This past weekend, I traveled to Rome with some of my friends from FUA. We spent Saturday and Sunday exploring the capitol of Italy. After arriving by train, my friends an I found our hostel and left our luggage there. The weather was a beautiful 65 degrees and sunny, so we were eager to get outside and explore. We walked from one side of Rome to the other in order to reach Vatican City. The walk took 1 1/2 hours, but it was a great way to see the city. After an afternoon spent exploring the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's, my group took the Metro back to the hostel and enjoyed a big traditional Italian meal. We weren't ready to settle in for the night yet, so we walked to the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountian. Under the lights, the city's sights looked stunning. We ate gelato and threw a coin into the fountain. How touristy!
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| Walking down the street toward the Vatican |
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| Tossing coins into the Trevi Founatin |
On Sunday, we got an early start and were at the Colosseum by mid-morning. The deteriorating structure houses so much history, and such a violent history, that it was an overwhelming experience to enter into and stand were Romans had stood thousands of years ago. Next, we explored the ruins of the Roman Forum and then the Pantheon. We relaxed in the sun of Piazza Nuvona, a square where hundreds of artists gather to draw portraits and sell their paintings of the city.
By late afternoon, we were tired and our feet were sore, but we wanted to see more of the sights that Rome had to offer. We went to the Crypt of the Capuchins, which is a series of rooms within a church that houses the bones of thousands of monks and poor Roman citizens. The bones were arranged in ornate and decorative designs. It was the strangest and most fascinating thing that I have ever seen. On the floor of the crypt a plaque read, "What you are now we used to be; What we are now you will be." One of our last stops of the day was at the church called Santa Maria Vittoria, where the Ecstasy of St. Theresa is found. We ended our day in the Rome's central park, were we walked around enjoying the trees and fountains. At night, we couldn't resist returning to the Colosseum to see the structure lit up. It was even more beautiful than earlier in the day.
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| In the Colosseum |
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| Strolling through the park |
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| The Colosseum at night |
Rome was an incredible place to visit. I loved being able to see the paintings and sculptures that I had learned about in my classes back at CMU. I would love to return and explore even more the Eternal City. Arrivederci Roma!
