It is bittersweet, but it seems that we are heading into our last few days here in Florence. While a month felt like it would be an eternity at the beginning of our trip, this last week has made me realize that, although I have been able to do so much in these last few weeks, I desire to continue doing more. Every opportunity to explore my ...
We woke up this morning only to be struck by the strange and cruel realization that today was our last in Rome. It is absurd - almost unfair - to think how swiftly time has slipped by us. We would not let our feelings bring us down though, for today we at last made our trip to Vatican City. Walled off from the rest of Rome, Vatican City is in ...
This morning we took the Rome Metro to San Giovanni Basilica. It is the Pope’s cathedral and has been since Constantine constructed it in the early 4th century. The church is absolutely massive and is a giant work of art, with nearly every square inch decorated in some form. I personally found myself in awe of the ceiling, which was a ...
Staggering out of our beds early Sunday morning, we made our way onto the bus headed for the Italian coast. Three hours later, including a stop at the rest area for some spremuta (fresh squeezed orange juice) and croissants, we arrived at the train station. Waiting for the train, we had a quick McDonald's run (only restaurant in sight) where ...
Sunday was a day in my life that I know I will never forget. That day, we did the Cinque Terre hike. Being afraid of heights and not even willing to climb the church towers, I was encouraged by my friends and counselors to challenge myself by joining the group on a beautiful hike overlooking the beach. Never did I think I would be able to go ...
This Sunday was pretty eventful... The day prior, we had journeyed out to Siena for the day to just do some sightseeing and explore the city. It was fun, but you could tell that everyone was longing for the opportunity to venture out to Cinque Terre. A group of five villages outside of Tuscany in the Liguria region overlooking the ...
“Sentatus Populusque Romanus” (SPQR) is everywhere, and I mean everywhere. The literal translation is: “The Senate and People of Rome.” Although a title first introduced during the Roman Republic, it still stays a prominent symbol in the modern city we have explored over the past few days. This shows the rich history behind the city; as ...
After breakfast we made our way to the Capitoline Museums, a group of art and archaeological museums situated on the Capitoline hill, between the Forum and Campus Martius. The museums origins can be traced to 1467, when Pope Sixtus IV donated a number of significant bronze statues to the Romans. Since then, the collection continued to grow over ...
What?!! The news hit me yesterday when my friend told me we only have less than a week left in Florence. How sad is that? It's flown by way too quickly! Monday morning started off with finishing up our still life monotone paintings. Although I felt it wasn't my best work, as it was such a new experience for me using a palette knife, I'm so ...
On our way to Pompeii, we made a quick stop in Naples to see the Naples National Archaeological Museum, one of the oldest museums in Europe and Italy’s most important archaeological museum. The museum is home to an extensive collection of Greek, Roman, and Renaissance artifacts. Among its many notable items is the Farnese Hercules, one of the ...