The End of Winter Break

It's weird calling this the last day of winter break considering it's been mid 50's all week. It's also weird thinking I'm going in college in Rome, weird getting used to that this will be my home for the next 4 months and really weird that I haven't even attended a class in around 7 weeks. Actually, while I'm on the topic, the fact that most things are closed on Sundays, almost everything closes daily between 1pm-4pm, dinner is eaten hours later than I'm used to are also other things to add to that list. Weird isn't a bad thing though, it's just different. People associate weird/different with a negative connotation too much.

Again, for my fellow sparknote lovers out there, here's the quick version that will catch you up:

1. Piazza Navona
2. Pantheon
3. Spanish Steps
4. Bike ride in Villa Borghese
5. Belzebuth

A lot of these differences here have actually been pretty nice. For the tram, which goes downtown and is nicely right outside our door, there is no timetable schedule of stops. It comes when it comes, no rush, no hurry, no worries; complete opposite of America where even DOTS (worst organization in the world) at UMD tells you up the the second when your bus is coming. No Wal-Marts here means about 50 tiny specialized shops on the side of our street scattered throughout. That personal local appeal is really nice and something you just can't find back home (sorry Wal-Mart greeter, but your stickers and smile still don't make my experience there personal or memorable.)

Anyways, those are just some of the few changes I've been adjusting to the past few days, the cultural difference here in indescribable but I'll touch on stuff here and there. I can't wait to adjust to all them and live their way, so far it seems like they've got it right here.

I wasn't even planning on talking about that stuff but o well, here's what I actually did today. We kind of got a late start today but we ended up making the best of it and getting a lot of great stuff in. We started out at Piazza Navona and The Pantheon. Added in July: There's the first picture of me on the Fountain of Four Rivers. It was constructed by Bernini, obbviamente, and it became one of my favorite spots in all of Rome. One great reason was because at the top of the obelisk is a dove, the angel of peace, which was featured in Angels & Demons. There was something about this piazza that just made me fall in love with it. There was the great market held there everyday until the sunset, but there was also the annoying salesmen with light up toys at night. As much as these guys annoyed me, we had so much making fun of them that they were necessary throughout my trip. It was also just a great meet up spot or place to sit down, relax with friends, eat gelato, drink and just people watch. Favorite piazza in Rome winner for sure.

Being in the Pantheon was an incredible experience. I never realized how gigantic that structure was and for it to be in such great condition after two thousand years really makes those builders of the Vikings Metrodome look like idiots. It was cloudy so we couldn't see the sun through the oculus but it was raining a bit so we got to see its 20 centuty old drainage system in action and how the floors still aren't ruined is beyond me.

After that we thought about going back the the Roman Forum or Sistine Chapel but both close at 4 and it was 3:30 at the time. We ended up just wandering around and stumbled upon the Church of St. Ignatius (Booo Jesuits, Go LaSallians!) ha, but inside it was better looking than St Peters to us. Turns out it's one of the best churches in Roma (yeah I'm a local now, I can call it that) according the guidebooks. After that we went up Via Del Corso (big shopping street) towards The Spanish Steps. Weren't much more than a lot of steps but apparently they're the cool area for the youth to hang out at at nighttime.



After that was when the day got great. We rented bikes in a park we came across that turned out to be the size of the whole downtown area. This park, Villa Borghese, was full with trees, paths, ancient ruins, fountains and made you feel like you were biking around in a time where the modern part of the city didn't even exist. A bunch of statues were missing heads among other things so we took it upon ourselves to use our own to complete the ancient statues and then used that as a photo opportunity. Added in July: Villa Borghese became one of my favorite spots in Rome, along with Piazza Navona (it was a good day for me discovering things). I ended up going there to rent bikes or just walk around so many times after that first Sunday in Rome, whether it was with friends again, Maria, my parents, Nonny, Jessica or any other excuse I had. So many great times were had there. I ended my time in Rome there just where I started by going with Jen, Ethan, Eran, Adam and Jared my last Sunday of the semester than following that up with a visit with Adam the next week just days before I left making sure to picnic with a good old panini and beer each time.

Also, as we were exiting the park, from the top of its hill there was an amazing view of Rome across the whole city at St. Peter's Basilica towering over the whole city.

Next, we got dinner and I enjoyed a beer called Belzebuth "The strongest beer in the world", they lived up to their label, whew. Now it's time to catch up on the little sleep we've gotten all week and prepare to start cooking for ourselves next week for the first time here.

Alright, I've written a lot, I made some promises to people that I'd keep my blogs short and concise so my apologies to you for being a liar. Let's see how my first day of school in Italy goes tomorrow (one class at 5:15pm), shouldn't be too bad.

Ciao-Ciao