Roma: eternity in one day

'I saw eternity the other night...' and her name was ROMA! 

Rome, the eternal city! I wasn't a huge fan of it the first time I visited, but now I'm in love! I did all of the following in one single day! Thousands of years of human history in a matter of hours.

The Colosseum was a must! We had an awesome tour guide for this and the Roman Forum. My last tour of both was terrible and our guide hated us! Francesca loved us, and we loved her! Probably the best (non-Gabriel) tour guide we've had on this trip!  

Francesca also walked us around the old Roman Forum. It was only raining a little, but just enough to scare all of the tourists away! The place was near empty, so my pictures came out much better than last time!

After the tour, a group of us decided to carry on with the adventures and to go see as much as possible within walking distance! We frist found ourselves at the Trevi Fountain. I've been told that there's a system to what wishes you wish in order for the magic to work. The first time to Rome and the fountain, you wish to return there (as I did in 2008). The second time you come to Rome and the fountain (aka, this time), you wish to find true love. The third time you come to Rome and the fountain, you're with your true love and you don't need a third wish. Who knows, I'm on track for this to come true!

After lunch, we stumbled upon the Spanish Steps completely by accident. We were looking for some friends that ate separately when we durned a corner and BAM! Spanish Steps in our face!

Our last stop of the day, before we nearly collapsed from walking all over Rome was the Pantheon. This was probably the coolest building I have ever been inside. I don't know why, but last time I was in Rome we skipped it. What a crime! Oh well, at least I got to enjoy it this time around! 

Siena for Gabe’s special day

Gabriel Fawcett (our guide, professor and friend) was born in Siena, Italy. Today, we visited his town of birth, on his birthday! It was a really fun experience for us to share with Gabriel. It was also the first time he’s returned to the place of his birth since he's become a Christian. The entire group laid hands on him in the town square and prayed for him for like 30 minutes. It was a moving experience for all of us, especially Gabe. (yes, there is an American football in his hand in that picture)

Siena has always been a favorite city for everybody in my Italian family that has been. Today, I finally understood why. This place was magical! We went inside their Duomo and I was in awe. Who knew that black and white stripes would look awesome inside of a cathedral! 

After the church, we climbed this partly completed (or maybe partly destroyed) arched wall that was the highest point of the city and overlooked the town and Tuscany around us! It was one of the most beautiful scenes I’ve seen on this trip. 

Florence: awesometown, world

My favorite city I have every been to in my life. And it’s even better than I remember it! This has been the city that I’ve compared every other city to on this trip. I’ve told a lot of people on this trip that, but when they ask why it’s kind of difficult to explain. I just love everything about it, but mostly I love the people. So many other cities are just packed with tourist after tourist. But even though Florence has tourists, its of a different sort. One, the median age of people visiting seems to by way younger. I guess there are so many people studying abroad there (like my sister Annalise did) or college kids like me visiting. Also, it seems like Italians love it there! I’d say the fast majority of the people I’ve interacted with in Florence are Italian. It just feels like a real, living, breathing, crazy Italian city, and I LOVE IT! 

I did everything one should do in Florence, and so much more! Saw the David, climbed the Duomo, walked along the Ponte Vecchio bridge, did’t go to the Uffizi this time around (don’t tell Gabriel, my art prof.), went to the leather market, ate awesome steak… but I also wandered, I explored, I got lost. I had hour long conversations with complete strangers, I watched football (both NFL and Serie A), danced the night away, drank the night away. It was an all around spectacular week.

It was by far one of the most fun weeks of the trip. Even though we had 2,000 word art paper due, a three page WWII paper due, and a 2,000 word technology paper to work on, I still managed to have a ton on fun in my favorite city in the world! 

Venezia!

Life has been so crazy the past 11 or so days that I’ve been in Italia! (hence me not updating my blog since the night I arrived in Venice). I don’t know where to begin... How about the beginning? That’s a very good place to start. (Sound of Music reference, Austria was rad). 

So my last post was about us arriving in Venice. Venice was so much fun! That city is beyond beautiful, it feels like it’s part of a different world. The only draw back of it, it’s 90% tourists, 10% locals (and they’re only there to profit off the tourists). It’s sad really, I wish I could have seen Venice 50 or 100 years ago. I did what I was told to do last time I was in Venice my by Euro History AP teacher Dugan Miller, I got completely lost (usually on purpose) almost every day we were there. Only then can you see the true beauty of Venice without the tourists surrounding you. It’s amazing how you can just take one turn off a noisy street, and it’s quiet. One more turn, and it’s absolutely silent. 

I love this town, but I’m much more of a big city guy.

my triumphant return to Italia

Today might have been one of the greatest days of my life. Definitely one of the greatest days of the trip. Our bus dropped us off a ways outside of Venice, and we got to take a bunch of small water taxis into the heart of the city (where our hotel is). This was a view of Venice that I've never seen before, it was unbelievable! 

I was here last during my sophomore year of high school with my European History AP teacher and some students for a spring break trip. This time around is under completely different (better) circumstances and I'm so stoked! Graham Fawcett, Gabe's dad, has met up with us again! Back to poetry in the most beautiful city in the world!

No words can describe how I feel being back, but I think my smile in the following pictures says it all. People have already noticed me change from the moment we crossed over the border in the Alps. My giant Italian family would be proud.

I'm finally back in Italy!