I write this, my last blog entry for this trip, almost, sadly. I am so thrilled to be back home, back around my loved ones and familiarity, but that adventure in my life is over. I may get to take another trip like that one day, and I know I will travel more, but I know things will never be the same. Life changes and evolves. For that, I am mostly grateful, but we never have the chance to go back to the way things were.
"And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference." - Robert Frost
I cannot thank you enough, my loyal readers, for reading about, and experiencing my adventures with me. It was a great comfort to hear from you all and to know that people were out there, thinking about my travels.
My trip was incredible. I don't know how to sum it up any better than that. I cannot describe it in a few words, a few sentences or even a few paragraphs. The things I learned about cultures and people, and about myself are totally invaluable. This trip is something that I will never forget, something I will always treasure.
I am slowly but surely loading the 3500 pictures I took onto a Shutterfly website. It will take me several days to get them all on the internet. When you have the time, I would love for you to venture through my travels through my photographs.
http://rebeccastravels.site.shutterfly.com/
If you have the opportunity to travel, do it. Make the sacrifice because the experience and memories you will create are totally worth it! If you have the opportunity to visit any of the places I traveled during my trip, please feel free to contact me. I would love to give you pointers or share stories to help you make your trip as enjoyable as possible!
Farewell my dear readers; it has been a true pleasure!
Rebecca
rebecca.annesmith@yahoo.com
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Tips for Travelers
Tips for Travelers
I made a list as I went of tips that I thought would help other travelers. Keep in mind that some of my tips may be more for travelers going for a long period of time and some may be more for Europe, but nevertheless, I hope these tips help you on your trip just a bit!
1. Be open! Try new food, try new things and experience new cultures with an open mind!
2. Study! Get a travel book and read about the places you are going, even if you just read about them the day before, research and learn about these places so that when you see them, they will mean so much more to you. I was very pleased with the Rick Steves' book that I saw many people carrying, but I also enjoyed the small one-city books that easily fit into my friends' purses.
3. If you will be traveling for a long period of time, you will probably need to do some washing. A friend of mine told me this, and it was a huge life-saver! I packed some string and a few clothes pin to hang my wet clothes on to dry. Tide also makes special sink packets, so that it is the right size and travels well. Both were wonderful for washing a few things here and there. Also, take small bottles of Febreeze! It is a miracle worker!
4. There are McDonald's everywhere... don't eat at them. The ones here are not that good, why would you eat at one where there is Italian food all around. Just don't do it; there's no reason.
5. Whenever you can, take a walking tour guide somewhere. If you can afford it, get one just for you or with you and whoever you are traveling with, if not, just go on one with a small group. It is amazing how much history you get! If you get a personal one too you will get to go to places you probably would not have gone on your own, places that are outside of the touristy areas.
6. If you are traveling by train, make sure to make reservations ahead of time! :) If you are traveling in Europe, and you are only going to a few countries, I see no reason to purchase a Euro Rail pass. If you are going to be there for a while, going from place to place, then it probably it is cheaper to get a Euro Rail pass, but make sure you still make reservations!
7. Last of all, but most importantly... pack lighter! Nope, even lighter, nope EVEN lighter than that! I could have packed a lot lighter and it would have made things a lot easier, especially with all of our movings! It would have made things much more enjoyable! Wear the same clothes over and over again... who cares?! Here's a challenge... we met a guy traveling by himself for several months and his only luggage was a backpack the size my students use to bring their folders to school. Just think about that one for a few minutes...
Get out there! See the world!
I made a list as I went of tips that I thought would help other travelers. Keep in mind that some of my tips may be more for travelers going for a long period of time and some may be more for Europe, but nevertheless, I hope these tips help you on your trip just a bit!
1. Be open! Try new food, try new things and experience new cultures with an open mind!
2. Study! Get a travel book and read about the places you are going, even if you just read about them the day before, research and learn about these places so that when you see them, they will mean so much more to you. I was very pleased with the Rick Steves' book that I saw many people carrying, but I also enjoyed the small one-city books that easily fit into my friends' purses.
3. If you will be traveling for a long period of time, you will probably need to do some washing. A friend of mine told me this, and it was a huge life-saver! I packed some string and a few clothes pin to hang my wet clothes on to dry. Tide also makes special sink packets, so that it is the right size and travels well. Both were wonderful for washing a few things here and there. Also, take small bottles of Febreeze! It is a miracle worker!
4. There are McDonald's everywhere... don't eat at them. The ones here are not that good, why would you eat at one where there is Italian food all around. Just don't do it; there's no reason.
5. Whenever you can, take a walking tour guide somewhere. If you can afford it, get one just for you or with you and whoever you are traveling with, if not, just go on one with a small group. It is amazing how much history you get! If you get a personal one too you will get to go to places you probably would not have gone on your own, places that are outside of the touristy areas.
6. If you are traveling by train, make sure to make reservations ahead of time! :) If you are traveling in Europe, and you are only going to a few countries, I see no reason to purchase a Euro Rail pass. If you are going to be there for a while, going from place to place, then it probably it is cheaper to get a Euro Rail pass, but make sure you still make reservations!
7. Last of all, but most importantly... pack lighter! Nope, even lighter, nope EVEN lighter than that! I could have packed a lot lighter and it would have made things a lot easier, especially with all of our movings! It would have made things much more enjoyable! Wear the same clothes over and over again... who cares?! Here's a challenge... we met a guy traveling by himself for several months and his only luggage was a backpack the size my students use to bring their folders to school. Just think about that one for a few minutes...
Get out there! See the world!
What I...
What I have missed...
1. My family
2. My friends
3. My pets
4. My bed and my pillow
5. Milk
6. English TV
7. Surprisingly... the news
8. Vegetables
9. Good Showers
10. Clean Clothes!
What I will miss about Europe...
1. Gelato!
2. Walking Around at Night
3. Amazing Food
4. Piazza's and Squares with Entertainment
5. Beautiful Different Languages
6. So Much History
7. Street Markets
8. Walking Everywhere (walking to Dairy Queen is not exactly the same as walking to find gelato!)
9. Learning New Things About Myself and About Other Places
10. New Adventures... even though I hope those will still happen state-side!
1. My family
2. My friends
3. My pets
4. My bed and my pillow
5. Milk
6. English TV
7. Surprisingly... the news
8. Vegetables
9. Good Showers
10. Clean Clothes!
What I will miss about Europe...
1. Gelato!
2. Walking Around at Night
3. Amazing Food
4. Piazza's and Squares with Entertainment
5. Beautiful Different Languages
6. So Much History
7. Street Markets
8. Walking Everywhere (walking to Dairy Queen is not exactly the same as walking to find gelato!)
9. Learning New Things About Myself and About Other Places
10. New Adventures... even though I hope those will still happen state-side!
Final Day...
Today, I write this entry from the comfortable couch at my parent's house, safe and sound, back in the states!
On our last day in Rome, Emily and I took it pretty easy. Both of us were tired and I believe ready to get home, so we decided to take it easy and just relish in the moment, while in Rome. We went to the Baths of Diocletian, which was close to our hotel and the train station. These baths were once the largest in the Roman area. Baths were once the social scene of an area. It was an area full of swimming pools, all different sizes and all different temperatures. The Romans, even thousands of years ago, had wonderful resources of water. They built large aquaducts that would carry the water from mountains into the cities, and these baths were ways for the higher class in society to enjoy the aquaducts.
Today, these baths have been transformed into a museum. I wouldn't put the museum top on your list, but it was interesting to explore on our last day in Rome. The museum was full of artifacts, mainly scultptures and pieces of marble with writing on it. They were not all that interesting, but I was very impressed with the history that was explained throughout the museum. The history of Rome, throughout its many years was well documented, including history about the society of early Romans.
Next we went to the church that was next to the baths, at one time it was connected. The church was Michelangelo's last architecture work, and just as all of his other works, it was beautiful. Huge, vast ceilings and beautiful glass domes. I truly cannot describe all of the churches and cathedrals that we saw in Rome, in fact all over Europe, but especially in Italy.
After lunch, we went back to the hotel and packed up our suitcases, which amazingly, with the help of small duffle bag, it all fit! Then we went back to the cathedral to participate in mass. Although it was in Italian, it was still a peaceful and meaningful service. I have now seen mass in four different languages! I love the fact that no matter what language you speak, there is a way to understand the deeper meaning in a service like that.
After the service we walked to the Pantheon and chose one of several restaurants surrounding the great square. We must have made a great decision, because our meal was delicious! We enjoyed a great bottle of the house wine and then I had fettucini bolognese. What a perfect last meal in Italy! Not only was the meal perfect, but we were looking at the pantheon as a street performer serenated us with opera songs. Ahhh... perfection!
We walked a few blocks away to the gelato store with over 100 flavors where I enjoyed my favorite kind of gelato, cream caramel. We enjoyed the city that night, our last night in Rome, our last night Italy before waking up before dawn to catch our flight.
We took a car to the airport, which, as driving in Italy, it is always an adventure. Drive quickly, just to slam on the breaks; zip from lane to lane; always exciting! Once we arrived at the airport, we learned that it was actually a building just hold lots of lines! We stood in a long line to do... something, then one to check in, one for security, one for customs, one to get on the bus to take us to the terminal, one to get our breakfast, one to board, one to well...wait to get on the plane, and then finally we made it to our seats! We had the last row of the plane, right in front of the bathroom.
It was there that we sat for 11 hours. It was there that we watched three, ok movies. It was there that we watched people pass to go to the restroom. It was there that we listened to the excited conversations of the teenagers that surrounded us. It was there that we tried to sleep. It was there that we enjoyed some pretty good airplane food and it was there that we awaited in excited anticipation to land.
After the long, sometimes bumpy journey, we did land safely in Atlanta, only to find more lines! :) We got off the plane and went through the passport check, then picked up our luggage, just to walk it through customs, then we checked our luggage back in, went through security, road the airport train to the furthest stop where we road an escalator to the excited faces of my parents! They met us with a sign reading "Limo for Rebecca and Emily!"
How great it is to be home again! There's no place like home!
On our last day in Rome, Emily and I took it pretty easy. Both of us were tired and I believe ready to get home, so we decided to take it easy and just relish in the moment, while in Rome. We went to the Baths of Diocletian, which was close to our hotel and the train station. These baths were once the largest in the Roman area. Baths were once the social scene of an area. It was an area full of swimming pools, all different sizes and all different temperatures. The Romans, even thousands of years ago, had wonderful resources of water. They built large aquaducts that would carry the water from mountains into the cities, and these baths were ways for the higher class in society to enjoy the aquaducts.
Today, these baths have been transformed into a museum. I wouldn't put the museum top on your list, but it was interesting to explore on our last day in Rome. The museum was full of artifacts, mainly scultptures and pieces of marble with writing on it. They were not all that interesting, but I was very impressed with the history that was explained throughout the museum. The history of Rome, throughout its many years was well documented, including history about the society of early Romans.
Next we went to the church that was next to the baths, at one time it was connected. The church was Michelangelo's last architecture work, and just as all of his other works, it was beautiful. Huge, vast ceilings and beautiful glass domes. I truly cannot describe all of the churches and cathedrals that we saw in Rome, in fact all over Europe, but especially in Italy.
After lunch, we went back to the hotel and packed up our suitcases, which amazingly, with the help of small duffle bag, it all fit! Then we went back to the cathedral to participate in mass. Although it was in Italian, it was still a peaceful and meaningful service. I have now seen mass in four different languages! I love the fact that no matter what language you speak, there is a way to understand the deeper meaning in a service like that.
After the service we walked to the Pantheon and chose one of several restaurants surrounding the great square. We must have made a great decision, because our meal was delicious! We enjoyed a great bottle of the house wine and then I had fettucini bolognese. What a perfect last meal in Italy! Not only was the meal perfect, but we were looking at the pantheon as a street performer serenated us with opera songs. Ahhh... perfection!
We walked a few blocks away to the gelato store with over 100 flavors where I enjoyed my favorite kind of gelato, cream caramel. We enjoyed the city that night, our last night in Rome, our last night Italy before waking up before dawn to catch our flight.
We took a car to the airport, which, as driving in Italy, it is always an adventure. Drive quickly, just to slam on the breaks; zip from lane to lane; always exciting! Once we arrived at the airport, we learned that it was actually a building just hold lots of lines! We stood in a long line to do... something, then one to check in, one for security, one for customs, one to get on the bus to take us to the terminal, one to get our breakfast, one to board, one to well...wait to get on the plane, and then finally we made it to our seats! We had the last row of the plane, right in front of the bathroom.
It was there that we sat for 11 hours. It was there that we watched three, ok movies. It was there that we watched people pass to go to the restroom. It was there that we listened to the excited conversations of the teenagers that surrounded us. It was there that we tried to sleep. It was there that we enjoyed some pretty good airplane food and it was there that we awaited in excited anticipation to land.
After the long, sometimes bumpy journey, we did land safely in Atlanta, only to find more lines! :) We got off the plane and went through the passport check, then picked up our luggage, just to walk it through customs, then we checked our luggage back in, went through security, road the airport train to the furthest stop where we road an escalator to the excited faces of my parents! They met us with a sign reading "Limo for Rebecca and Emily!"
How great it is to be home again! There's no place like home!
Saturday, July 5, 2008
All Roads Lead to Rome
It is basically true that once upon a time all roads did lead to Rome. Rome was the center of the trading world at one time; the center of great empires and the roads built by the emperors all led to Rome. Today we walked on the Appian Way, one of the main roads that led into the city!
We started the morning off, by braving the metro once again. I have really enjoyed using public transportation throughout my trip and I fully recommend you to try it as well! Once you get the system, it is not too hard! We went to the Castle Sant Angelo first. This huge building started in the 2nd Century AD, originally as a tomb for an emperor. No tombs were allowed inside of the city walls, so this tomb was built just outside of the city walls, across the river. It is a huge brick construction that later became a tomb for other emperors, as well as a fortress, a prison and even a last resort for a Pope under attack. Emily and I decided today that it was in fact a stair maze museum. Up and down stairs throughout the confusing building and although it provided for some amazing views of St. Peter's, there were very few artifacts and even fewer explanations of things throughout the circular castle. So we got turned around, lost and confused, but we made it through and enjoyed seeing the castle, although, I wouldn't put it high on your list whenever you visit Rome. (And trust me, I know you will get here one day, if you haven't been already, because after all, all roads lead to Rome!)
After a simple sandwich lunch, and some pistaccios we headed back to the metro. Since there are only two lines, they are really not that close to many major attractions. But today, we braved another line of transportation that we had not yet used in Europe, a bus! We took the metro to a bus stop where we got on a bus to take us to the Appian Way. This old, narrow cobble-stone road with brick tall brick walls on both sides is interesting to see, especially when you think of how much history; how many people have passed on this road.
There are several different catacombs in the area; we visited the catacombs of San Callisto. After purchasing our tickets, we waited around a few minutes for the English speaking guide. Our guides were older priests, carrying bamboo sticks to point things out to us. They were very enjoyable and guided us safely through the catacombs, telling our group interesting stories and facts along the way.
The catacombs are underground tombs, I believe he said that these were four different stories underground of tombs. On each of the heights, tombs are on both sides, four high along narrow passage ways. I cannot imagine how many people were once buried here, it would be thousands upon thousands. Our guide told us that altogether, in these catacombs alone there were 18 kilometers of pathways. Wow! I was happy to stay close to our guide as he led us through a very creepy, but interesting underground tomb! Thankfully it was not Halloween, nor was I on a ghost tour, so no hands reached out from the empty tombs. I'm not sure my heart would have made it through an event like that!
We made it safely back to the hotel where I think we will rest up for a bit before going out to see some of the main attractions of Rome at night, it should be lovely! Ciao!
We started the morning off, by braving the metro once again. I have really enjoyed using public transportation throughout my trip and I fully recommend you to try it as well! Once you get the system, it is not too hard! We went to the Castle Sant Angelo first. This huge building started in the 2nd Century AD, originally as a tomb for an emperor. No tombs were allowed inside of the city walls, so this tomb was built just outside of the city walls, across the river. It is a huge brick construction that later became a tomb for other emperors, as well as a fortress, a prison and even a last resort for a Pope under attack. Emily and I decided today that it was in fact a stair maze museum. Up and down stairs throughout the confusing building and although it provided for some amazing views of St. Peter's, there were very few artifacts and even fewer explanations of things throughout the circular castle. So we got turned around, lost and confused, but we made it through and enjoyed seeing the castle, although, I wouldn't put it high on your list whenever you visit Rome. (And trust me, I know you will get here one day, if you haven't been already, because after all, all roads lead to Rome!)
After a simple sandwich lunch, and some pistaccios we headed back to the metro. Since there are only two lines, they are really not that close to many major attractions. But today, we braved another line of transportation that we had not yet used in Europe, a bus! We took the metro to a bus stop where we got on a bus to take us to the Appian Way. This old, narrow cobble-stone road with brick tall brick walls on both sides is interesting to see, especially when you think of how much history; how many people have passed on this road.
There are several different catacombs in the area; we visited the catacombs of San Callisto. After purchasing our tickets, we waited around a few minutes for the English speaking guide. Our guides were older priests, carrying bamboo sticks to point things out to us. They were very enjoyable and guided us safely through the catacombs, telling our group interesting stories and facts along the way.
The catacombs are underground tombs, I believe he said that these were four different stories underground of tombs. On each of the heights, tombs are on both sides, four high along narrow passage ways. I cannot imagine how many people were once buried here, it would be thousands upon thousands. Our guide told us that altogether, in these catacombs alone there were 18 kilometers of pathways. Wow! I was happy to stay close to our guide as he led us through a very creepy, but interesting underground tomb! Thankfully it was not Halloween, nor was I on a ghost tour, so no hands reached out from the empty tombs. I'm not sure my heart would have made it through an event like that!
We made it safely back to the hotel where I think we will rest up for a bit before going out to see some of the main attractions of Rome at night, it should be lovely! Ciao!
Friday, July 4, 2008
Independence Day
"Let freedom ring; let the white dove sing!" The words from Martina McBride's "Independence Day" seem oddly appropriate on this Independence Day, but I'll get to that in a minute.
Wow! We have seen so many amazing things in the last couple of days and my vocabulary is not extensive enough to describe with appropriate grandure all the sights these eyes have beheld!
Yesterday morning we started with San Pietro in Vincoli, which translates to St. Peter in Chains. Along with all of the other churches in Rome, this one is incredible in size and majesty. The church was built to hold the chains that once held St. Peter. Michangelo also created a statue of Moses that stands nearby the chains. Moses has two horns coming out of his head, an odd image, but apparently, originally the Hebrew word for rays was translated as horns. Very different!
Next up, one of the most famous images in the world, the Colosseum. Can you imagine a building, a giant stadium if you will, that has been standing for 2,000 years? Absolutely incredible! Although many of the marble stones were actually taken off the Colosseum to help construct St. Peter's, most of it stands in tact. We were able to climb the stairs and look out over the stadium just as thousands of people did years ago to watch gladiators and animals as they fought.
We then wandered through the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill. This was originally the center of Rome, where all of the government officials lived, worked and played. The columns and walls that remain may not look like much now, but hey, they are still standing! While the walk was interesting and enchanting to see, it was hot. There are no real buildings to shade you and it is just plain hot here in Rome these days, so our walk was probably not as long as we would have liked, but no matter what, it was enjoyed.
The Circus Maximus, another huge stadium where chariot races once were held is now a long field, but never the less, it is fun to picture what it once must have looked like. Close to the Circus Maximus is the Mouth of Truth. It is a large, flat, circular face with a small hole where the mouth is. Legend says that people used to go and stick their hands in the mouth, perhaps as some sort of a confession, and the priest would stand behind the face. If the person was not telling the truth, the priest would cut off the person's hand with a sword. There was a very long line, so we did not get to have our picture taken with the mouth, but we were able to take pictures of it from just outside the fence. So, thankfully, I have both hands still and I am able to type just fine! :)
We had a late lunch and since it was so hot, I decided to divert from my traditional pizza for lunch and enjoyed another traditional Italian meal of melons and ham. It sounds sort of funny, but the salty of the ham and the sweet of the cantelope are a perfect pair, especially on a hot day!
Thanks to Rick Steve's, we purchased a Roma Pass which gives us a few free tickets to museums, plus public transportation and discounts on other museums, all for 20 euros! We were able to get into the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Capital Hill Museums all for free yesterday and already more than made up for the 20 euros. The Capital Hill Museums were not terribly interesting, lots of busts of former emperors and such, but the giant hand and foot of Constantine were in the museum and they were pretty cool to see! We were also provided with some great views of the Forum from the museum.
One interesting statue inside was the original she-wolf. Rome was supposedly founded by twin brothers, I believe born of the gods, or sent by the gods. They were raised by a she-wolf, and the statue of her nursing the twins is everywhere in this city. I did like seeing the original!
Just down from the Capital Hill is the Mamertine Prison, a small, very old prison that once held St. Peter and St. Paul. I know it is a prison, I know it is supposed to be a little scary, but man, it was creepy. It is underground, very low ceilings and rock walls. There is a hole from one floor to the next where prisoners were lowered down. Apparently a spring miraculously came up in the floor of the prison so that Peter could baptize his fellow cell mates and prison guards. The eerie feeling was well worth the small donation to enter, although I wouldn't want to spend much time there!
We were behind the Victor Emmanuel Monument, a giant, white building the Italians loving call the "Wedding Cake." Emily was pretty sure it was just a museum of stairs, but we basically just passed through the museum of war and military history to come out on the other side for some neat views of the huge monument.
On our walk from one end of the city to the other we stopped in a few churches along the way, just to admire and appreciate their beauty. The city, although it is large, is extremely walkable, and since I love walking, we have enjoyed doing that, just making sure to stop along the way to sit by a fountain, have gelato or go in a church and the time passes very quickly.
We went to Piazza Popolo, another huge piazza with twin churches on one end of it. We went in one church, small in comparison to most in the area, and more circular than in the shape of a cross. Nevertheless, it had the beauty and grandure of any church in Rome.
Our next destination was to enjoy some "America-time" by going to the movies for a girls night! We watched Carrie and her gang of New-Yorkers and thoroughly enjoyed the light-hearted movie. It brought many laughs and was perfect for two girls who have been away from home for a month now.
Our dinner, just a little spot outside of the theater was one of the best in Italy, at least mine was. I had pesto pasta, but the sauce was much creamier, probably cheesier than what we are used to at home. But that wasn't even the best part! The pasta and sauce were in a little bowl, the bowl was made of fried parmesean cheese!! Yes... it was that delicious, and although my stomach was completely full, I kept munching on the cheese bowl; how could I not?
Since we were on the other side of town, and it was late and we had not yet used the metro, we decided we would just take a cab back to the hotel. It was a much more pleasant experience than our first ride here and so we were thankful that we took the cab and conquered our fears!
This morning, we did brave the metro though. It is not very complicated, as there are only two lines, but the metro is widely known to be full of pick-pockets. We were extra careful though and did just fine. In fact, if anyone had been able to get into the sealed wallet in my zipped purse, I would have been very impressed! Nevertheless, always important to keep on guard!
We had an appointment at the Vatican Museum this morning. It turns out it was really not that crowded, but we were able to go with a small group and a guide, so it was nice to have a little bit of extra information. Our guide was very nice and she had obviously been doing this for many years. She told us that she once had a young boy ask her, as they were discussing the painting of God reaching out to Adam, why Adam had a belly-button. She was impressed with his question and answered him, saying that, well, God was creating him from clay, of course melting and cooking the clay and he reached him to poke him and see if he was done. Haha! That is why Adam had a belly-button in the painting I guess!
The Vatican Museum is huge, and very crowded. It was once where the pope lived and where many famous paintings and sculptures were housed. There is so much to take in there, that it is really too much. And there are so many people, that you sort of feel like cattle being shuffled through the museum in a one-way fashion, but you have to go, even if just to see the Sistene Chapel. I did appreciate our guide's knowledge and was glad about the things that she stopped to tell us about.
The Sistene Chapel is breath-taking. Unfortunately, the constant yells of "Shhh... No Camera!" take away from the ambiance of it all, but there is no way that you can stand in the presence of this chapel and not be amazed. It took Michelangelo four years to paint the ceiling and even more to paint one of the end walls. I just love the image of God reaching out his hand, just out of reach of Adam. It is incredible to see!
After exiting the museum and of course enjoying some pizza, next up was St. Peter's! The line was ridiculously long, but moved amazingly face. Although there were probably thousands of people inside the Basilica, it was really not that crowded, just because it was so huge. As Rick Steve says "To call it vast is like calling God smart." I agree. There should be new words created just to describe the size and majesty of this cathedral that holds the remains of so many pope's and St. Peter himself. My favorite part of the whole church is in the far end, a small stained-glass piece of a white dove flying, appearing almost from the sunshine as she is surrounded by yellow and orange glass. So that is how the "white-dove" that I mentioned earlier actually ties into this Independence Day.
Emily had bought a rosary for her mom and we had been told that we could easily get it blessed in the cathedral. Well, after walking and enjoying the church for quite some time, we had not seen a priest anywhere, and even asking a few people we did not get a straight answer. One would think that this place would be crawling with priests! Finally, Em spotted one that seemed to be bolting for the door. She was able to stop him though and explain what she wanted. Though the blessing was in German, it was blessed inside of St. Peter's, which is pretty cool, no matter what!
We went below the church to see the tombs of former pope's, including the simple tombstone of John Paul II, before going up above the church. We were there, why not climb the dome? We opted to take the elevator up and save 200 of the 500 stairs. We climbed over 300 very narrow, and often slanted stairs to enjoy, first a great view of the inside of the domb, and second a great view of Vatican City (its own country), and the rest of Rome. Truly worth the spiral stairs that were barely wide enough to fit myself and my purse!
We walked aways, of course stopped to enjoy some gelato and then made our way back to Piazza Navona where we enjoyed a small band, and an interesting street performer who danced with puppets on his hands, so that his fingers were their legs. I think it was a great way to round up another fabulous day in this amazing city!
I hope that each of one of you has an amazing 4th of July and that you enjoy time with family and friends as you celebrate the day by eating lots off the grill and shooting fireworks to light up the sky. I do sort of miss all the festivities, but hey, I'm in Rome! We fly out Monday morning!
Happy 4th of July!
Wow! We have seen so many amazing things in the last couple of days and my vocabulary is not extensive enough to describe with appropriate grandure all the sights these eyes have beheld!
Yesterday morning we started with San Pietro in Vincoli, which translates to St. Peter in Chains. Along with all of the other churches in Rome, this one is incredible in size and majesty. The church was built to hold the chains that once held St. Peter. Michangelo also created a statue of Moses that stands nearby the chains. Moses has two horns coming out of his head, an odd image, but apparently, originally the Hebrew word for rays was translated as horns. Very different!
Next up, one of the most famous images in the world, the Colosseum. Can you imagine a building, a giant stadium if you will, that has been standing for 2,000 years? Absolutely incredible! Although many of the marble stones were actually taken off the Colosseum to help construct St. Peter's, most of it stands in tact. We were able to climb the stairs and look out over the stadium just as thousands of people did years ago to watch gladiators and animals as they fought.
We then wandered through the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill. This was originally the center of Rome, where all of the government officials lived, worked and played. The columns and walls that remain may not look like much now, but hey, they are still standing! While the walk was interesting and enchanting to see, it was hot. There are no real buildings to shade you and it is just plain hot here in Rome these days, so our walk was probably not as long as we would have liked, but no matter what, it was enjoyed.
The Circus Maximus, another huge stadium where chariot races once were held is now a long field, but never the less, it is fun to picture what it once must have looked like. Close to the Circus Maximus is the Mouth of Truth. It is a large, flat, circular face with a small hole where the mouth is. Legend says that people used to go and stick their hands in the mouth, perhaps as some sort of a confession, and the priest would stand behind the face. If the person was not telling the truth, the priest would cut off the person's hand with a sword. There was a very long line, so we did not get to have our picture taken with the mouth, but we were able to take pictures of it from just outside the fence. So, thankfully, I have both hands still and I am able to type just fine! :)
We had a late lunch and since it was so hot, I decided to divert from my traditional pizza for lunch and enjoyed another traditional Italian meal of melons and ham. It sounds sort of funny, but the salty of the ham and the sweet of the cantelope are a perfect pair, especially on a hot day!
Thanks to Rick Steve's, we purchased a Roma Pass which gives us a few free tickets to museums, plus public transportation and discounts on other museums, all for 20 euros! We were able to get into the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Capital Hill Museums all for free yesterday and already more than made up for the 20 euros. The Capital Hill Museums were not terribly interesting, lots of busts of former emperors and such, but the giant hand and foot of Constantine were in the museum and they were pretty cool to see! We were also provided with some great views of the Forum from the museum.
One interesting statue inside was the original she-wolf. Rome was supposedly founded by twin brothers, I believe born of the gods, or sent by the gods. They were raised by a she-wolf, and the statue of her nursing the twins is everywhere in this city. I did like seeing the original!
Just down from the Capital Hill is the Mamertine Prison, a small, very old prison that once held St. Peter and St. Paul. I know it is a prison, I know it is supposed to be a little scary, but man, it was creepy. It is underground, very low ceilings and rock walls. There is a hole from one floor to the next where prisoners were lowered down. Apparently a spring miraculously came up in the floor of the prison so that Peter could baptize his fellow cell mates and prison guards. The eerie feeling was well worth the small donation to enter, although I wouldn't want to spend much time there!
We were behind the Victor Emmanuel Monument, a giant, white building the Italians loving call the "Wedding Cake." Emily was pretty sure it was just a museum of stairs, but we basically just passed through the museum of war and military history to come out on the other side for some neat views of the huge monument.
On our walk from one end of the city to the other we stopped in a few churches along the way, just to admire and appreciate their beauty. The city, although it is large, is extremely walkable, and since I love walking, we have enjoyed doing that, just making sure to stop along the way to sit by a fountain, have gelato or go in a church and the time passes very quickly.
We went to Piazza Popolo, another huge piazza with twin churches on one end of it. We went in one church, small in comparison to most in the area, and more circular than in the shape of a cross. Nevertheless, it had the beauty and grandure of any church in Rome.
Our next destination was to enjoy some "America-time" by going to the movies for a girls night! We watched Carrie and her gang of New-Yorkers and thoroughly enjoyed the light-hearted movie. It brought many laughs and was perfect for two girls who have been away from home for a month now.
Our dinner, just a little spot outside of the theater was one of the best in Italy, at least mine was. I had pesto pasta, but the sauce was much creamier, probably cheesier than what we are used to at home. But that wasn't even the best part! The pasta and sauce were in a little bowl, the bowl was made of fried parmesean cheese!! Yes... it was that delicious, and although my stomach was completely full, I kept munching on the cheese bowl; how could I not?
Since we were on the other side of town, and it was late and we had not yet used the metro, we decided we would just take a cab back to the hotel. It was a much more pleasant experience than our first ride here and so we were thankful that we took the cab and conquered our fears!
This morning, we did brave the metro though. It is not very complicated, as there are only two lines, but the metro is widely known to be full of pick-pockets. We were extra careful though and did just fine. In fact, if anyone had been able to get into the sealed wallet in my zipped purse, I would have been very impressed! Nevertheless, always important to keep on guard!
We had an appointment at the Vatican Museum this morning. It turns out it was really not that crowded, but we were able to go with a small group and a guide, so it was nice to have a little bit of extra information. Our guide was very nice and she had obviously been doing this for many years. She told us that she once had a young boy ask her, as they were discussing the painting of God reaching out to Adam, why Adam had a belly-button. She was impressed with his question and answered him, saying that, well, God was creating him from clay, of course melting and cooking the clay and he reached him to poke him and see if he was done. Haha! That is why Adam had a belly-button in the painting I guess!
The Vatican Museum is huge, and very crowded. It was once where the pope lived and where many famous paintings and sculptures were housed. There is so much to take in there, that it is really too much. And there are so many people, that you sort of feel like cattle being shuffled through the museum in a one-way fashion, but you have to go, even if just to see the Sistene Chapel. I did appreciate our guide's knowledge and was glad about the things that she stopped to tell us about.
The Sistene Chapel is breath-taking. Unfortunately, the constant yells of "Shhh... No Camera!" take away from the ambiance of it all, but there is no way that you can stand in the presence of this chapel and not be amazed. It took Michelangelo four years to paint the ceiling and even more to paint one of the end walls. I just love the image of God reaching out his hand, just out of reach of Adam. It is incredible to see!
After exiting the museum and of course enjoying some pizza, next up was St. Peter's! The line was ridiculously long, but moved amazingly face. Although there were probably thousands of people inside the Basilica, it was really not that crowded, just because it was so huge. As Rick Steve says "To call it vast is like calling God smart." I agree. There should be new words created just to describe the size and majesty of this cathedral that holds the remains of so many pope's and St. Peter himself. My favorite part of the whole church is in the far end, a small stained-glass piece of a white dove flying, appearing almost from the sunshine as she is surrounded by yellow and orange glass. So that is how the "white-dove" that I mentioned earlier actually ties into this Independence Day.
Emily had bought a rosary for her mom and we had been told that we could easily get it blessed in the cathedral. Well, after walking and enjoying the church for quite some time, we had not seen a priest anywhere, and even asking a few people we did not get a straight answer. One would think that this place would be crawling with priests! Finally, Em spotted one that seemed to be bolting for the door. She was able to stop him though and explain what she wanted. Though the blessing was in German, it was blessed inside of St. Peter's, which is pretty cool, no matter what!
We went below the church to see the tombs of former pope's, including the simple tombstone of John Paul II, before going up above the church. We were there, why not climb the dome? We opted to take the elevator up and save 200 of the 500 stairs. We climbed over 300 very narrow, and often slanted stairs to enjoy, first a great view of the inside of the domb, and second a great view of Vatican City (its own country), and the rest of Rome. Truly worth the spiral stairs that were barely wide enough to fit myself and my purse!
We walked aways, of course stopped to enjoy some gelato and then made our way back to Piazza Navona where we enjoyed a small band, and an interesting street performer who danced with puppets on his hands, so that his fingers were their legs. I think it was a great way to round up another fabulous day in this amazing city!
I hope that each of one of you has an amazing 4th of July and that you enjoy time with family and friends as you celebrate the day by eating lots off the grill and shooting fireworks to light up the sky. I do sort of miss all the festivities, but hey, I'm in Rome! We fly out Monday morning!
Happy 4th of July!
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
When in Rome...
Ciao my loyal readers!
I am now in Rome, a glorious, hot, beautiful city! Our last night in Florence was just perfect. We ate dinner in one of the main piazza's, close to the Uffizi Gallery. Our meal was fine, but the surroundings were even better. An orchestra and choir were set up on a stage in front of the Uffizi, facing the square. The square was packed, I mean full of people; we were lucky to have gotten there when we did to get a table. The choir sang Joyful, Joyful in voices that carried into the night sky. It couldn't have been more enjoyable!
I took some night shots of the Ponte Vecchio and the Duomo, I love experimenting with my camera when the subjects are so interesting and attractive!
This morning we got up and headed to the train station. We got on the right train, with a reservation and fine seats. In less than two hours we were here in Rome. Our first experience was not the best as we were cheated, in more ways than one, by a taxi driver, but that was probably our fault. Oh well, you live and learn. The frustrating feeling left by the taxi driver did not last long, so no worries!
Our hotel is great. It is close to the train station and not too far from most of the main attractions of Rome. It is on the opposite side of town from the Vatican, but pretty easy walking distance to most other attractions. Our room is huge compared to the last one with air conditioning, although, no great balcony. The shower, as all showers here have been interesting, is again. Our last shower was basically just a corner of the bathroom, with doors, but the floor was equal to the bathroom floor and no way to keep the bathroom floor dry. Our shower here is a tub, with a shower head on the wall in the middle of the shower, but no shower curtain. Perhaps the maids appreciate our help with mopping the floor!
We had no real plans for today, but decided just to walk, enjoy the city and perhaps get in a few attractions. Of course we started our journey with pizza. (I have gotten very used to pizza for lunch and pasta for dinner... it is just perfect!) Then we went to the Spanish Steps. This is a very popular place to visit at night, and while the steps themselves were not crowded when we visited, the fountain at the bottom of the steps was full of people, people even drinking water and sticking their feet into the fountain for some small relief from the heat.
From the Spanish Steps we walked down a street surrounded by stores like Gucci, Louis Vuitton and others that were all a tad out of our price range. Our next destination was one of the most well known spots in Rome, the Trevi Fountain. It was packed with people from all over the world, tossing coins in and making wishes. The fountain is breath-taking, largley because of the incredible size of the fountain. Water gushes out of the fountain from ancient aqueducts and provides visitors with a beautiful wishing well. You are supposed to throw a coin over your shoulder, make a wish and hope to return to Rome someday. I can't say a lot about the wishes yet, but as I have thrown a coin into the fountain upon each of my visits and this is now my fourth visit to Rome, I guess it is working! :)
We enjoyed some banana and strawberry gelato as we sat in the shadow of this great fountain. We watched people, children, pigeons and even a sea gull who seemed quite at home at this fountain.
Why not continue our walking tour? It was hot, but not unbearably, and with frequent stops to sit for a bit, we enjoyed ourselves. We walked on to the Pantheon. This incredible dome building is one large room, similar to the dome area of a huge cathedral like that of the Duomo or St. Peter, but only the dome part. The top of the dome is 142 feet tall. When that sounds tall on its own, imagine building it without crains or heavy machinery. The one piece granite columns are the tallest in Italy, shipped from Egypt. It is pretty cool just to sit in awe of this creation.
We continued on to Piazza Navona, a large rectangular piazza with three incredible fountains. There are people impersonating statues, kids playing soccer and artists trying to sell their works. A nice place to sit and enjoy the sound of water running.
Along our journey today we discovered an incredible secret! Most of the churches in the area are open daily, cool and free. Why not stop in and visit? We stopped in four churches, because, why not. Now, I know that most of you have heard of St. Peter's, but how many of you could name another church in Rome? I don't think I could. The churches of course in no way compare to St. Peter's, but if they were in the US, we would all be amazed. Emily and I did stop and awe at each of the churches because they are incredible. They were all quiet, VERY few people in any of them. It was a little oasis, a place to escape the hectic, busy Roman streets. All of the cathedrals were beautifully decorated on the inside, peaceful and calming. We stopped in St. Ignazio of Loyola, St. Agnes, Chiesa el Gesu and one other that I cannot find the name of right now! It was the most pleasant of all though! We happened upon a mass, being conducted for a small group of people, I believe in German. Now how many people can say that they have seen a Catholic mass in Italy in German before? Though I knew little of the words being said, the actions were easy to understand and so the deeper meaning was easily conveyed and I fell into a peaceful trance as I watched the group of youngsters taking communion.
In times of despair or times of complete bliss, I usually feel another presence around me, comforting me. For me this spirit is God, the Holy Spirit, but I believe that most religions have a comparable feeling and being that they feel during times of need. I also have felt God's presence in certain places before. I knew I felt him in Jerusalem and Bethlehem when I was there before. I usually feel him in my home town church at the Christmas Eve service as we leave in silence. He's here too. I know He is always around, but there is just a feeling, a certain spirit in this place. Walking through the churches today, I felt that spirit and it calmed and relaxed my spirit. For so long this city has devoted so much of its time, energy and money to the Lord, to His glory. I know that often times it was a symbol of pride, but we also know that there were people who built these incredible monuments for the right reasons.
Next we walked by some ruins, that I had walked by many a times before. What I remembered about them was still true - all the cats! This small square of ruins, lower than the level ground now, is surrounded by a fence. It is a cat haven of sorts. I saw a sign today that said all the cats were sterilized and taken care of all by donations and that there was a shelter nearby you could visit. Can you imagine being a cat, spending your days lying around ancient Roman ruins? Not too shabby. I'm not sure I could count the cats, I probably saw 20 - even a three legged cat like my little Alex at home!
What I noticed today though, that I do not ever remember noticing, perhaps because it is only a tiny sign to mark such significance, but Julius Ceasar was assassinated on these very steps on the Ides of March. Kids, does anyone remember the story of the Ides of March? Julius Ceasar began fearing that his power may come to an end, just at the height of his glory. He found a fortune teller who told him his fears were credited and that he should "Beware the Ides of March." At the time, most dates were told in relationship to certain days of the month. Every month had an "Ides," it was the 15th of the month. On the Ides of March, Ceasar met with his council where they attacked and murdered him. The betrayl was led by his best friend Brutus. Ceasar's famous last line... "Et tu Brute?" (Mr. Lusco would be so proud!) So anyway, I saw the spot where this famous event took place today, even though I guess I had seen it before!
We then decided to head towards our hotel, and stop somewhere along the way for dinner. Neither of us were really hungry though, and we saw the internet cafe which sounded like a perfect alternative, so here we are! Tomorrow we will go to the Colosseum and the Roman Forums, a real history treat! I can't wait!
I am now in Rome, a glorious, hot, beautiful city! Our last night in Florence was just perfect. We ate dinner in one of the main piazza's, close to the Uffizi Gallery. Our meal was fine, but the surroundings were even better. An orchestra and choir were set up on a stage in front of the Uffizi, facing the square. The square was packed, I mean full of people; we were lucky to have gotten there when we did to get a table. The choir sang Joyful, Joyful in voices that carried into the night sky. It couldn't have been more enjoyable!
I took some night shots of the Ponte Vecchio and the Duomo, I love experimenting with my camera when the subjects are so interesting and attractive!
This morning we got up and headed to the train station. We got on the right train, with a reservation and fine seats. In less than two hours we were here in Rome. Our first experience was not the best as we were cheated, in more ways than one, by a taxi driver, but that was probably our fault. Oh well, you live and learn. The frustrating feeling left by the taxi driver did not last long, so no worries!
Our hotel is great. It is close to the train station and not too far from most of the main attractions of Rome. It is on the opposite side of town from the Vatican, but pretty easy walking distance to most other attractions. Our room is huge compared to the last one with air conditioning, although, no great balcony. The shower, as all showers here have been interesting, is again. Our last shower was basically just a corner of the bathroom, with doors, but the floor was equal to the bathroom floor and no way to keep the bathroom floor dry. Our shower here is a tub, with a shower head on the wall in the middle of the shower, but no shower curtain. Perhaps the maids appreciate our help with mopping the floor!
We had no real plans for today, but decided just to walk, enjoy the city and perhaps get in a few attractions. Of course we started our journey with pizza. (I have gotten very used to pizza for lunch and pasta for dinner... it is just perfect!) Then we went to the Spanish Steps. This is a very popular place to visit at night, and while the steps themselves were not crowded when we visited, the fountain at the bottom of the steps was full of people, people even drinking water and sticking their feet into the fountain for some small relief from the heat.
From the Spanish Steps we walked down a street surrounded by stores like Gucci, Louis Vuitton and others that were all a tad out of our price range. Our next destination was one of the most well known spots in Rome, the Trevi Fountain. It was packed with people from all over the world, tossing coins in and making wishes. The fountain is breath-taking, largley because of the incredible size of the fountain. Water gushes out of the fountain from ancient aqueducts and provides visitors with a beautiful wishing well. You are supposed to throw a coin over your shoulder, make a wish and hope to return to Rome someday. I can't say a lot about the wishes yet, but as I have thrown a coin into the fountain upon each of my visits and this is now my fourth visit to Rome, I guess it is working! :)
We enjoyed some banana and strawberry gelato as we sat in the shadow of this great fountain. We watched people, children, pigeons and even a sea gull who seemed quite at home at this fountain.
Why not continue our walking tour? It was hot, but not unbearably, and with frequent stops to sit for a bit, we enjoyed ourselves. We walked on to the Pantheon. This incredible dome building is one large room, similar to the dome area of a huge cathedral like that of the Duomo or St. Peter, but only the dome part. The top of the dome is 142 feet tall. When that sounds tall on its own, imagine building it without crains or heavy machinery. The one piece granite columns are the tallest in Italy, shipped from Egypt. It is pretty cool just to sit in awe of this creation.
We continued on to Piazza Navona, a large rectangular piazza with three incredible fountains. There are people impersonating statues, kids playing soccer and artists trying to sell their works. A nice place to sit and enjoy the sound of water running.
Along our journey today we discovered an incredible secret! Most of the churches in the area are open daily, cool and free. Why not stop in and visit? We stopped in four churches, because, why not. Now, I know that most of you have heard of St. Peter's, but how many of you could name another church in Rome? I don't think I could. The churches of course in no way compare to St. Peter's, but if they were in the US, we would all be amazed. Emily and I did stop and awe at each of the churches because they are incredible. They were all quiet, VERY few people in any of them. It was a little oasis, a place to escape the hectic, busy Roman streets. All of the cathedrals were beautifully decorated on the inside, peaceful and calming. We stopped in St. Ignazio of Loyola, St. Agnes, Chiesa el Gesu and one other that I cannot find the name of right now! It was the most pleasant of all though! We happened upon a mass, being conducted for a small group of people, I believe in German. Now how many people can say that they have seen a Catholic mass in Italy in German before? Though I knew little of the words being said, the actions were easy to understand and so the deeper meaning was easily conveyed and I fell into a peaceful trance as I watched the group of youngsters taking communion.
In times of despair or times of complete bliss, I usually feel another presence around me, comforting me. For me this spirit is God, the Holy Spirit, but I believe that most religions have a comparable feeling and being that they feel during times of need. I also have felt God's presence in certain places before. I knew I felt him in Jerusalem and Bethlehem when I was there before. I usually feel him in my home town church at the Christmas Eve service as we leave in silence. He's here too. I know He is always around, but there is just a feeling, a certain spirit in this place. Walking through the churches today, I felt that spirit and it calmed and relaxed my spirit. For so long this city has devoted so much of its time, energy and money to the Lord, to His glory. I know that often times it was a symbol of pride, but we also know that there were people who built these incredible monuments for the right reasons.
Next we walked by some ruins, that I had walked by many a times before. What I remembered about them was still true - all the cats! This small square of ruins, lower than the level ground now, is surrounded by a fence. It is a cat haven of sorts. I saw a sign today that said all the cats were sterilized and taken care of all by donations and that there was a shelter nearby you could visit. Can you imagine being a cat, spending your days lying around ancient Roman ruins? Not too shabby. I'm not sure I could count the cats, I probably saw 20 - even a three legged cat like my little Alex at home!
What I noticed today though, that I do not ever remember noticing, perhaps because it is only a tiny sign to mark such significance, but Julius Ceasar was assassinated on these very steps on the Ides of March. Kids, does anyone remember the story of the Ides of March? Julius Ceasar began fearing that his power may come to an end, just at the height of his glory. He found a fortune teller who told him his fears were credited and that he should "Beware the Ides of March." At the time, most dates were told in relationship to certain days of the month. Every month had an "Ides," it was the 15th of the month. On the Ides of March, Ceasar met with his council where they attacked and murdered him. The betrayl was led by his best friend Brutus. Ceasar's famous last line... "Et tu Brute?" (Mr. Lusco would be so proud!) So anyway, I saw the spot where this famous event took place today, even though I guess I had seen it before!
We then decided to head towards our hotel, and stop somewhere along the way for dinner. Neither of us were really hungry though, and we saw the internet cafe which sounded like a perfect alternative, so here we are! Tomorrow we will go to the Colosseum and the Roman Forums, a real history treat! I can't wait!
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