Ciao!
Today was our last day in Rome and last day in Italy. You’d
think it would be Bummer City for us, but we all had fantastic days today. Our
group of 13 split into 4 separate, smaller groups that individually did what
they really wanted to. Some people went to the Vatican to see Papa Francesco, a
few went to the park at the Borghese to relax, and others stayed in the hotel
for the afternoon before we all met up for gelato at 2.
Ana Maria, Geoff, Katia, and I broke off and did our own
thing. I really wanted to see San Carlo Quattro Alle Fontana, a gorgeous
Baroque church. So the four of us headed that way and stopped in a basilica
that occupied a space that functioned as public baths when Diocletian ruled,
however long ago that was. The place was huge and stunning inside. The outside
looks like brick ruins. But once you walk in the front door the ceiling leaps
up at least 3 stories into a not-really-coffered dome. There were a few big
chapels in there and the sacristy led out into a tranquil little courtyard.
Man, it was all so gorgeous and surprising. We left there and went to the
church I’ve been looking so forward to seeing. It did not disappoint. The
Baroque exterior was undulating and pulsating in the afternoon sun. We crossed
the street to see it better, and upon doing so, I saw that the door was open.
As soon as there was a break in traffic I ran across the street because I know
it’s never open and I had a feeling that I had a small window of time to enter
it. We ran in, looked around very briefly, snapped a few photos, and got pushed
out. I believe that the only reason we got in was because it’s Sunday, there
must have been mass, and the man who was closing the church was chatting with
someone. I was so happy. So we went back out, looked at the façade some more,
and left.
We walked down the street a bit and realized that we were
walking between the buildings where the president of Italy lives and works. It
was a weird moment but so cool. We then walked through a big piazza, down a hill,
and ran into the Trevi Fountain. We continued walking and ran into the
Pantheon. Not a bad walk. After that we went to Giolitti to meet everyone at 2
for our final gelato. I got a medium cone dipped in chocolate with vanilla,
chocolate, and oreo cookie gelato topped with cream. I don’t care how gross or
fat or whatever that makes me sound; it was the most delicious final gelato I
could have had. We all enjoyed our treats then split up once again. A bunch of
us hadn’t eaten lunch so we walked a few blocks to a pizza place we had
stumbled upon the other day that I had said, “it’s older than my grandpa, so it
must be great” about it. I was right, it was delicious. I got this cheese pizza
topped with tomato chunks. I’ve probably said this before, but I don’t like
tomatoes very much at home; here it’s an entirely different story. I’m going to
miss these tomatoes.
After that we split up even more. Sarah, Emily, Amber, Ana
Maria, Krista and I wanted to see the Spanish Steps so we hoofed it over there.
As we approached it all we could see was an ocean of people. As we got closer,
all we saw was that ocean spewing out onto the steps themselves. I could barely
see any steps because a ton of people were sitting all over them. The six of us
kind of just looked at each other thinking the same thing. This was not worth
the walk, even if it was just 10 minutes. I think I was the one to say “so uh,
do we really want to walk up those or are we okay?” and everyone agreed we
would not be walking up the Spanish Steps. I was more excited to see the
Keats/Shelley House at the foot of the steps. So we honestly just walked up 6
steps to the first landing then turned right around and began out walk back to
the main road.
On the way to a bus stop I knew we were close to the Pantheon
so I asked if everyone would be down to go there and they all were. So we
returned to my favorite place and I got to spend a while in there just soaking
it in. I bought myself the single thing they sell in there: a pair of books
explaining the Pantheon (plus some charity work the church is doing in Africa)
for 10 euro. I’m so excited to read it when I finally get home. We ran into
Katia and Brittany on their way out so some girls left us to go back to the
hotel with them. Sarah, Krista, Ana Maria, and I were left to make our own way
back eventually.
When we were ready, we went to a bus stop nearby to hop on
one to go home. The first one that we could take came, and it was packed so we
waited. The next one that we could take came, and it was also packed so we
stayed off. We then walked to the next bus stop on our route in hopes that we
would have better chances there. A bus pulled up that didn’t seem to crowded,
so I led us to the back (I yelled, “To the back!!” to the girls and Krista said
the Zaho is strong in me) where it didn’t seem so bad but oh man was it bad.
Within the first minute, the man next to us got a handful of my butt. This was
not okay. I immediately shoved my elbow into his side and just kept pushing for
a good 30 seconds until he got the message and there was space between us. As
it turns out, he got the message that I wasn’t having it, but he moved on to my
girl Ana Maria. He was a major creep and Ana Maria let him know that she wasn’t
okay with it. He eventually got off and we had more room in the bus to complain
about gross people, then we got off and returned to our rooms.
After about an hour of just hanging out in here, we all
headed down to this little lounge in the hotel to sit and have what was
essentially a final meeting. Man, typing that made me sad. We just sat in a big
circle and talked about our days and laughed with each other and that was it.
We left that room and won’t be all together again until who knows when.
After that we went back to our rooms. Some made plans for
dinner, we hung out a bit, I got sassed at for not going out, then I came and
sat on my bed to write out postcards to friends that I’m going to send out once
I get home to Florida. In my mind it’s the time that I write the card out that
counts, not when I send it or where from. I ate a sleeve of cookies for dinner
because I’m an idiot. Actually it was mostly because I bought those to snack on
for the next few days before I decided that I wasn’t going to spend any more
money today. So they became my dinner. And by dinner I mean I ate like 12
sandwich cookies over the span of 5 hours. All right, I’m going to stop digging
myself into this hole.
I’m going to listen to the two Edith Piaf songs I have on my
laptop right now to get stoked about Paris.
Arriverdeci!
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