A Week of Tours

Pictures:
#1: First view of the Colosseum (I still need to see that thing...) behind the Roman Forum.
#2: Ponte Giribaldi
#3: Castello Sant' Angelo from across Bernini's Ponte Sant' Angelo.
#4: St. Peter's from Castello.
#5: St. Peter's Square
#6: In the Basilica, at the end of the nave. (for scale, that bronze altar thing in the middle is 7 stories tall)
#7: Sunlight coming in through one of the many domes.


June 23rd - June 26th

I was going to write a few notes this week, but I'll just do one long one to sum up. I has been pretty crazy, finding time to explore this beautiful city, while going on class tours every morning, going to class every afternoon, reading Dante's Inferno, and trying to get on a normal sleeping schedule. We had two tours with a professor from Virginia, Katherine Rinne, on the waters of Rome. We followed the ancient aqueducts to the fountains they supply, and learned all about their designs. I'll tell you about it sometime. She was a great guide and knew a lot, but kept it interesting. Our other tour guide was Jeffrey Blanchard, a historian who lives in Rome. He was less apt at keeping it interesting. We liked to think that he knew everything there is to know about the city of Rome. We could ask him any random question, and he could write a book about it. We saw many interesting things on his tours, but he sure liked to talk (and it is starting to get pretty hot here).

On one of Jeffrey's tours we went to the other side of the river to see Castello Sant' Angelo and Vatican City. It was so amazing! The Castello was just like any other castle, and yet it is so close to the heart of the city. Serving as the hideout for the Pope during Rome's many sacks, it also has some pretty nicely decorated rooms. The best part, though, was the rooftop. It gave the best views of the city, and St. Peter's especially, that I've seen so far. I didn't want to leave, but we had to go to St. Peter's next. After a drawn-out lecture on the Basilica's history in the middle of the Square, we stood in line to get into the church. Mind you, it was the middle of the day, in direct sunlight, and we waited in line for 45 minutes. It felt like the line wasn't even moving. By the time we finally got inside, it felt wonderful. Wow is this place showy. Huge doesn't even begin to describe it (the bronze Baldaccino altar in the middle of the crossing is 7 stories tall) as it is the biggest church in the world. There was so much to see, I didn't know where to begin. And the materiality of the space was overwhelming. We stopped for a while to watch them replace a piece of marble in the floor, and it was quite the process. I will definitely have to go back and see it, especially because I have not been to the top yet! (and it's the Sears tower of Rome - you have to go to the top).

Other than tours, I've just been trying to spend as much time around the city as I can. I'm slowly gaining my bearings of the winding, narrow streets, and one of these days I will be able to leave the house without taking a map in my bag - but we'll give it a few days. A big group of us went out for our first pizza on Wednesday, and it was so delicious. I got a Margherita pizza, which is just cheese and tomatoes. When they bring it out, it is an entire pizza, just for you. It is not that difficult to eat the whole thing, though, because the crust is so thin. Then, of course, we went out for gelato, and I'd have to say I haven't had a bad one yet. Tutto bene!