americanos, ugh!

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honestly, i now understand the reason for the bad rep that americans get these days. i blame alcohol. really, why do they feel the need to come over here and drink to excess and then say the most obsence things. i'm not saying that we should lower the drinking age at home, or they should raise it here, but that some ppl just need to learn manners and basic ettiquet (sp?).

that was my little spill, sorry, for the complaint section.

this week has been really busy. techniqually it was our first week, and i think it went really smoothly. i went into rome everyday except for tuesday. monday i'm pretty sure i already talked about it. wednesday was our first art & arch. of Rome in rome. we went to the Capitoline Muesum. It holds important sculptures like the Dying Gaul, the Capitoline Venus, the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus. it is extremely impressive. i felt daunted standing beside this wall of stone that stood at least 20 feet high, and it wasn't even half of the foundation. amazing. the original statue of Marcus Aurelius on horseback. a copy now stands in the middle of capitoline plazza, which is the only public space designed by Michelangelo. it is set off infront of the forum, which can be seen from a passage between the two buildings that contain the museums, underneath the mayor's office building. There is so much more that was there, rooms and rooms. once again i got lost (this is really becoming an everyday affair).

tonight we once again went into rome, but it was a subdued affair due to the rain, which has ruined our plans for tomorrow too. we were supposed to take a group trip to sperlonga, the beach and such, but (A) the transportation system is on strike and (b) it is raining all day. so that trip has been moved to nextweekend, but as a voluteer trip, so i'm going.

Happy birthday Faith darlin' dear!!! i love you bunches and bunches!!! love to you all!

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Photos

Capitoline Hill
i know it is a bit bright, but the museums are the buildings to the left and right, and the mayor's office building in front.

La Lupa
we couldn't use flash in the museum, so it is a bit dark, but this is la lupa, who is said to have nurished romulus and remus and saved them from the river. romulus is also said to be the first leader of rome.

Hercules
so this really isn't hercules, but the face of one of the leaders of rome who put their face to the body of hercules

Marcus Aurelius
this is the copy made for the piazza when designed by michelangelo. the real thing is much more amazing!

ghetto train
one of the many metro rails

kicked off the metro
for the first time the metro broke down on us:(

crowded
here we are, like a bunch of pack animals...tehehehe, just kidding