Michigan State University: Classical Republicanism in Rome and Florence, Italy, Summer, 2011

Friday, May 27

Rain O'Clock

Day 7: Thursday
I really didn’t want to get up this morning, but alas, I had to. Class was class, but the best part was when we moved all the desks into a U shape, which is more conducive to discussion, to make us feel more like we’re in Case Hall. After class a few of us hung around to talk to Tobin, and then we (me, Elli, Kari, David, Joe, Brandon, Dylan) decided to try out an Irish pub we saw across the street from where Mario took us to get gelato. It turned out to be a really good idea. We were so excited to hear people speaking English and to see burgers and fries and chicken fingers on the menu. They were even playing American baseball on the tv. I ended up getting a grilled chicken wrap, but I had a bite of David’s chicken fingers and they were SO GOOD. And of course, the rest of the boys got Burgers. After our delicious lunch we were transported back to the streets of Rome, and we walked back up to the Vittoriano/Wedding cake to go to the top. We took a couple pictures of the outside because it is just so huge and impressive it’s impossible to get over, no matter how many times you see it. Then we paid seven euro each to take the glass elevator up to the top, which was a little scary but not the worst I’ve experience. The top wasn’t as great as I thought it would be, but it was still pretty awesome. We could see almost everything in every direction, except the direct right and left where giant statues were blocking the view, which unfortunately was the direction of our apartments. We chilled up there for a while taking pictures in every direction of the Colosseum and Forum, the Vatican, Pantheon, and just the city in general.


View of the Forum and Colosseum from the top of Vittoriano


Girls at Arch of Septimius Severus

After we went down we made our way back over to the Forum to take more pictures, since our tour guide lady yesterday walked so quickly she didn’t allow much time for pictures. We also wanted pictures with us in them instead of just the random ruins. We even took some of us dancing around on a beam. It's amazing how tan I am getting even only after a few days because I never tan at home even after the entire summer. After the Forum we were going to go to the Colosseum to take more pictures, but it was almost 3pm aka rain o’clock, and the most ominous-looking clouds yet were moving in, so we decided to turn back. We quickly went grocery shopping, then it was siesta time, and I showered, uploaded pictures, and read. I had planned on napping, but by the time I was done with all that it was already 7:30pm and time for dinner, so Elli made penne pasta with chicken breast and tomato sauce. Then we all decided to go out (the same group as lunch minus Joe and Brandon plus Amanda and Brad). We had been unsuccessful in the past at finding bars and people in our neighborhood, but we finally found where everyone hangs out, and there is a beautiful piazza nearby (of course there is, they’re everywhere). First we came to the piazza where there was a street performer, so we watched him for a while and he was pretty entertaining. Then we just wandered around for a while and enjoyed the general atmosphere and all the people, then decided to head home because we still have class in the morning. I'm looking forward to a full weekend spent in Rome!