I have already found what is going to be my downfall here! Its not going to be the flowing wine, delicious cheese or fresh breads… it is going to be the gelato. For less than 2 euro you can get a perfectly sized dish of the rich ice cream. The gelato is small enough that it is just a treat and just enough to not make you feel guilty about eating it- that in turn translates to more visits because it is so easy and guilt free to get it everyday!
Today was a day of intense walking! Three hours of orientation translated to walking around the area near the Pantheon Institute offices (the school that I attend) and around studio. They showed us a little bit of everything- food places, banks, pharmacies, night spots, historic buildings, our studio/school building, etc. The way they chose to do it was much better than sitting in a classroom and telling us about the area!
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| First of many visits to the Pantheon |
We went to the Vatican late this afternoon, and I was surprised that St. Peter’s Square didn’t impress me as much as some of the other sights have… It was very large, but I think that the nativity scene in the center made it seem much smaller than people describe- I guess I’ll see when I go back later in the semester. However, once we got up close to the actual building, and went inside I was absolutely blow away by its grandness! It is something that one needs to experience once in their lifetime because it is indescribable! I plan to go back later and spend more time there once I’ve restudied it or I might decide to take an audio tour.
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| Famous view of the Tiber and Vatican- not more than 10 minutes from our apartment! |
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| View to Castel Sant Angelo |
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| St. Peter's Square |
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| Nativity- (I always believed that Pittsburgh was an exact replica.. but apparently not) |
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| Vestibule of the Vatican Chapel |
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| St. Peter's Basilica (low lighting- going to go back when it's daytime) |
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| Pieta by Michelangelo |
After having walked three hours in the morning and another two around the Vatican, I was absolutely exhausted! Some of our group was going to go on a long route home, and I couldn’t decide whether I was up to it or not, but luckily I chose to suck it up and go! The walk took us up onto a hilltop that had breathtaking views of Rome. The pictures just don’t do the views justice. It was so exciting to see all of Rome from one spot. It was especially meaningfully having toured all of ancient Rome the day before and being able to pick out certain buildings we had visited! The walk ended up taking us another 2 hours!
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| Fontana dell'Acqua Paola |
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| Hard to see- Tempietto: the temple commemorating the supposed site of the martyrdom of St. Peter |
Seven hours and over ten miles later, I’m exhausted, but very content relaxing with a glass of wine and reflecting on the day…
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