Four, Five, Six...
Day Four
On Wednesday morning, we took a trip to the Museo della Civilta Romana, which I'd hazard to guess translates roughly into the Museum of the Roman Civilization. It is an interesting museum which houses a series of casts and models and portrays the evolution of ancient Rome from archaic to Constantine. The casts are overall fairly good and interesting to look at and the models were amazingly fun to study. While the mind does sit back and go "hmm, well none of this is original" it was definitely educational and at moments entirely awing as the ceilings rise up to vaulted heights and showcase arches and stonework that are breathtaking and dwarf the individual.
The trip to the museum was somewhat funny as none of us were quite prepared for the 30 minute plus hike to the building after riding to almost the end of the line on the Metro. After a day entirely devoted to walking around outside. There was some bitterness in the group and I myself would have chosen to wear something different if I'd realized what it'd be like but the walk wasn't too bad and was actually pleasant on the way back after my migraine medicine kicked in.
And that was the main downside to it for me. I woke up feeling just kinda "not good" which evovled into a lower level migraine by the time we got to the museum and since we had an assignment to be completed while we were there, it left little time for real enjoyment of the sights. But I did get a silly and awesome souviner and overall it was fun. Even more, on the way back, I stalked my classmate Lauren to the outdoor bazaar that lined the street to the Metro (Man Protective Person Brandon came too but in a less stalkerish fashion I'm sure). She didn't find the sunglasses she wanted but I did find a very nice fan to add to my collection.
Afterwards we had the second class of the day with Dr. Behr (shortened due to time constraints and stuff but still long enough to require mind boggling concentration on strange topics). Afterwards, Lauren, Brandon and I went out and I abused the chance of a meat shield to do some night photography and tour the area at night. (Well, and have fun conversations about Doctor Who and other random things).
Day Five
Day five found us in tour of the Vatican Museums. The walk to Vatican City is actually pretty quick and since we left first thing in the morning, it turned out to be a very lovely walk. (Which, on the way, I found a comic book store that I will have to go through and explore later). We had a professional tour guide who was very funny and not only gave a good and factual history of the different pieces that we were seeing and the collections as a whole. We also had the earphones in so that we could hear what she had to say while still being able to wander off a bit on our own, which, naturally, I did. As much as I love art, I can't truthfully admit that statuary was my big thing. However, the architecture and design and flow of all the rooms was just amazing. Pretty much every room you step into is breathtaking in its own way and my poor little camera died quite quickly in my attempts to take it all in. The ceilings were overall the best part in my mind and were are so marvelously detailed and magnificently highlighted to reflect light and shadow in a brilliant way. It was incredibly awing.
The trip through the Sistine Chapel was both wonderful and awful. The place was so packed that it didn't take long for our poor tired bodies, already abused by the long walk through the museum, to start to suffocate from the pure influx of people. I am very glad that I got to see it in person since it truly was magnificent in its detail and humor and history but I wouldn't attempt it again unless I could guarantee fewer people.
We didn't get to go into the Bascillica because they were doing a private function so instead we hit the cafeteria and gift shop and were told that we could either double back with Professor Costello to the Etruscan wing or return to St. John's or whatever else with the open ended invitation for an evening trip out for those who wanted to join. Lauren and I chose to go home after sitting for a bit and met with Dr. Behr who took us by a grocery store and ensured that we all got home alright. (As well as stopped by for coffee at McDonalds and point out the local church.) The rest of the day was pretty relaxing and later, Brandon and I went to buy wine and catch up with everyone else at the Castel Sant' Angelo where we went by bus to a nice scenic overlook and drank wine and ate snacks and had an overall fun time.
At the END of the evening, I left my camera at the bus stop and spent forty minutes on foot trying to get it back unsucessfully and so now am cameraless (well that i own. I have been offered use of others', especially Nichole). I am going to have to keep resisting the temptation to swear a starvation diet and buy a new one at the store (14 megapixal Nikon for 149 euros!).
Day Six
I woke up in a pretty bad mood due to the loss of my camera and so I skipped out on the class I am auditing to focus on homework and organizing my stuff some more. The more relaxed feel of a classroom only day and being able to get the reading assignments for the other class done (plus getting the homework for the audit class from the professor who understood my frustration) helped with the mood. We had class in the afternoon for history and afterwards Lauren and I went out shopping - looking to see if there were any cheap cameras that were half decent - and I ended up finding a cheap and good map of the city that listed all the bus routes and will definitely prove extremely helpful. Afterwards, we returned to St. John's and helped Dr. Behr make dinner, Spaghetti Pomodoro and got to learn how to make a very simple sauce (which I will definitely try when I get home).
After dinner, some of my classmates (Derek, Nicole, Eli, Lauren and Macy) and I went to the Scholar's Lounge and had a couple drinks, which got rid of the rest of my bad mood thankfully. There was a live band and they could sing and play really well but didn't really know how to play to a largely American crowd really. While we were there, I met a guy who was from California and in a band whose friends I had actually met a few moments before. They were all backpacking through Europe, which is pretty awesome. One of them was over 7 ft tall and I immediately declared him a demigod which he decided was proper and probably made him feel a bit better since he had been looking pretty nervous before Nicole stared adoringly up at him (she's tall too).
Eventually, we will meet native Romans. Eventually.