Time in Rome is already flying by! We are so busy the weeks are starting to merge together and it is time for a long update.
This past week in Rome we had our first class walking tours with our History and Art History professors. We saw the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, Mussolini's residence, and many other historical buildings and Piazza's.
For our theology class we toured San Clemente church and I have to say it was one of my favorite churches in Europe so far. We had a wonderful tour guide with an Irish accent who is in the monastery there. He gave us a lovely tour of both the church and what is underneath it. It turns out that the church was actually built on top of another church that was built on top of a house. The house was for a very rich family at the time because they had running water. There will still frescos on the walls of the original church from the 10th and 11th centuries. My favorite part was looking at the beautiful mosaic work behind the altar while listening to his story of how he entered the monastery.
Later that day we went out to dinner with one of my roommates family who were in town visiting. I had a wonderful pizza with gorgonzola and rucola. From there we walked to the Pantheon and then a gelato shop with 150 flavors. I tried kit kat, chocolate raspberry, and chocolate coconut. From there we walked to the Trevi Fountain and made our wishes. While we were there a couple who had just gotten married were taking some wedding photos:) After that we walked to the top of the Spanish Steps and enjoyed the view.
This past weekend was excellent! We traveled to Pompeii, Sorrento, and Naples. We started our journey in Pompeii and although our original tour guide wasn't able to make it we were able to find another guide and got a wonderful tour of Pompeii. We walked into the gladiators quarters where they trained and resided. Then we saw two theaters. Along the walls leading into the larger theater you can see carvings that people did on the walls while they got bored waiting to get into the theater. There were gladiators and horses and people. From there we walked along a smaller street with shops and homes. Many of the residents lived in the shops where they worked so there are not many plain homes.We saw the baths both male and female that were fully equipped with hot and cold running water. After that we toured the brothel/the most visited place in Pompeii and walked past what they called a "Happy House" or a smaller brothel that could charge expensive prices. After that we went to the forum, basilica, and then an aristocratic residence with the first ever "Beware of the dog" sign done in mosaic on the front entrance. Along the way we saw preserved bodies and frescos that had been left at the sight. I loved Pompeii, it was great to see what I studied when I was younger in person. That has been happening a lot on this trip and is one of the reasons I love Europe.
From Pompeii we drove to Sorrento famous for their lemons and lemoncello. We spent the night watching a soccer match, shopping, and wandering the historic city center. I tried some lemoncello, and wonderful lemon candies. We were served a fancy meal at our hotel where it just so happened that the Sorrento soccer team was staying for the night. Sorrento was a lovely city that I hope to go back to some day.
The next day we traveled to Naples where we toured the archeological building that has many artifacts from Pompeii. The mosaics were lovely and it we saw many sculptures we have been studying during our time in Greece and Italy. They have a special room at the museum that you are only allowed into if you are 18 or older. In Pompeii they used an image of a phallus to ward away evil. Those objects are kept in a separate room. After we completed our tour we stepped out into the city of Naples. I have to say...it's not a pretty city, probably one of the dirtiest I have ever been to. However, we did have some excellent pizza and a cannoli. We also got to shop along the street where everyone buys their Christmas nativity scenes and Christmas decorations.
It was a wonderful and busy weekend.
Last night I attended some short films at the International Rome Film Festival and tonight I am going to the red carpet premier of Twilight. It should be a blast!
This past week in Rome we had our first class walking tours with our History and Art History professors. We saw the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, Mussolini's residence, and many other historical buildings and Piazza's.
For our theology class we toured San Clemente church and I have to say it was one of my favorite churches in Europe so far. We had a wonderful tour guide with an Irish accent who is in the monastery there. He gave us a lovely tour of both the church and what is underneath it. It turns out that the church was actually built on top of another church that was built on top of a house. The house was for a very rich family at the time because they had running water. There will still frescos on the walls of the original church from the 10th and 11th centuries. My favorite part was looking at the beautiful mosaic work behind the altar while listening to his story of how he entered the monastery.
Later that day we went out to dinner with one of my roommates family who were in town visiting. I had a wonderful pizza with gorgonzola and rucola. From there we walked to the Pantheon and then a gelato shop with 150 flavors. I tried kit kat, chocolate raspberry, and chocolate coconut. From there we walked to the Trevi Fountain and made our wishes. While we were there a couple who had just gotten married were taking some wedding photos:) After that we walked to the top of the Spanish Steps and enjoyed the view.
This past weekend was excellent! We traveled to Pompeii, Sorrento, and Naples. We started our journey in Pompeii and although our original tour guide wasn't able to make it we were able to find another guide and got a wonderful tour of Pompeii. We walked into the gladiators quarters where they trained and resided. Then we saw two theaters. Along the walls leading into the larger theater you can see carvings that people did on the walls while they got bored waiting to get into the theater. There were gladiators and horses and people. From there we walked along a smaller street with shops and homes. Many of the residents lived in the shops where they worked so there are not many plain homes.We saw the baths both male and female that were fully equipped with hot and cold running water. After that we toured the brothel/the most visited place in Pompeii and walked past what they called a "Happy House" or a smaller brothel that could charge expensive prices. After that we went to the forum, basilica, and then an aristocratic residence with the first ever "Beware of the dog" sign done in mosaic on the front entrance. Along the way we saw preserved bodies and frescos that had been left at the sight. I loved Pompeii, it was great to see what I studied when I was younger in person. That has been happening a lot on this trip and is one of the reasons I love Europe.
From Pompeii we drove to Sorrento famous for their lemons and lemoncello. We spent the night watching a soccer match, shopping, and wandering the historic city center. I tried some lemoncello, and wonderful lemon candies. We were served a fancy meal at our hotel where it just so happened that the Sorrento soccer team was staying for the night. Sorrento was a lovely city that I hope to go back to some day.
The next day we traveled to Naples where we toured the archeological building that has many artifacts from Pompeii. The mosaics were lovely and it we saw many sculptures we have been studying during our time in Greece and Italy. They have a special room at the museum that you are only allowed into if you are 18 or older. In Pompeii they used an image of a phallus to ward away evil. Those objects are kept in a separate room. After we completed our tour we stepped out into the city of Naples. I have to say...it's not a pretty city, probably one of the dirtiest I have ever been to. However, we did have some excellent pizza and a cannoli. We also got to shop along the street where everyone buys their Christmas nativity scenes and Christmas decorations.
It was a wonderful and busy weekend.
Last night I attended some short films at the International Rome Film Festival and tonight I am going to the red carpet premier of Twilight. It should be a blast!
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