When in Rome...

---

This past weekend I went to Roma with four other people in my program (Liz, Brian, Lenny and Carl). Even though I've been before, it was still amazing! After a 5+ hour train ride, we found our hotel around 9 p.m. It was a very nice 2-star hotel very close to the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. We had airconditioning, a minibar, a large bathroom, big fluffy towels, a balcony, etc. Outstanding! If you're ever in Rome, I recommend the Hotel Paba.

However, the second night was booked, so we had to move to the hotel across the hall--a big down grade. The funniest part was the "bathroom." It was the size of a very small closet with a tiny sink, a toilet, AND a shower head over top. So basically you get everything wet when you shower. Also there was not a real door. Instead there was a folding glass partition that you could see right through and was positioned right in front of the door to our room. YIKES--privacy in the bathroom is a luxury that I miss here!

Saturday we toured the Vatican for nearly 8 hours! We checked out the museum and the Sistine Chapel. (My friend, Brian, even took some "illegal" pictures of the Sistine paintings.) We also got to see the tomb of Pope John Paul II. Before touring St. Peter's Basillica itself, we walked up more than 600 stairs to the top of the dome. Although the view was breathtaking, the continual spiral staircases and the cramped quarters started to bring on a wave of nausea and panic.

After the Vatican, we enjoyed a leisurely lunch and then visited the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill and the Colosseum. It was really awe-inspiring to think that we were standing where great men such as Julius Caesar once stood. After exploring the ancient center for business, politics, and philosophy we moved on to the center for blood and guts--the Colosseum. A drastic change, but also very cool!

On our way back to the hotel we saw two bridal couples having their pictures taken in front of the colosseum and then we watched the Italian Gay Pride parade ride by! Both evenings we had late dinners that were delicious (and lasted 3+ hours--Italians do dinner right!). The Ciao Bella Ristorante is superb! (I can't remember the location, but if you're interested in going there if you visit Roma, let me know, and I will find out.) I had fantastic calamari and gnocchi in gorgonzola sauce. The wine was also tasty!

On Sunday, we visited the Spanish Steps and did some shopping (mainly through the window because there are numerous high-end stores there: Gucci, Cartier, La Perla, Roberto Cavalli, etc.). All in all, it was a fabulous weekend, and I am utterly exhausted. Time to buckle down a little and do some homework, but realistically I'll be thinking about the upcoming weekend and formulating plans... :-) Heading to the French Riviera for some sun and the Tour de France next weekend!

Arrivederci!

Allison

---

Photos

Postcard Perfect
I don't remember the name of the statue (I have now seen so many!), but this shot looks like a postcard!