More Adventures in Roma and Lazio

Its been awhile since I last wrote. The days fill up so quickly here and I just don't have enough hours to get everything done! This past school week was good, but assignments and papers are starting up and we're getting into the full swing of things...although, I can't complain, everyone back home is taking midterms this week! My classes are interesting, but its hard to motivate myself to sit in the classroom when all I want to do is be out in Roma.

I usually try to find some time in between my classes to go out exploring, usually with one of my friends, to a different area of Rome at least a few times a week. Hank and I visited the Maritime Prison where St. Peter and Paul were supposedly kept before being killed. Its a small prison, but the downstairs room contains a piece of the column that San Pietro was chained to, and the altar has the upside down cross on it, since he asked to be hung upside down when he was martyred. Also, legend says that a spring of water came up inside the tomb, and Peter and Paul converted the prisoners before they died. It was a cool little site, that if I weren't staying here for 3 months, I probably would have never had time to visit. Hank is really good about getting out in the city and finding interesting places to visit....so I usually tag along.

My roomies, Hank and I all attempted to visit the ND students at their apartments last Thursday, but our friend Patrick forgot to tell us we needed passports to get in. Its a long trip to their neighborhood...kind of the suburbs of Rome. I don't know how they do it everyday, taking the buses (which aren't always reliable). I am spoiled being so close to the classroom and so close to everything and anything you could want in the city!! I'm going to try to go visit again this week, and some of my friends from school are visiting for fall break, so I hope to see them as well.

This past weekend, we had an all day excursion to Tarquinia and Cerveteri, about an hour and half to two hours outside Roma, in Lazio. We left the hotel at 7 and drove about an hour and half to Tarquinia to the site of an ancient Etruscan necropolis. In art history, we have been focusing on the Etruscan peoples, who inhabited these areas in the 5th to 2nd (ish) centuries BC before being conquered by the Romans. So it was cool to see artifacts and tombs that we have been viewing on our boring slide lectures all week. The first site consisted of almost 600 tombs, most of which looked relatively similar, and we were only able to walk down and look through a window at the wall paintings. Then we went to the museum in town which houses much of the pottery, jewelry and other artifacts found in these tombs. Interesting fact, the Etruscans used fire to take all the oxygen out of the tombs, in order to perfectly preserve the bodies. However, when the archaeologists discovered the tombs, within seconds of finding perfectly preserved bodies....the bodies would immediately turn to dust after the exposure to oxygen. I'm not sure how that works...but its according to our professors! Must have been pretty cool to see that. Anyway, after that we went to the beach of Tarquinia (actually called a lido because it is a sandy, not a rocky, hilly beach) which was wonderful and warm and so relaxing. We had a picnic on the beach and some girls (and Hank) swam in the Mediterranean! I just walked along the dark sandy beach and put my feet in the water. It felt like a california beach...but slightly warmer, and much clearer. We even bought wine in town and all shared it on the beach. This time of year, the Italians think its ridiculous to go to the beach...far too cold! So we had the whole beach to ourselves, and it couldn't have been more perfect! We get another getaway at the beach in 2 weeks when we go down to southern Italy for a class trip. We have the whole day free in Capri to go swimming, cliff diving, or whatever we want, which will be great after 3 days of lectures and tours. So on Saturday, we only had an hour at the beach and then it was back to the bus for a 45 minute trip to Cerveteri, another Etruscan necropolis. This one was much more interesting and interactive though. It was a maze of these mound-like tombs, some big enough to hold 30 to 40 people. It was like we were on an Indiana Jones adventure...although much less scary. We were able to climb into most of them and even lay down on the sarcophagi... a little creepy but still fun! For the most part, the Etruscans modeled them after their homes, and used wall paintings to depict the family and their traditions and lifestyle. Tombs and burial grounds tell us so much about groups of people and this was a perfect example of that. When we finally got back on the bus, we all passed out from exhaustion....they keep us going a mile a minute here!

After showering and getting the tombs off of me...we ventured out AGAIN! There was a free MTV concert south of the Colosseum, at Piazza San Giovanni, featuring John Legend and the Cure! Who can pass up a free concert?!?! It was sponsored by Coca Cola, so we got free sodas and waters as well. It was so amazing...you'll have to look at my pictures when I get them up. I look to my right and there is this huge Gothic basilica, lit up by the 21st century stage lights of the concert...the intertwining of old and new is amazing. We got pizza and beer and found a great spot close to the stage. The concert started with lots of Italian bands, including the Italian version of 'NSYNC....so terrible, even the Italians were booing them. Now I understand why everyone loves American popular music. John Legend, an R&B singer, was so awesome...great performer. I had never really heard any of his stuff, but I'm definitely a fan now. And of course, the Cure was just so cool...to see such a huge band for free at an amazing location is beyond cool!! Although the one down side to any event like that here in Roma is the constant smoking...EVERYWHERE!! Even at an outdoor event, there was a huge cloud of smoke over the entire venue. Italians blow the smoke right in your face or hair, and think nothing of it....because everyone does it. And weed too...everywhere. I guess this was technically my first real rock concert...I was a little bit in shock haha but it was a cool experience to be with the locals!

Yesterday, we were suppose to go to Perugia, in Umbria (Northeast of Lazio) for EuroChocolate...a huge chocolate festival. However, we got the dates wrong...its next weekend :( So we went to the train station at 6am, got our refunds, and went back to bed til 2:15. It was the best sleep I've had since getting here. I didn't realize how tired I really was until I let myself take a break, and now that my body has rested, I think I'm getting sick :( Everyone is coming down with colds and the flu, so I'm bound to get it. Its hard with the fast pace we keep here. I've rested a lot today, though, so hopefully I can fight it!

My roommate Sam's boyfriend arrived today for the week, during his fall break. We all just got back from a great dinner near the Pantheon. Only 6 euro!!! we've decided to search for the "specials"...usually consisting of bruschetta, a pizza or pasta, and a drink (hopefully a beer or wine). We found a great place tonight, right next door to our favorite gelateria (della Palma). Seeing Sam so happy with her boyfriend Brett makes me a little jealous...I miss my Kyle so much. Despite all the fun I've been having, I have been having "I miss America" days! The language barrier, the customs, the cost of everything...it weighs on you sometimes. Just little things, like having to pay extra for water and bread, is something I take advantage of at home (No endless Outback bread here!). The feeling comes and goes, and I'm doing ok tonight. I just miss everyone from home.

Ok well, buona notte to all! I'll try to keep the posts more regular. Ciao Ciao