Roma

I think everyone goes through a phase with their blogs of not writing for awhile...at least I am telling myself that! Because I only have four precious weeks left here that will be my first and last pausa (break). I’m back tutti (everyone)! Back from my (second) spring break, and playing catch up.

Roma excursion was now 4 weeks ago: Thursday April 28 – Sunday May 1. Thursday afternoon we jumped right into sight seeing. The coliseum was just as magnificent as the last time I had seen it, and our art history professor Pierre Giacomo didn’t leave out a single detail. My friends and I are doing line ups where ever we go and what better place to do it than one of the most famous monuments in the world.

The Roman Forum. It is the oldest part of Rome, and there are still remnants of stone columns and traces of buildings.

Cesare’s tomb.

Stone slab where Marc Anthony once stood to make a famous speech.

View from the Forum.

The Pantheon.

Piazza Navona.

I had to smile to myself sitting at it’s fountains, because it took me back to summer six years prior of my sisters as very little girls frolicking in the same water








That night we had a delicious group dinner in a romantic side alley. We had the best tiramisu of our time here; pudding style with a really moist cookie layer. Sadly, there is no picture of this one.

Friday we started early at St. Peter’s square and the Vatican museum.
Usually, April would not be as crowded as it was, but because of the Beatification of Pope John Paul II that Sunday, tourist season was in full throttle.

Banners hung from pillars of significant photos from the Pope’s time of reign and we got to watch the ceremony being set up.

Entering the Vatican one is overwhelmed with the size, although it never gets old.
Walking around I spotted a girl with a backpack on with the Greek letters PBP for Pi Beta Phi. I approached her and she is a Pi Phi at a university in Florida. It was cool to meet someone who lives on the opposite side of the country, yet we share that similarity.

After many museums we spent Friday afternoon at the Trevi Fountainand then on to eating gelato, relaxing, and people watching on the Spanish Steps. What a lovely afternoon!














Saturday morning our group toured Raphael’s villa and ended in the Campo de Fiori, a traditional market beloved by locals and tourists. The group left that afternoon, but two others and myself stayed until Sunday to see The Beatification of Pope John Paul II. We stayed with a friend who is teaching English and another friend of ours also living in Roma as an au pair joined in along with her cousin visiting from the States. They are all Pi Phi alum, so it was quite the reunion.

Me falling asleep on the bus from lack of sleep.

Sunday’s Beatification welcomed 1.5 million people from across the world; 300,000 people were in St. Peter’s Square and the rest (including us) were at one of seven big screens that surrounded the Vatican.

It was hot and people were pushing, but I could see. I witnessed a very historical day for the Catholic Church.

Now ‘The Blessed Pope John Paul II,’ is recognized as performing one miracle, and is one step away from canonization.
















Lots of sightseeing and witnessing The Beatification made for quite a successful Roman holiday!