Well I write a post saying bad things about the internet and then it decides to work! Wish it always worked like that.
We had to drive to Basel, which is about an hour, to fly out of there. There were 30 of us on the South trip and then the other 20 students in the program went north to Latvia, Sweden and London.
The flight wasn't bad, I feel asleep. What's new.
When we got to Rome is was raining, fantastic way to start off. Everyone's bags were wet at baggage claim. But I couldn't find mine. My bag and another kid's bag were nowhere to be found. I wasn't freaking out, but the other guy was...wouldn't be a big deal if it didn't make it. It would suck but recoverable. I walked to go see if I could find the desk to see if my bag actually made it. But couldn't find it. As I walked back to the group out of the corner of my eye I saw my bag two claims away. Along with the other guy's. I went back to the group with our two bags, and you would think I just created world peace. Needless to say he owes me a drink.
We had to take the train from the airport into Termini(main train station) where our hotel was near. We were all wet and not very happy. But everyone got their rooms assigned but I stayed out of the way just to be last ones because there were so many of us and no real lobby. So everyone had their rooms and we didn't have a key yet. I was rooming with Mina, LindsEy, and Margot. I asked our leader where our room was, he told me to wait. So I did, then asked the hotel lady. Her response, "Give me a minute and I'll take you to the apartment." Excuse me?
So four girls ended up two places down from the hotel in an apartment with two bedrooms, living room with dining table, and bathroom. There were locked doors, one probably being the kitchen. It was a very interesting stay. We went from everything being creepy to weird to creepy to weird. There was a weird stain in the bathroom that looked like blood. But we later realized it was rust from the hot water heater. The shower head would not stay in the holder so taking a shower was fun!
Anyway, we had about 20 minutes to get food and then meet to go to our first meeting. Our meeting was at the IES Rome center with a professor. The IES Rome center is across the river from the Castel Sant'Angelo. AMAZING LOCATION. I love having meetings/presentations from IES professors because they know how to lecture to Americans and are much more engaging.
After that some of us went back to the hotel and ended up finding a restaurant online that was near the hotel that was supposed to be good. IT WAS DELICIOUS! It was small in a basement. You knocked and then they opened the window and asked how many people you had. It was so cool.
So when we were getting to ready to go to bed it was just me, Mina and Lindsey. We were all slightly freaked about the place, so we all got into the big bed one of the rooms had. We were like a bunch of 12 year old girls giggling and scared. Margot came home a little after we laid down. As our childish ways continued, I got up and told Lindsey and Mina to come with me to open the door for Margot. Margot was greeted by CRAZY 21 year olds and a 19 year old(baby Mina)! So the night resulted in 4 of us piling into a bed about the size of a King. Yes we are all in college and adults.... :) But it was crowded and someone started to snore(cough Lindsey) so Margot and I went to the other room and fell a sleep in there. May have been a weird creepy apartment but it made the experience.
The next morning, Friday, we had a meeting at the Italian Department of European Policies. Meeting not so good. I'm just gonna leave it at that. Boring, hot, unorganized, so very Italian.
We had some free time, but not much because we needed to go back and change out of business formal into casual clothes and then get food and then meet for our last meeting about migration. This one was more interesting, but not completely.
After that Mina, Lindsey, Kelli, Sean and I broke from the group and decided to explore some on our own. We walked towards the "Wedding Cake" and the Mercati Traianei (Trajan's Market). We took our first gelato stop. Strawberry and straight up Nutella. Grazie Roma! We then went into the Mercati and the Museum attached to it. I was glad to do this because I hadn't done this when I was in Rome last summer. I still can't get over how old all the ruins are.
Victor Emanuele II Monument aka The Wedding Cake
Wedding Cake and Ruins from Trajan's Market. The view was so cool at night. Everybody LOVED it!
I really enjoyed this trip because every group we were in we were able to gather everyone's knowledge about every place we went to. We were able to joke with each other and have fun, but also have intellectual conversations. Love that.
We then made our way up to the Trevi Fountain because LindsAy told me about a restaurant around there that she loved when she was in Rome this past summer. It actually turned out the LindsEy had been there when she was traveling with a friend before the program. It was delicious. We called it night and headed back to our creepy, weird apartment.
Me throwing coin into Trevi Fountain. Worked once, its gotta work again.
Saturday we had a completely free day. We decided to start at the Vatican Museum and check off the Sistine Chapel. We stood outside for about an hour maybe, in the rain. Rome definitely paid me back for not having much rain when I was there last summer, because we got a lot when we were there.
BEST SIGHT-SEEING GROUP!!! Lindsey, Alex, Kelli, Sean, Margot (aka ORANGE), Me and Mina.The Chapel was one of those moments were we all gathered and tried to remember everything we have ever learned and shared. That is a very memorable experience.
After that we went to St. Peter's Square to go into the Basilica. There was a long line, but nothing happening. There were a lot of official looking people coming out of the Basilica. I went to the front of one of the lines and asked if they were letting people in today. The guy told me he didn't know... Well thanks. It turns out they had the ceremony for new cardinals.
Very different trip than last time. I was wet, but not from dripping in sweat. Sorry for the lovely mental picture.So we got something to eat and headed to the Castel Sant'Angelo. I didn't go into this either when I was in Rome last, so it was a place I definitely wanted to hit. It was pretty cool. While we were in there the sun came out. It was beautiful from atop the Castel.
Here comes the SUN!
Me, Rome, the Sun and the Vatican
Castel Sant'AngeloAfter that we headed to the Colosseum. Well we got there 30 min too late. GREAT. Couldn't see the Vatican or the Colosseum.
So incredible.
But we decided to go back to the Vatican and see if we could get in yet and if not just take more pictures. We got there and they were letting people in!! So we were able to go in. That place is so incredible. Over the top yes, but WOW. One of the new cardinals was giving blessings. I was apart of a group blessing. Another amazing moment.
Also, each time we were near the Vatican we got Old Bridge Gelato of course. BEST GELATO EVER!!!! FANTASTIC!!! I will be staying near there next time I go to Rome.
We then went back to the Trevi Fountain and the same restaurant from the night before. It was good so why not go back. They have like 50 different pastas, so you can always get something new. But I didn't.... :)
Sunday was our last day. We had most of the day to go sight seeing.
We started at the Colosseum. Still can't believe it is still there. I am convinced it is fake. There is just no way! Some people went to the Roman Forum, but Lindsey and I went up above the Colosseum to a park and hung out there for a while. We ended up watching this guy work out. It was so much better than it sounds. He had the most interesting/ridiculous stretches and work out "moves." ? I don't even know. I can only show it, no words can even come close to explaining it.
Its fake, I swear.
After that we went to San Giovanni Laterano, which is the official church of the Pope. It is very beautiful. Nothing compared to the Vatican, obviously.
We hit the Spanish Steps and the Pantheon quick and then rested at a restaurant. Then we headed back to the hotel to meet with the big group to go to the airport to go to Madrid.
Margot interrupting my photo shoot at the Spanish Steps. How New England of her.This Rome experience was much different than the other summer. I never felt I lived in Rome, but I also didn't feel like a tourist. This time I was all tourist. Which was not the best experience. I also think coming from Germany was frustrating. It was much dirtier, but its a different culture and I have grown used to the "German way of life." The rain didn't help the situation. I ended up buying a bigger umbrella from the random people ripping you off. But I would not allow that. I turned on my attitude and was quite firm with the guy and got a "good" umbrella. I was able to situate it between my back and my backpack so it kept me and my bag dry while not needing to hold it. HONORS.
Still love Rome, but it is moving down my list of favorite places. Sorry Linz.
Sorry its so long, but we did a lot in Rome. We definitely knew our way around the metro.
Ciao Italia! Hola Espana!
PS Sorry for lack of pictures at the beginning. There just wasn't much to take pictures of that first night.
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