Rome was my second stop on my week-long fall break extravaganza, and it was wonderful! Ellen and I met up with four of our friends there, and we spent the rest of our time in Italy with them. A super fun group! It’s always fun to travel in groups, I find. Anyway, we didn’t spend very much time in Rome. Basically one evening and then a full day, so we powered through it like no other. In one day, we managed to traverse the entirety of Rome, visiting the Colesseum, Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the Trevi Fountain. CRAZY, I know. My feet were crying by the end of the day so badly. And it was definitely a bit warmer in Rome than I have been used to after living in chilly London for nearly two months. But since I come from a hot climate back home, I could deal with it.
By far, my favorite part of my day in Rome was going to Vatican City. There’s just so much historical and cultural significance there that is completely mind-boggling. I don’t consider myself a particularly devout Catholic, but it definitely was a cool experience to visit the epicenter of Catholicism and the former center of Christianity before the Protestants decided to shake things up a bit. haha. The Vatican Museums were insane. There was so much beautiful art that I had trouble deciding where to look. Everything was so ornate and embellished! I took way too many pictures of the ceilings, but they were also so artistic and majestic! People really like to decorate ceilings on this side of the pond. The Sistine Chapel was phenomenal. It is so huge, awe-inspiring, and in a way, humbling. The paintings on the wall and the ceiling up above, with the famous painting of God and Adam were all just wonderful. I’m pretty sure I got a crick in my neck from all this gawking up at ceilings.
My first Italian gelato!
When we arrived to St. Peter’s Square after the museums, my jaw literally dropped. No words can describe how amazing it is. No words, whatsoever. It’s just perfect, really. We had to wait on line for forty minutes to get into the Basilica, but luckily it was free entrance! The inside of St. Peter’s Basilica was magnificent. The rays of sunlight that came through the windows in the ceiling shined down on St. Peter’s tomb, which I’m sure was completely intended by the architects, but still was a really inspiring effect. I kept imagining what it would be like to go to church there. I think I would be totally distracted by the beautiful surroundings, to be honest! We walked down to the grottoes, where many popes are buried, and we saw a group of Italian nuns on pilgrimage praying at the tomb of St. Peter. It was really moving to see such devotion from them. And OH MY GOSH, when I saw Michelangelo’s Pieta statue, I was almost in tears. It’s literally my favorite statue of all time, because it conveys so much emotion, and is, of course, a true piece of craftmanship and artistry. I heard a tour guide say that Michelangelo was 23 when he made the statue. 23 years old. I can’t even handle this. What a genius he was.
I’m sorry I geeked out so much about Vatican City, but I really did enjoy the rest of Rome! The Spanish Steps were lovely and gave a great view of the city from up high. The Colesseum was just amazing. I can’t believe it is standing after nearly 2000 years. The Pantheon was super cool too. I had a major Angels and Demons moment in there. It was great. The Trevi Fountain was great! I definitely tossed two pennies into the fountain, so I got two wishes! Hope they come true :)
Let me just throw it out there that ITALIAN FOOD IS TO DIE FOR. I couldn’t get enough. Pizza, pasta, paninis, lasagna, gelato, vino, lemoncello….I could go on and on. The first official meal in Italy that I had was classic spaghetti, and my first gelato was caramel and nutella! Definitely so much better than any gelato I had before up until that moment!
Italians are really friendly! They are very hospitable, happy to see you, and very congenial. At every restaurant we went to, the waiters were always very friendly and solicitous and eager to make sure we were happy at all times. Such service!
I’m sorry this is a pretty short post compared to my other tomes that I usually write, but I am just so tired! Halloween is tomorrow and tonight I watched Meet Me in St. Louis to get in the Halloween mood. Tomorrow our host mom’s son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter are coming over for dinner and they are going to go trick or treating. Later, one of our friends will come over to watch Hocus Pocus with us. Obviously, it’s not Halloween unless you watch Hocus Pocus. This Thursday and Friday we are going to Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s birthplace! We’ll poke around there, see The Merry Wives of Windsor, and go to Warwick Castle the next day. Can’t wait for all that! Now, to sleep.