!) a few classmates and I decided to walk to Piazza Navona to see if Ron Howard and Tom Hanks were really shooting the movie Angels and Demons there. They DEFINITELY were!! It was so exciting to see such talented people shooting what I'm sure will be another amazing video. There was a HUGE crowd of people there and it was hard to see anything, but once I fought my way to the front it was so much fun to watch! A lot of the crew people were getting annoyed with us because we were such a large crowd and everyone kept taking pictures with flashes. They kept yelling in Italian and English, "BE QUIET! NO FLASH!" I hope that I get to see them shoot another day because Tom Hanks is my Mom's favorite actor and I would love to get more pictures of Tom for her! I've tried to upload a really good video from the shoot, but it isn't working. Instead, I've included a picture of Tom Hanks and Ron Howard filming. Ron is in the grayish shirt with a blue hat. Tom is walking into the Piazza with two "carabiniere" at his sides.

Enjoy : )

More on Barcelona

I figured that I should give a little more information on my trip to Barcelona with Ilana and Courtney since I kind of brushed over it before. When we first arrived in Barcelona, we were able to find our hostel fairly easily. We realized that we were only about a five minute walk from Las Ramblas so we decided to walk over and get some food. On the way there, a homeless man flashed us!! Not the best way to start our weekend. The next day, we decided to go sightseeing. Two of my favorite places I went were Temple de la Sagrada Família and Parc Güell. The Temple has been a work in progress since 1882! It was amazing to see such an enormous place that generations of families had worked on. Most of the design for the church was done by Antoni Gaudí. There are very vibrant colors used for sculptures and mosaics. This is contrasted by very detailed concrete facades where the entrances to the temple are. One of my favorite features about the interior of the temple was the support columns were modeled after the sycamore trees outside of the temple. Small details like that make the temple an overall masterpiece. Another amazing spot in Barcelona was The Parc Güell. It was originally designed as a housing complex, but failed. It contains mosaics and buildings designed by Gaudí and was built between 1900-1914. The entire park sprawls across a mountaintop where you are able to see the whole city. There is a large stone monument at the peak of the mountain that you are able to climb to the top of (at your own risk!) to see the city. Everything at this park is beautiful and peaceful and the Gaudí element is obvious because the buildings made the place look like Candyland!

Palatine

One of the most impressive sites in Rome is the Palatine. According to Roman legend, this is the place where Romulus and Remus (the founders of Rome) were raised by a wolf in a cave. According to our guidebook, "traces of Iron Age huts dating from the 9th century BC, have been found on the Palatine Hill, providing archaeological support for the area's legendary links with the founding of Rome." There are many different ruins of palaces and temples at this location. There are also ruins of the Stadium and the Farnese Gardens. Our guidebook says that the Farnese Gardens are the first botanical gardens in Europe. This is a beautiful place with a lot of great things to see. There is an entrance fee of 11 Euros and although this may seem a little pricey, it also includes admission into the Colosseum and the Forum. You also are allowed two days to visit these three sites. I suggest trying to do all three in one day, or take your time and break it up into two different trips. I've included a picture of part of the Palatine that you are able to see from the Forum. I snapped this shot the second weekend we were in Rome and a few classmates and I visited the Colosseum and the Forum (regrettably, not the Palatine!)

Doria Pamphilj Gallery

One of the reoccurring themes in my blogs has been Doria Pamphilj. If you want to learn more about her, check my previous blogs! Anyway, in the same Palazzo as my school (Palazzo Doria Pamphilj) there is an art gallery called Doria Pamphilj Gallery. There is an entrance fee of 8 Euros (5 for students) which is a great deal! According to our guidebook, there are hundreds of pieces of art in this gallery, including works by Titian, Caravaggio, Lorenzo Lotto, Guercino and Claude Lorrain. One of the things that would be interesting to see is the portrait of Pope Innocent X Pamphilj by Velaquez. I think people would be interested in seeing this because this is the Pope that cause so much controversy by letting Doria Pamphilj "rule" the Vatican. There is also an amazing sculpture of Doria Pamphilj. Also, I would be interested in going to this museum because this is the same woman that used to own the old convent that I live in. Small world. I have included a picture of the inner courtyard of the gallery.. enjoy : )

Post-Boys' Town Trip

It was really amazing to actually be able to experience Boys' Town. We had to take two different buses to get out to Boys' Town because it was out in the rural part of Rome. When we walked up the lane to the "city," I was amazed at how truly beautiful they kept the grounds. All of the flowers were blooming, hedges were being trimmed and boys were painting signs around the buildings. Going to a place were every boy living there has come from a life a hardship, loss and struggle, I expected the atmosphere to be somber and depressing. Instead, all of the boys there were very happy and in a joking mood. They were more than willing to welcome us into their community. I learned today that just because these boys faced so many setbacks in their life, that doesn't mean that they have to let that hang over them for the rest of their lives. These boys show everyone that you can overcome anything that faces you in life! I've included pictures of "Garden City" which is the house where the younger boys live. I also included a picture of three of the boys talking to us in the Assembly Room.

The Small Things in Roma

Walking to the small grocery store that is a few hundred feet from my apartment, I realized that there are a few small things that I am going to miss about living at Santa Maria in Cappella and going to school at the Sede di Roma. One of the things that I am going to miss about the school is the small bar where we get paninis right down V. Piè di Marmo from the school. At this bar, the owner is always behind the counter, almost seeming like he's waiting for us to come in and get our daily lunch of paninis. Speaking the only Italian we know, we all offer a friendly "Ciao!" as soon as we walk in the door. This white-haired, slightly overweight man gruffly responds in his throaty deep voice "Ciao," drawing out the "ow" part of the Italian greeting. I will also miss the other bar that is right around the corner in between V. Piè di Marmo and Pza. della Pigna. At this bar, the two young guys that are always working in the morning are happy to put a heart on the foam of your cappuccino. Closer to the apartment, I will miss the tiny grocery store I talked about earlier and the owner, although a friendly man, refuses to speak any English to any of the students who frequent his place. He sits behind the counter on his stool and will say the prices of things aloud (in Italian) as he slowly punches them into a cash register. Sometimes, (if you're lucky) a younger Italian woman will be working and will speak some English to you. If not, you are completely immersed in the Italian culture and completely lost in the Italian language. The thing that I will miss the most, however, is the doorman at Santa Maria in Cappella. Our doorman does not speak a lick of English (like the grocery store owner.) However, when a line of six or seven of us march through the main door, he always waves and offers a friendly "Ciao," to all of us. In response, without fail, each of the six of seven of us will respond with a "Ciao," of our own, not at once, but rather in the row that we process in with. As the time passes I realize that I really am going to miss the little things about Italy.

Mopeds in Barcelona

I saw a lot of great things while I was in Barcelona this past weekend. I noticed that the drivers there are a lot more considerate than the ones that are in Rome. They actually yield to pedestrians, which reminds me of good old State College where you can walk out into traffic and 9 times out of 10, the driver is going to stop. (They won't be happy, but they'll stop!) In Barcelona, I noticed that there were MUCH fewer mopeds than in Rome. I'm not sure if it is because Barcelona had a bigger and more efficient metro system than Rome or what, but there definitely weren't mopeds whizzing passed you constantly or driving up on to the sidewalks just to get around traffic. I was, however, able to get a picture of a large row of parked mopeds that reminded me of the way they park mopeds by the capitol in Rome. Enjoy : )

Police in Barcelona

On my trip to Barcelona this past week, I noticed that they have a great deal of police officers constantly patrolling the streets. Although they don't have posted guard points like in Rome, there is a constant patrol on the streets of Barcelona. Although there are a lot of police officers patrolling, things like prostitution and drug dealing are a very large epidemic plaguing this beautiful city. I happened to be able to get a picture of two police officers right before they started yelling at me in Spanish to stop taking their picture. The police officers in this picture are the Mossos d'Esquadra which according to wikipedia.com is "the police force of Catalonia" and is "one of the oldest civil police forces in Europe. Some of their duties are "to handle terrorism, identity documents, immigration and other limited matters which the central government retains competences on."

Boys' Town

The class is planning a field trip to Boys' Town this Friday. Boys' Town was founded in 1945 by Monsignor John Patrick-Abbing. It is a place that takes children under the age of 18 and gives them a place where they can live and work. It was started after WWII to take in orphans that were abandoned after the war. One of the most interesting aspects of Boys' Town is that it is a self-governing community. This basically means that Boys' Town has their own currency, their own laws and also have their own elected officials. This is something that I would like to learn more about. It is intriguing to think that children of such a young age are able to learn the rules of democracy and have a sense of civic responsibility instilled in them during their early childhood. If you would like to learn more about Boys' Town (of Rome) go to their website.

Ostia Antica

Today, the class went to Ostia Antica on a field trip. According to our guidebook, this was the center for commercial trade for Rome and also a military base. It was built around the 1st century BC. Today, the entire city is in ruins, but it is easy to get a general idea of what it used to look like by piecing together the different sections of the city. One of the most interesting and amazing things that I saw while at Ostia Antica was the theater. According to ostiaantica.org, the theater is attributed to the ruler Agrippa. It was built to be able to accommodate 3,000-4,000 people. Presently, you are able to go and see performances by dancers or plays. While I was at the theater, I was amazed. It was very open and beautiful and you had an amazing view of the stage. There were actually dancers rehearsing while we were there. It kind of gave you a modern-day feel for what used to happen thousands of years ago. There were certain qualities of the theater that reminded me of the Colosseum. The seating was reminiscent of what the Colosseum's looked like (except the Colosseum's was limestone.) Also, there were giant archways leading into the theater. This is reminiscent of the Colosseum's numbered entry portals. It's intriguing to think that these were the "stadiums" and "arenas" of ancient Rome.

Strange Sounds

There are a lot of new noises that I had to get used to when I first came to Rome. All of the sirens for ambulances, police and firetrucks are completely different here. Being from a tiny town in western Pennsylvania, I had to get used to the noise of constant traffic at all hours of the night. I also had to get used to the fact that 99% of the conversations going on around me were in a language that I did not understand in the least bit. One of the strangest noises I've had to get used to, however, is a shrill alarm that goes off every time the wind blows extra hard or if the rain really starts to pound down during a storm. The foreign shrill noise? Moped alarms. Believe it or not, these hyper-sensitive alarm systems are on nearly every moped. There apparently is a big demand for security systems on mopeds which makes sense because they would be really easy to hot wire! I've included a picture of a nice seafoam green moped I saw on the way to class this morning. Enjoy : )

Good Old Convent

As I have said before, my apartment is actually an old convent. Some of the most interesting things in this building are all of the old "nun stuff" like the bell tower, the random statues of Jesus everywhere and also the crosses that decorate a lot of the walls. However, I find that one of the most interesting things that has been here since the time the place was a convent is the huge vat on the first floor where they used to do all of the laundry. I wonder if the could do all their clothes in one huge load? Also, I wonder if they even had hot water. The room that this vat is in is probably the scariest thing I have every seen in my life. At nighttime, there are no lights in there whatsoever. Because we have to come in the "night entrance" after 9:00 PM, (which takes you right past this room) I usually bolt past this creepy dark room!

More Kinds of Police!

While I was at the parade for the Festival of the Republic (see previous blog for information on what that is) I noticed an entirely new branch of police. The name on the cars of these police officers was Guardia di Finanza. After doing some research on sorrentotourism.com, I found at that the finance police "specializes in the battle against tax fraud, financial crimes and drug trafficking." The finance police don't fall under armed forces like the Carabinieri. They are a part of the police force and help with the State Police with enforcing border control. Unlike some of the other police officers that wear navy blue or white uniforms, these officers where light gray uniforms. I could only snap a picture of one of their cars though!

Festival of the Republic

Today is the anniversary of the day that Italy decided to abolish the monarchy and become a republic. Nearly everything in the city was closed today because of the holiday (we still had class though.) There was so much activity going on around Rome! There was a parade on Via del Imperiali which runs from the Colosseum up past the Capital. I walked around on my lunch break and actually got to see tons of people and police officers and firefighters dressed in full uniform. Unfortunately, I miss the parade! I still got a cool picture of an Italian fire truck. OK.. I got a picture of what I THINK is an Italian firetruck because it's red. It might not be. I need to do more research before I can say what it is for sure!

Sweet Stroll to San Giovanni in Laterno

San Giovanni in Laterno was built in the 4th century and was the first Christian basilica. This is the cathedral of Rome where the Pope's official offices are. It was the official residence of the Pope up until 1309. He still occasionally says mass here.

Coming out of the station, make a left onto Via Cavour, then an immediate left onto Via Giovanni Giolitti. Make a right onto Via Gioberti. Walk straight through the Piazza di Santa Maria Maggiore. Santa Maria Maggiore will be on your right. Bear to the left onto Via Merulana. Continue down this road for a while. At the intersection with Via Giovanni Lanza, you will see the National Museum of Oriental Art. Continue going straight. At the intersection with Via Mecenate/Via Leopardi, you will see the Auditorium of Maecenas which is partially reconstructed on a traffic island in the middle of the street. Continue going straight and you will enter the Piazza San Giovanni in Laterno with the church being right in front of you.

The view you will have of the basilica is the North Facade (the entrance.) This entrance consists of two stories of white arches resembling the Colosseum arches. The second story is where the Pope gives his blessings from. The cathedral has two large towers on top of the North Facade. If you go around the church to the left, you will see the astounding front of the church. You cannot, however, enter from this way.

Traveling from the Termini to Palazzo Doria Pamphili

The Palazzo Doria Pamphili is an art gallery that has pieces that date back to the 15th century. Right next to the Palazzo Doria Pamphili is the Palazzo del Collegio Romano which is where my classroom is located.

Coming out of the Termini, make a left onto Via Cavour. Follow Bia Cavour until you reach Via dei Fori Imperiali. At this intersection, the Forum will be right in front of you. Also, if you look down the street to the left, you will be able to see the Colosseum rising up from the distant horizon. Make a right onto Via dei Fori Imperiali. The Capitol will be on your left. Continue straight until you reach Via del Corso. Go straight onto the Corso (you aren't on it for long.) Make a left onto Via Lata. This will bring you into the Piazza del Collegio Romano. The Palazzo Doria Pamphili will be on your left once you come into the opening where cars are parked.

The entire Palazzo Doria Pamphili is made out of stone and has been described as "a great island of stone in the heart of Rome." The outside may appear dark and dreary. However, you are able to see a beautiful courtyard through one of the arching entryways into the Palazzo. There is a large green banner hanging over the entrance to the museum.

A Trip to Via Appia Antica from Termini

The Via Appia Antica was built in 312 B.C. and was the connecting route from Rome to the eastern part of the empire. The entire road is lined with the ruins of family tombs. Today, tourists come to see the many historic Christian sites such as the Catacombs and the Church of Domine Quo Vaddis. This location may also serve as a nice shady walk to escape from Rome's heat.

To get from the Termini to Via Appia Antica, you can take Metro Line A toward Anagnina then get off at the Colli Albani stop. There, you would catch bus #660. You would not need to get a separate ticket for the bus, as the one for the metro can get you on the bus too. It may also be a good idea to purchase two tickets at this time so that you have one for the trip back. Bus #660 will drop you off at the end of Via Appia Antica. The stop is on Via Cecilia Metella. To get back you can take the #118 bus from Domine Quo Vadis Church. The Domine Quo Vadis stop is about two miles north from the Via Cecilia Matella stop on the opposite end of the Via Appia Antica. You would take this bus to the Circo Massimo metro stop. The Circo Massimo metro line is line B, which means you will have to take it towards Rebibbia to return to the Termini.

For sightseeing, as soon as you get off of the #660 stop at Casa Dell' Appia Antica you should cross the Via Appia Antica to rent a bike. Bike south to see the more scenic sites located along the Via Appia Antica. One of the first things you can see is Capo di Bove, which is a recently excavated Roman bath. Going down this will be on the left side of the road. Right across the road on the right side is the ruins of the Gothic church of San Nicola. It was part of a midieval fortress. If you are still biking, you can head down and see many ruined tombs and mausoleums. After you have seen enough, head back up north and walk the 2 miles up to the #118 stop. There, you can see historic Christian sites such as the Catacombs of San Sebastiano or the Catacombs of San Callisto.

This is a very beautiful and relaxing area on the outskirts of Rome. Because of the public transportation, you are able to see the Via Appia Antica in a day. Obviously you could spend weeks exploring, but it nice to plan as a day trip on a weekend.

*All of the information found here are from the Eyewitness Guide to Rome and the Rick Steve's Guide to Italy 2008.*

Visiting Vicenza

I got to spend an entire weekend with my family! I went up to Vicenza which is in northern Italy to spend some time with my cousins Rich and Angelita. They moved to this area about three years ago. We had an amazing time! It was so nice to get a little taste of home while I'm so far away. When I went up there, I actually had an assignment to read Juggling the Stars by Tim Parks. This book actually takes place mostly in Vicenza and Verona which is about 30 minutes from my cousins house. It was interesting to learn about some of the places like Romeo and Juliet's castles in the book, then actually seeing them with my cousin. It's important to understand that the two castles in Vicenza are the "summer castles" of Romeo and Juliet. The ones they lived in are in Verona. (I've included a picture of the view of Vicenza from the top of Juliet's summer castle.)My professors have been telling me that the next book we're reading, Italian Neighbors (also by Tim Park,) will go more in depth with the Vicenza. I'm really excited to read it now that I've seen some of the Vicenza area.

Stretch Hummers.. in Roma?

Normally, I'm used to seeing mopeds and Smart cars all throughout Rome. There just really isn't room for cars bigger than that size. For example, when I see a minivan here, it's weird. At home, it would be equally as weird to see some one driving a Smart car down the highway. However, I saw the biggest car I have ever seen in Rome since I've been here (besides the double-decker tour buses.) Last weekend, after Rome won the World Cup, I saw a stretch Hummer drive by on the road in front of my apartment! There were people hanging out of the sunroof and the windows jamming out to music that I think was rap. They were videotaping everything going on around them, and seemed to be pretty intoxicated. I really couldn't tell if they were Italian, or some other nationality. Regardless, to be driving a stretch Hummer down a crowded highway full of cars that are about 1/10 the size of your own is pretty intense!

Prada on the Bridge

My classmate Courtney and I were walking home from a field trip to La Sinagoga di Lungotevere de'Cenci, which is a synagogue in the old Jewish quarter in Rome. We were walking over the Ponte Fabricio (the bridge we cross to get home) when I noticed a street vendor. He is normally on this bridge about two or three times a week in the mornings. He always has a bunch of knock-off Prada purses on display on a large towel that he puts on the ground. As we were walking by, Courtney and I stopped because I wanted to look at one that I always stare at on my way to school in the mornings. As soon as we stopped, the vendor ran up to us and asked if we wanted to know the price of a specific one. I pointed to a cute little square shaped yellow one. The conversation then went as follows:

Vendor: Twenty-five Euro
Me: Um.. I don't have any money on me right now
Vendor: OK.. twenty Euro
Me: Are you going to be here tomorrow? I seriously have no money
Vendor: OK.. fifteen Euro
-At this point it was clear that this man had no idea what I was saying to him-
Me: Uh.. I have no money?
Vendor: OK.. ten Euro!
Courtney: Here Allison, just buy the purse!

I honestly had no money on me, that's why Courtney let me borrow ten Euro. It was hilarious because apparently we have amazing haggling skills and we don't even know it. Although the purse was clearly made in China, I wouldn't trade in this experience (or the purse) for anything!

Internet at the Apartment

It's difficult for me to tell if the internet is horrible in our apartment, or just in Rome in general. Every time that I am in my room in my apartment, I get kicked off the internet about 60 times in a row. This seems to happen whether there are a ton of people home and on their computers or if I'm here practically by myself. Each floor here at Santa Maria in Cappella has it's own source of wireless internet, and none of them work for me. I've noticed this happened at our classroom, the Sede di Roma also. That's why I kind of think that this is just a problem with the internet in Rome in general.

Paninis, Peroni and the Pantheon

During class today, our professors gave us an assignment that was to sit at the Pantheon for an hour and just observe. Not only people but sounds and scenery too. My classmate Courtney and I decided that because we had a pretty trying day at class, we needed some lunch and a beer. We got a panini and a bottle of Peroni at a bar that is on our way from the classroom to the Pantheon on Via Piè di Marmo. We took our nice little lunch over to the Pantheon and sat under some of the columns enjoying our lunch. We had a chance to observe all of the sites and sounds going on around us. One of my favorite things was the pigeons that were going crazy around us. Some of them were puffing up and trying to scare away other pigeons. Some were brown and looked a lot different than the typical gray pigeons. Some were really nervous and kept running away any time we moved. It was a really interesting thing to watch!

Moped Parking

Parking in Rome is somewhat an art form. If you can't fit in the space longways, and your car is short enough, you just back into the spot. However, mopeds fall under a different category. Because they are so tiny they are able to pack in right next to one another. It honestly looks like they're on top of one another. I don't know how they actually get OFF the moped after they park. I noticed on my walk to class this morning a long line of mopeds. Believe it or not, this picture of them actually shows a shorter than normal row of mopeds. By the Capitol there are rows that look nearly 50 or 60 mopeds long! Sometimes I wonder if someone accidentally hits one on the end and the whole row goes down like dominoes...

Policia Booth

I know that I mentioned in an earlier post that there are police officers all over the city. Some of them (the Carabiniere) are posted in various locations around the city. All they do is sit in a car and watch people while there is some sort of semi-automatic weapon (very scary) around their chest. However, there are some Carabiniere that are posted in little booths around the city. I'm not sure exactly what their official duties are, but from observing a booth for about five minutes, I saw the officer receive a phone call. Not sure if it was official police business, but at least he was doing something. Also, I saw some people stop by and talk to him. He opened the door to the booth and talked to them so I think they were friends, not looking for help. I've posted a picture of the officer in the booth. Enjoy : )

The Girls' Apartment

Because one of my themes for this blog is my apartment, I figured that I should tell you a little about how it's set up. We have six bedrooms that are shared by 13 girls. We all have to share three bathrooms. This means that some of us don't always get hot showers. We also have a small kitchen that is nice to use when we actually cook! We also have a large common room that can be used for doing work or eating. There are three refrigerators total, two in the hallway by the kitchen and one in the common room. Overall, I really like our accommodations. I share a large bedroom with two of my classmates, Ilana and Nicole. The room is beautiful and we have two large windows, one with a view of the Tiber River. The only unfortunate thing is that our building is right on the Porta di Ripa Grande. This is a very busy road in Rome and the traffic never stops, not even in the middle of the night!

I've posted a picture from our family dinner we had one of our first nights in Roma. You can kind of get an idea of what our common room looks like!

Carabiniere Band

After seeing the huge police celebration last week, I was interested in learning more about it. Was it a band that just happened to be made up of police officers? Was is a long running tradition? Turns out the band has been around since 1820! According to the official Carabiniere site, the band became popular in 1916 when they began traveling around and playing for injured allied soldiers. Today, the band performs anything from military to classical to contemporary music. The website also states that the Carabiniere Band has 103 members. They are truly amazing to experience! I've posted a shot of the band from the celebration after they were done marching.

Day at the Beach

Today, my classmates and I decided to take a trip to the beach. It was so much fun! All we had to do was pay one Euro to take the metro to Lido di Ostia. As soon as we got off the stop, there was a bus that everyone was running to. We think it took you to the public beach. My classmates and I however followed some Italian teenagers to see where they went. We ended up going to a nice sea-front restaurant type place where you could rent umbrellas, chairs and a room to store your stuff all for one flat fee. The Meditterranean Sea is very different from the Atlantic Ocean. There is no "ocean smell" like at home. Instead, the water just smells really salty once you get into it. Another thing that is different is that the sand is brown. Even though everything was really different, I got a nice tan and really enjoyed myself!

Colosseum and the Forum

Today, a few classmates and I decided to go on a field trip of our own. We bought passes for 11 Euros that allowed us entry into the Colosseum, the Forum and the Palatine (we didn't get to the Palatine.) However, we began our field trip by going into the Colosseum. My guidebook states that the Colosseum was built as an ampitheater that was used to host gladiator battles and animal fights. It could hold over 50,000 people! However, most of the Colosseum has slowly decayed because the interior (including the seats, awning and floor) were made out of materials like limestone or wood that didn't stand the test of time. However, in the Colosseum, a reconstruction of what the floor would look like has been built. It is interesting to see how all of the chambers underneath the floor were like a intricate maze that could hold anything from animals, trees or even people. They were able to be raised and lowered from the floor by a system of pulleys. We also decided to go to the Forum. My guidebook says that this was the center of political, judicial and commercial life in ancient Rome. We saw many amazing things such as the Temple of Julius Caesar. The guidebook says that this was erected in memory of Caesar on the spot where his body was cremated after his assassination. We also were able to see the Temple of the Vestal Virgins where priestesses of the Temple of Vesta lived. It was a very peaceful place with some sculptures still intact and a pond with lily pads and frogs in it. The thing that I was most excited about seeing was the Rostra which is where speeches were given to the Forum. It was amazing to see the remnants of a structure where so many public speeches were given. As a Communication Arts & Sciences major, this is a very important place for me. Public speaking was basically born here. The art of persuasion had to have been used in all of these speeches so that the people were able to convince others of making changes in ancient Rome. The history of this place is amazing to me and I'm glad that I was able to experience it.

Pope Cops

In my recent trip to the Vatican, I noticed that although the Vatican has normal security guards and police patrolling around Vatican City, they also have something called the Papal Swiss Guards. Wikipedia.com says that "Swiss Guards is the name that has been given Swiss mercenary soldiers who have served as bodyguards, ceremonial guards, and palace guards at foreign European courts from the late 15th century to present day." I actually got to experience these guards first hand because while I was there, I wanted to exchange cash for Euros and mail out some postcards. Unfortunately, all of these types of buildings were closed in Vatican City. I asked one of the Swiss Guards why. Thankfully he spoke decent English and was able to tell me that it was because of a festival, which I'm thinking he meant that it was a feast day so everything was closed. I'm posting a picture because I feel like everyone needs to see these uniforms. Don't they look like the Joker from a deck of cards? In a totally kind and respectful way though!!

Chillin with the Pope

The class went to the Vatican today. It was really easy to get there from my apartment, all we had to do was follow the river North. I unfortunately got horrible blisters on the walk there because I decided to not wear good shoes. Smart on my part. We went in to the Vatican around 10:00 and there was hardly a line. When we came out, the line wrapped the entire way around the Piazza San Pietro! When I first walked into the Vatican, it took my breath away. This is something that, as a Catholic, I have always wanted to see. It was such a spiritual and emotional experience that it was almost overwhelming. One of the first pieces of art that I noticed was the Pietà. My guidebook states that this amazing marble sculpture was done by Michelangelo in 1499 when he was only 25. In 1972, a disturbed man walked in to the Vatican with a hammer and began destroying the sculpture. After it was restored, it was put behind glass for protection(you can see the reflection from the glass in this picture.) The next place that I went was a sanctuary that holds the Tabernacle. My guidebook says that this was made by Bernini and is made of gilt bronze in the shape of a temple. This amazing chapel was so peaceful and prayful. I actually prayed there and it was moving. You also were not allowed to take and pictures so I don't have anything to document this moving place. The next amazing work of art that I noticed was the Baldacchino. My guidebook says that this was made in 1624 and is a huge extravagant canopy. It truly is beautiful and holds an amazing altar underneath. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to go near the Baldacchino because there was some type of service going on. I still got some great shots though! There were a lot of chapels and altars to different saints, too many to list here. I will include the picture of the Altar of the Transfiguration of Christ. This was one of my favorite paintings because it portrays Christ in such a moving and powerful way. I enjoyed the artwork in the Vatican and I plan on going back soon so I can visit all the museums and the Sistine Chapel!

Santa Maria sopra Minerva

I know that this post is a little late, but I was all posted out yesterday! We actually not only went to the Pantheon on our walk, we also went to a church called Santa Maria sopra Minerva. This means Mary on top of Minerva because this church was built on the ruins of a Temple of Minerva. My guidebook says that this is one of the few churches in Roma to have Gothic Architecture. This church, along with the Pantheon, are located in the Piazza della Rotonda which is about a block away from my classroom. In the front of the church is the Obelisk of Santa Maria sopra Minerva. This is an interesting sculpture that was found in the garden of the monastery of Santa Maria sopra Minerva. The obelisk itself is a giant elephant with a tower on top of it. It was originally intended to decorate the Palazzo Barberini as a joke. Santa Maria sopra Minerva has many extremely beautiful works of art. One of the more famous is the Risen Christ by Michelangelo. Something else that is truly amazing at this church is that the body of St. Catherine of Siena is entombed at the front of the church under what looks like an altar. One of my classmates was doing research and said that the tomb contains everything except her head, which was taken back to Siena where they thought she wanted to be buried. The church is amazing and eerie all at the same time. I loved the architecture and the stained glass windows. Enjoy the pictures : )

Mopeds in the Rain

Because it's been raining for the past three days in Roma, I've been noticing that the attire changes drastically for moped riders. I saw a man wearing a full on tarp/blanket made out of some sort of water resistant material while I was walking past the gas station near our apartment (Santa Maria in Cappella). I also noticed that many people who are on mopeds in the rain have what looks like a water resistant jumpsuit. It almost resembles a snowsuit that I would wear in the winter, but less bulky. This attire is necessary so that these people don't get soaked while they're riding to work. I'm sure that they have a change of clothes in their bags or in the storage unit that are on some of the mopeds.

Dangerous Sidewalks

I know that mopeds are a little intense in Roma. They are always trying to get where they need to go as fast as they can, which is understandable. However, some moped drivers take it to new levels. Today I was walking on a few back alleys on my way home. There are always mopeds zipping up and down these which is fine because they are roads. However, when I was walking on what was CLEARLY a sidewalk running alongside of V. Arenula, I just happened to turn around and look behind me. Just as a turned around, a moped was zooming up behind me, STRAIGHT FOR ME! He was using the sidewalk as a makeshift on-ramp to the main road! I understand that driving is a little different here, but really.. isn't that pedestrian endangerment or something?

Pantheon

Today, we took a field trip to the Pantheon today which is actually about a block or two away from our classroom in the Piazza Della Rotonda. Although I had already been to the Pantheon when we first got to Rome, I was exited to check out some of the things that I hadn't known about before. For instance, the artist Raphael is buried at the Pantheon. There is an entire shrine to him on one part of the wall. I also noticed something pertaining to my theme of police at the Pantheon too. I noticed today (but not the first time I was there) that there were posted gaurds at some of the shrines around the Pantheon. I don't know if they were actually police or just hired security, but I found it interesting that there was a need for some type of policing at this historical site. I didn't get a picture of the gaurds, but I did get a picture of Raphael's tomb.