Bella Roma

Italy has been keeping me occupied and away from my blog, so it's time for some serious catching up!  Let's start at the capital, Roma.
Three weeks ago, I met my beloved Tufties, Miriam and Alex in Rome on a beautifully sunny day.  We were the crazy Americans in tee-shirts and tank tops on the 70 degree day; the Italians kept their leather jackets on.

Alex, me and Miriam at the Colosseum

First we did what ever tourist does, we went to the symbol of Ancient Rome, the Colosseum.  It was very surreal to be inside the incredibly famous and old theater, but having seen it in so many movies, it was almost like I had been there before, like it wasn't new to me.

Fontana di Trevi

Colosseum

As the sun set, the Colosseum and many other monuments closed, so we made our way to the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain.  Having just done an Italian presentation on La Dolce Vita, I was especially excited to see La Fontana di Trevi.  It was actually much more beautiful in person than I expected it to be.  Especially at night, what a romantic spot.  As I am sure many of you know, I would very much like to return to Italy someday, so I threw a coin into the fountain.
Next we crossed the Tiber River to enjoy a more authentic dinner.  Night one was fantastic pizza.  Exhausted, we went back to the Sleeping Beauty guesthouse and fell right to sleep.
Friday morning, we went straight to the Vatican.  The Vatican Museum was overwhelming, beautiful, incredible.  Every square inch was decorated with frescos leading up to the Sistine Chapel.  The whole museum was a bit of a sensory overload, in a good way.

Foro Romano

Next we went to Foro Romano.  This was like a playground of Roman ruins, we just got to stroll around like it was a park.  It could be a great place for hide-and-go-seek.  I think I liked these ruins more than the Colosseum because it was a unique setting and a place I knew nothing about.  That evening we saw Piazza della Republica, explored some churches, and ate a delicious meal on an unknown sidestreet.  I had some sort of shrimp and pasta and it was incredibly flavorful.
The next day, made a leisurely walk to the Spanish Steps, which were pretty but a boring in the grand scheme of things in a city like Rome.  We then explored the other side of the river and found a cute place for refreshing salads.  Then we made our way back to the Vatican to see St. Peter's Basilica.  All the churches in Rome where much more ornate than the ones in Florence, so I had high expectations for this basilica.  The dome was a beautiful silvery blue that seemed to reflect the sky, so the outside was stunning.  Upon our entry, I felt like I had shrunk.  Everything was massive and I was so small in comparison.  If they added clouds and more light, it would make a very good representation of what heaven might be like.  I especially loved the pinkish marble which shined it was so well polished.  That evening we went back to the area on the other side of the river where we were the first night for our last dinner together.

St. Peter's Basilica

The next morning, Alex and Miriam had already left, so I went back to the Vatican on my own.  There was a 9a.m. mass at St. Peter's so I got there fifteen minutes before it started.  Already, they were seating people outside in the piazza, after about five minutes I realized that the mass would be conducted outside.  Everyone was dressed up though which I found strange.  They were wearing all sorts Renaissance monk and nun costumes.  They were definitely not real monks and nuns. 
When it became 9:30 and mass hadn't started, I began to think something was up.  Some people were passing out prayer cards and everyone was getting very excited, almost competitive to get them.  The woman next to me got two of the same, so let me have her extra.  When I asked her who was handing them out, she noticed my accent and seemed very surprised that an American would be at this service.  We got to talking and I learned that she had come from Sardinia for mass today because it was a special mass for the Confraternities of Italy, that's why they were dressed up.  Mass did not start until 10:30.  When it ended at 11:45, the woman from Sardinia helped me find the window where the Pope would give his blessing.  There was so many people in the piazza, it had been filled with visitors and when the mass let out, we were all quite squished.  But I did find a good spot in the crowd and got to see the Pope.  It was quite the experience to see him, he has a very calming and kind speaking voice.  As soon as he finished, I ran back to the metro so that I could check out of the Sleeping Beauty in time.

Sunday morning at the Vatican