Well I've made it! Yesterday felt like one of the longest days of my life with all the traveling but it was so very worth it and I had it a lot better than some of the other people in our group. I had a little trouble in Chicago but nothing that couldn't be solved with a little patience and a long layover. There were several students in our group who never made it out of the Salt Lake airport although they should be on their way now and a few others who had to find there own way to the apartments we're staying at which I really feel couldn't have been that easy of a task if you hadn't been here before. But to make a long boring travel story short here I am in the Eternal City!
The first day we all got in at about twelve and they took us to our apartments. We had a nice lunch and then we went on an evening walk to St. Peter's. We still haven't been in yet but we were able to see the square and everything. It rained pretty much the whole time and none of us had umbrellas but I think we were ok with it because it is so stinking hot here! It probably wouldn't feel as bad if it wasn't so humid but it is incredibly sticky here. I feel like I'm constantly in that stage right after you put lotion on and it hasn't soaked in all the way yet. I'm really excited to actually get in to St. Peter's, the square itself is really beautiful but I think all of us didn't quite feel that we were really in Rome yet. The first few days I think will be a little surreal. I have moments where I get like a shock that I'm actually here and I'm feeling that way now after our second day.
After a good nights sleep with the help of a tylonel pm we woke up and made our way to the Trevi Fountain. We successfully managed the metro which surprisingly was a piece of cake. Once you got off the metro is when you have some problems because the have made all the metro lines around the major monuments and let me tell you something it feels like there's a major monument or building every two minutes you walk so while you can see tons of things as you walk to the main sightseeing areas it is quite a ways to actually reach them. The Trevi Fountain is so much larger than I expected and naturally we all threw our coins over our shoulders to make a wish. After the fountain we made our way to the Pantheon. All of the beauty that surrounds you in this city is so old! I am constantly asking myself why in the world our buildings are so ugly now? The Pantheon was originally a Pagan temple and the dome is the biggest and oldest in the entire world and it was all poured at once. AT ONCE! So that dome is entirely once piece! I feel so incredible blessed that I'm going to be seeing so many beautiful works or art in the next three months.
Rome is such a fun city as well as being incredibly beautiful. The people are very friendly it seems and I swear that anything can be romantic here. There was a man in the metro playing the accordion for money and it made even the metro seem like a romantic place haha. We have an amazing group of people here too. Everyone is different in their own way but we get along so extremely well which is good because there are about 18 girls in our group and it could get a little dramatic but i feel that everyone is very level headed and willing to get along with one another. This first post is going to be a little boring I'm afraid but here are some pictures so that should help :)
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| View of Rome from the top of the Spanish Steps, it really wasn't as long a climb as I thought it might be |
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| In front of the Pantheon |
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| In front of the Trevi Fountain |
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| Make a wish and throw it really hard or else you'll hit the cement instead of the fountain |
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| Trevi Fountain |
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| Inside the art academy of St. Luke where Rafael studied |
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| Running from the inside because we weren't sure we were supposed to be there and we got scared |
