Saturday was a beautiful day in Roma! We decided to take advantage of the proximity and head over to the Vatican. I had no idea what to expect and was shocked at how HUGE Vatican City, or whatever they call it, really is. We waited in line for a while and then went into St. Peter's Basilica (the church in the Vatican) which was unbelievably beautiful. It was so big and so ornately decorated....very cool to see. We then decided to be brave and climb up to the top of the Basilica where we heard there was an amazing view. The sign warned us that there were 551 stairs to climb....but we figured we'd be fine. Needless to say we thought we were dying climbing to the top haha. It was so hot because we had to cover our shoulders with our sweaters, SO claustrophobic, and so exhausting. The whole time I kept saying no WAY does the Pope climb this when he wants to go to the top, and wondering where his secret elevator was that I could take. But we eventually made it to the top, and the view was amazing- well worth it.
After taking the elevator= 231 additional stairs. This little notice should also include out of shape people, beware.
As if we weren't struggling enough as is, the walls were slanted to the right in the last part of the climb. So much fun for all!
View from the top, including the Vatican. Very worth the climb!After our near death experience, we were famished and got some lunch at a cute little cafe. Pizza and gelato, of course (the eating theme continued into Rome). Then we went back over to the Vatican, but this time to the Vatican Museum, where the Sistine Chapel is. It is a pretty long museum and the Sistine Chapel is the very last room, but walking through was actually very cool. We got to see some more amazingly decorated rooms and some very famous frescos (my favorite: School of Athens by Raphael, courtesy of Emily!). We finally made it to the Sistine Chapel and were in awe. The chapel itself is huge and every tiny inch is decorated with such detailed works by Michelangelo, Raphael, Botticelli, etc. I snapped an illegal picture, but it came out blurry (and my head was accidentally in it). Oh well! Saturday night we went out to celebrate a friend from Wisconsin's birthday who was studying in Rome, which meant we got to see a lot of our Wisconsin friends! Two of our friends were even visiting from Israel on their spring break! It was a lot of fun to hang out with them, especially in such a fantastic city!
Sunday was another hot and sunny day (we couldn't have gotten luckier with the weather the whole time!). We got to sleep in which was so nice because normally when I'm visiting a city it's only for a weekend and we have to cram things in, but this time we could take our time! So after lunch we went into downtown Rome. We saw what remains of the ancient Roman Forum, and then went to the Colosseum, which was definitely one of my favorite parts of Rome. It is just so hard for me to believe that it was built in the year 80 AD and is still standing. And that I got to stand in it!
Some ruins of the Roman Forum (central area around which ancient Roman civilization developed)
Dori and Emily inside the Colosseum!
Us outside of the ColosseumWe then went to the Pantheon, which was also very cool to see, but after coming from the Colosseum seemed a little lame haha. After walking around a little more downtown, we headed back with very tired feet! Sunday night we cooked an adorable Italian meal in Emily's kitchen (pasta with olive oil, tomato, and basil and chicken with pesto sauce) and decided to just stay in and hang out which included lots of laughing and finally lots of much needed sleep.
On Monday we had some excellent salads for lunch (not pizza!) and then headed back into town. We walked around a lot and saw the Spanish steps, Piazza de Popoli, and finally the Trevi fountain (and yes, I did pretend I was in the Lizzie McGuire movie...I didn't run into Paolo or Ms Ungermeier though).
Us sitting on the Spanish steps!
And us sitting by the Trevi Fountain (I figured the pictures with us are a little more interesting haha)
Our hands with the pennies, right before we made a wish and threw them in the fountain!
After heading back to Emily's apartment (she had class), Dori and I had some interesting adventures trying to find some things for Emily's birthday (wine, eggs and cheese for omelettes, an Italian birthday card, a piece of cake). We pretty much felt like fools in a foreign country, but found everything we needed! Then I had the pleasure of meeting up with an old friend, Alanna Morgan, for coffee. We've gone to school together since preschool, so it was very fun to catch up on our first semester not going to school together ever, especially in such a place like Rome!
Tuesday was Emily's 21st birthday (!!!!), so we began the celebrations on Monday night. We went to one of her favorite restaurants, Jasmine, and each had a GIANT pizza to ourselves (shoot, I didn't have pizza for lunch but I guess I had it for dinner). It was delicious, as usual. Then Dori and I decided we had to tell our waitress it was Emily's birthday and get her a dessert with a candle, and Dori somehow convinced me that I had to go tell our non-English speaking waitress it was her birthday because I "spoke Italian". Right. So I basically told her it was Emily's birthday in Spanish, but switched cumpleaños to cumpleannos, one of the few Italian words I knew. Somehow she understood, and brought out Emily a beautiful piece of chocolate cake with a candle! We sang to her in English while the whole restaurant stared, and at the end they all clapped!
Emily, slightly embarassed, with her birthday cake.
Us sitting on the Spanish steps!
And us sitting by the Trevi Fountain (I figured the pictures with us are a little more interesting haha)
Our hands with the pennies, right before we made a wish and threw them in the fountain!After heading back to Emily's apartment (she had class), Dori and I had some interesting adventures trying to find some things for Emily's birthday (wine, eggs and cheese for omelettes, an Italian birthday card, a piece of cake). We pretty much felt like fools in a foreign country, but found everything we needed! Then I had the pleasure of meeting up with an old friend, Alanna Morgan, for coffee. We've gone to school together since preschool, so it was very fun to catch up on our first semester not going to school together ever, especially in such a place like Rome!
Tuesday was Emily's 21st birthday (!!!!), so we began the celebrations on Monday night. We went to one of her favorite restaurants, Jasmine, and each had a GIANT pizza to ourselves (shoot, I didn't have pizza for lunch but I guess I had it for dinner). It was delicious, as usual. Then Dori and I decided we had to tell our waitress it was Emily's birthday and get her a dessert with a candle, and Dori somehow convinced me that I had to go tell our non-English speaking waitress it was her birthday because I "spoke Italian". Right. So I basically told her it was Emily's birthday in Spanish, but switched cumpleaños to cumpleannos, one of the few Italian words I knew. Somehow she understood, and brought out Emily a beautiful piece of chocolate cake with a candle! We sang to her in English while the whole restaurant stared, and at the end they all clapped!
Emily, slightly embarassed, with her birthday cake.That night we went out to a bar and met a lot of Emily's friends and had a great night celebrating her 21st birthday!!! Dori and I were so glad we could be there to celebrate with her; I'm very sad that I won't get to be with most of my friends on their 21st birthdays!
Tuesday morning Dori and I got up and made Emily some breakfast in bed :). We hung out in her apartment for a while before going to this cute little area and grabbing some lunch (sandwiches!) on top of a hill where we had a great view of Rome. After lunch we walked around for a little while, then headed back to her apartment. Dori left for the airport around 5:30, and after Emily and I watched the Lizzie McGuire movie, I left for the airport to go back around 7:30. It was a slightly stressful trip back, I thought I was almost going to miss my flight because the bus and train to the airport took longer than expected, but I made it. Then my flight was delayed on top of it. I landed in Sevilla around 1:30, and finally arrived at my house around 2:30.
Overall, I had such an amazing time in Italy. It is such an amazing country with all its history, culture, and great food of course! It was also so nice to spend time with Emily and Dori; we wished that all our friends could have been together!! But we had a really great time together, and it was definitely a trip I will remember forever!
I have spent yesterday and today in Sevilla, doing lots of things I need to get done before we go to Lagos, Portugal tomorrow morning. This week is Semana Santa (Holy Week), and it is a HUGE holiday in Sevilla. We saw a little yesterday and are seeing more of the festivities today, so I'll be sure to post about that and Lagos next week. In the meantime, happy Pesach and happy early Easter to all! Unfortunately I cannot keep Passover this year, mainly because bread and rice products are basically a staple of my diet here (lovely), not to mention that matzah doesn't really exist (as I said, there is one synagogue in Sevilla). I was actually supposed to go to a seder tonight, but unfortunately don't think I'll have time because of all the things I need to get done! Oh well :(
Miss and love you all!,
Jess
Tuesday morning Dori and I got up and made Emily some breakfast in bed :). We hung out in her apartment for a while before going to this cute little area and grabbing some lunch (sandwiches!) on top of a hill where we had a great view of Rome. After lunch we walked around for a little while, then headed back to her apartment. Dori left for the airport around 5:30, and after Emily and I watched the Lizzie McGuire movie, I left for the airport to go back around 7:30. It was a slightly stressful trip back, I thought I was almost going to miss my flight because the bus and train to the airport took longer than expected, but I made it. Then my flight was delayed on top of it. I landed in Sevilla around 1:30, and finally arrived at my house around 2:30.
Overall, I had such an amazing time in Italy. It is such an amazing country with all its history, culture, and great food of course! It was also so nice to spend time with Emily and Dori; we wished that all our friends could have been together!! But we had a really great time together, and it was definitely a trip I will remember forever!
I have spent yesterday and today in Sevilla, doing lots of things I need to get done before we go to Lagos, Portugal tomorrow morning. This week is Semana Santa (Holy Week), and it is a HUGE holiday in Sevilla. We saw a little yesterday and are seeing more of the festivities today, so I'll be sure to post about that and Lagos next week. In the meantime, happy Pesach and happy early Easter to all! Unfortunately I cannot keep Passover this year, mainly because bread and rice products are basically a staple of my diet here (lovely), not to mention that matzah doesn't really exist (as I said, there is one synagogue in Sevilla). I was actually supposed to go to a seder tonight, but unfortunately don't think I'll have time because of all the things I need to get done! Oh well :(
Miss and love you all!,
Jess
sounds very much like a trip you will treasure throughout your life. so happy that you were able to do it with such good friends. i also wish i could be there to celebrate your 21st with you; oh well, we will do it when you get home. love, dad
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