Lot's More Sights in Roma

It's been another scorching, many mile walking, delicious food eating, day in Rome! We started off the day with a trip to the Catacombs. We couldn't take pictures, but these two from Google give a pretty good idea. This is where Christians were buried outside of Rome. St. Sebastian Catacombs is the one we visited. Overall there are 7 miles of graves and over 100,00 people buried. Wow!

This stone was one of my favorite things to see. It is a cross with an anchor, an icthus, and chi ro, all early Christian symbols. I loved imagining what it was like for the early church at this time! 

 Apparently St. Sebastian's remains are in the church above it. 

 Next we headed to the Capuchin crypt. We weren't really supposed to take pictures here either, but the guy let me have a couple. Google it if you want! This was one of the craziest things I've ever seen. Basically in the 1700's a monk decided to decorate 5 or so rooms with the bones of almost 3,000 monks. I have never seen more intricate art made with such a unique medium. It was sobering. The white plaque above reads in 5 languages "What you are now we once were and what we are now you will be."

 The Ecstasy of Saint Teresa, by Bernini, in Santa Maria della Vittoria. I just realized that this is the same Saint Teresa who is a Spanish mystic that I read in my lit class last Spring! I also saw her confessional in Salamanca, because she was from very close by. 

 At the top of the Spanish steps

 Incredible view

 On the Spanish Steps

 Piazza Popolo. There are these obelisks everywhere that are stolen from Egypt.

I couldn't finish a day in Rome blog post with anything other than food. Here is my delicious  Gnocchi with Spinach and Gargonzola. Yum!

Second Full Day in Rome

Once again, we had a long full day and saw so much! It was great.

 Campo del Fiori market

 San Luigi dei Francesi church where we saw 3 Caravaggio works

 Old part of the Jewish ghetto

 Not the best picture ever, but we had traditional fried fish and artichoke in the Jewish quarter. Yum!

This is the Basilica di Santa Maria en Trastevere. I loved this church! Worked on as old as 221.

 Basilica of Saint Cecilia 

 Sam's dream life - bumming through Europe making money off music.

Incredible pasta from a place where they make their own!

And of course, what day could end without Gelato? This is from a famous place. I got White Peach and Blackberry. MMMMM

A VERY Full Day

We definitely took advantage of our first full day in Rome and saw soooo many incredible things! I loved all of it. It is so mind boggling to think about how old all this is.

 Coliseum 

Paletine Hill, Roman Forum, and all the ruins.

 St. Clemente church. I couldn't take pictures inside the really cool part, which is excavated churches beneath it. You basically walk down through history all the way to a pagan temple.

 Michelangelo's Moses at the Basilica of St. Peter in Chains

 Circus Maximus- This is where thousands of Christians died during the persecution of the early church. 

 Bronze she-wolf nursing Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. This image is ALL over the city.

 Capitol building.

 Lasagna that was out of this world! 

We finished off the day with gelato in the Piazza Navona. I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!

Welcome to Rome!

After a little 1.5 hour nap, we got on a bus to Madrid and flew to ROME!!! It was a long day, but being here has been so incredible! The city has such a cool vibe. In our first few hours here, we already hit some big stuff!

 Trevi Fountain!

 Walked around a corner and found the Pantheon. Woah!

 Got some incredible cannolis!

Juan, my Spanish dad, kept saying that I was going to meet the Pope in Rome. We found him! Haha. This man is from Prague, and for some reason he decided to come to Rome and sit on the side of the road. So funny.

Hasta Luego

In Spain, they rarely say Adios. To them, it seems very final. Even when you leave a store the attendant will usually say "Hasta luego!" or "See you later!" Well, the day has come. I'm about to leave Spain! Four weeks has seemed like an instant and a lifetime in one. Today I went to my usual cafe for the last time.

The owner gave me and the two girls I always go with free coffee! He is so sweet. It is raining today, so the dreary sky kind of fits. If I didn't miss the people from home so much, I'd be fine with staying here just a little bit longer. I can't believe my time is coming to an end. It has been such an incredible experience all together. I already can list about a thousand things I've learned, and I know that the longer I'm home the more it will sink in. So enough for being sentimental.

5 Things I'm Going to Miss About Salamanca

1. Walking around every day amidst buildings 4 times as old as my country.

2. The Plaza Mayor. I know that sounds stereotypical, but it is just such a fun place. I wish all our towns had a clear center and gathering place.

3. Spending so much time just sitting and enjoying people's company.

4. All these incredible side trips I've gotten to take. There is something magical about seeing famous things with your own eyes!

5. Speaking Spanish! 

5 Things I'm Not Going to Miss

1. Pork. It is everywhere. I can't handle it anymore. I need some chicken and veggies in my life!

2. Sleeping without air conditioning. 

3. The bars aimed at American students, the people constantly passing out flyers, and the general emphasis on drunkenness in conversation and expectation. 

4. The inability to make anything with my hands! It has been crazy to have a month without knitting, sewing, crafting, etc. I am ready for some projects!

5. The weak breakfasts. Bring on some eggs and bacon and biscuits and gravy!