Day 11: Rome

Gelato flavors tried: white chocolate, currant, mint, tiramisu, stracciatella, raspberry

Our apartment has been having problems lately: the internet is stop and go, and our plumbing is clogging up. We can only use one bathroom and we can't use the dishwasher or the kitchen sink, because the water and other things back up into the bidet and shower in the other bathroom. Hopefully it will be fixed tomorrow, but until then we have to eat out.

On Thursday, we had class and in the afternoon we watched the Italy vs. Slovakia football game. It was a highly charged game, and the streets would come alive with cheers or boos with each goal or near-goal. Everyone was depressed when Italy lost. So much for Italian football glory! =(

Friday was a long day of monument viewing. In the morning, we went back to the Roman Forum and the Colosseum to see Trajan's Column and the Arch of Constantine, both of which I had seen already, but which are still impressive at any time. In the afternoon, we went to the churches of St. Pietro in Vicolo and S. Maria Minerva to see two statues by Michelangelo: Moses and the Risen Christ. The Moses was one of those classical statues that you hear about and that sits there with his menacing expression, preparing to jump up and berate you for your sins. His beard truly is magnificent. The Risen Christ on the other hand, is remarkable because the perspective with which you view the statue has an amazingly profound effect on the way the statue seems. From the left, Christ looks grotesque, with a potbelly and an abnormally large bottom. But from the left, Christ is a normal human being, entwined with his cross in a very artistic and beautiful manner. In the evening we were tired and cooked at our apartment.

Saturday was a very, very busy day! We got up early, realized that we had a problem with the plumbing, and then left to catch a bus and train as a group to go to Ostia Antica, about a 45 minute ride. The day was sunny and gorgeous, warm but not sweltering. Lisa showed us through some of the ruins, pointing out the ancient necropoli, the town wall, the public baths (complete with reconstructed mosaic floors - researchers literally put them back together tiny piece by tiny piece), and the apartment buildings. There were no defined paths or routes through much of the town, so we were free to explore and climb over buildings on our own. We climbed up to the second story of the apartment buildings to get the lay of the town, and we lowered ourselves down into the underbelly of the baths, where we could see the original plumbing fixtures. In the hot rooms, water was pumped through pipes in the walls, and the pipes still remain today. We picnicked in a grassy opening in the ruins.

After exploring Ostia Antica, we went to the beach! The day was absolutely perfect for it. There was a slight breeze, and the water was exactly the right temperature. It was a little disconcerting at first not to be able to see the bottom - it was a little murky - but after we got wet we felt so good that we no longer cared. Salt water is very different from the fresh water of Lake Washington that I'm used to. The salt is disgusting if it gets on your lips, but on the other hand you float really really well. We lay on the beach for about forty five minutes, avoiding the men hawking swimsuits, jewelry, and tattoos (these men are EVERYWHERE in Rome. Supposedly they are mostly immigrants, and to be frank it's rather sad. However, when you're trying to relax and close your eyes on the beach, it's rather annoying). I only got a little bit sunburned, which was excellent! In the evening, we went out to dinner and I had my first pasta in an Italian restaurant, as well as my first prosecco (which was so so tasty!). I'm slowly acquiring a taste for wine, but prosecco needs no prior experience at all!

Today was one of our rare days off. I spent most of the day catching up on reading and working on my Farnese family presentation, as well as my art history presentation. Only two weeks and four days left in Rome!

Day 7: Rome

Gelato flavors tried: tuttobosco, pistachio, peach, hazelnut, cantaloupe, pink grapefruit, chocolate fondant, caramel
Favorite so far: pink grapefruit

Yesterday morning, we took the bus to the Joel Nafuma Refugee Center, where some students are volunteering to teach English. It's located in the basement of St. Paul's Within the Walls, an American Anglican church. However, the refugee center disregards religion completely in its aid to refugees. Father Michael, who runs the church and the refugee center, talked to us about his experiences building up the center over the past 18 years. Joel Nafuma is the only day center for refugees in the whole city of Rome, which is surprising given the size of the city. We went down into the center and saw the center itself: young men from Afghanistan, Sudan, Iraq, and other war-torn regions, playing ping-pong and foosball and watching a movie. They were all decently dressed: Joel Nafuma provides them with used clothing from donations. It was really heartwarming to see that there are people who care and places where refugees can take shelter. I think that those of us who are volunteering will have a great experience and hear some extraordinary things in their interactions with the refugees.

(The Roman buses are quite exciting. You have to force yourself onto the bus quickly before it pulls away, and riders are packed on. You have to push your way to the ticket validation machine to validate your ticket so that if someone checks it you don't get fined.)

In the afternoon, we had our first class on Islam and Italian Cities. We talked about what things surprised us about Rome, and about the current state of affairs in Italian politics and economics. We're starting with an overview of Roman history so that we have some context for looking at the influence of Islam.

We made dinner again (chicken with potatoes, green beans, and mustard sauce) and then headed back to the Rome Center to watch a movie with our class, The Front Window. It's an Italian film about a woman in a midlife crisis, and about an old man and his past (love and concentration camps). It was very moving and sad, yet happy at the same time. Afterwards, we went to Geolitti for gelato to celebrate Emily's birthday!

This morning was very slow. We didn't have class until 2, so I lazed around, did some reading, went out and did some shopping. We're beginning to feel like locals. At 2, we went to Augustus' Ara Pacis (Altar of Peace) and then to the Pantheon - a fairly short class! We watched the USA vs. Algeria soccer game and the US won! Which means they continue on in the World Cup! Tonight we're cooking fish for the first time. Hopefully it won't stink up the apartment.

Signing off.

Day 5: Rome

Gelato flavors tried: cantaloupe, pink grapefruit
Favorite flavor so far: pink grapefruit
Least favorite so far: pistachio

I created a photo album for my trip, if you're interested:
http://picasaweb.google.com/102469990350567583784/Rome2010Part1?authkey=Gv1sRgCJ__7ouy9N_N-gE&feat=directlink

Today we had our first day of class! We visited the Roman Forum and walked among the ruins. We saw several arches (including the Arch of Titus, where David gave his presentation) and learned about the many layers of history (literally) that exist in the Forum. The vast majority of the marble used in construction during the Republic and the Empire has been carted away, leaving only marble that was buried. Regardless, the Forum is still a magnificent locale. Unfortunately, the weather, which had been so promising in the morning, turned menacing. It kept sprinkling and spitting and gusting, but thankfully it never actually rained, which was good because I didn't bring my umbrella with me.

We picnicked on the Palatine Hill (we had made caprese - tomato, mozzarella, basil - sandwiches), and then we headed downhill to the Colosseum. Despite its bloody history, it remains very impressive. The size of it is astounding, especially considering that the architects didn't really know whether or not it would stand without falling. I can only imagine what it would have looked like when it was all covered with marble! There were a lot of people around by that time, but we could still elbow our way to get a view of the center of the main ring.

We stopped by a highly-recommended gelato place called Geolitti on the way back. Very excellent! There are forty or more flavors, and they pile the cones high, with a dollop of whipped cream on top. Very good! We'll have to go back soon.

Grocery shopping, reading, dinner, blogging. I think this is what my days will be like for the next four weeks.

Day 4: Rome

Italy tied New Zealand. Everyone was disappointed; they expected Italy to win. Tied games are anticlimactic. Just like USA vs. Slovenia a few days ago.

Day 4: Rome

Gelato flavors tried: pistachio, tuttobosco (berries), hazelnut, peach (tuttobosco definitely the best)

I think I finally have enough time to do justice to Rome so far. On Sundays, the city is very quiet. The markets and shops are closed, people are at home or in church, and the streets are nearly empty. This morning, we stopped by the Porta Portese flea market. It's absolutely huge, and has nearly everything you ever might need or not need, from antiques and books to electronics, power tools, and BB guns. It's a very different style of shopping from what I'm used to.

Six of us were on the same flight to Rome. Although our flight was an hour late, we were the first ones to arrive on Thursday. We took a van taxi to the UW Rome Center. Our taxi driver was not very talkative, but he navigated the craziness of Roman traffic very proficiently. Several times we were frightened that we would crash, and each time the driver managed to smoothly evade disaster. We got keys to our apartments and hauled our stuff to our apartments. My apartment is about a twelve minute walk from the Rome Center, across the Tiber River in the Trastevere neighborhood, and it's quite nice. We have a smallish kitchen, a large living space with couches and dining room table, and two bathrooms and two bedrooms. The beds are a little hard, but better than in some of the other apartments. Plus, we have wi-fi, which definitely makes up for any deficits (even though there are .

After a group shopping run to the cell phone store to buy Italian SIM cards and phones, 22 of us sat down for dinner at a pizzeria near the Campo de' Fiori ("Field of Flowers" - the piazza near the UW Rome Center). The waiter was a bit overwhelmed, but managed to get everyone their orders in a timely manner. I had a pizza with salami, and it was excellent; the paper thin, crispy crust is incredibly delicious. Shortly thereafter, we retired to our apartment and fell into bed to recover from jet lag.

On Friday morning, we woke up relatively late and feeling much more energetic. We stopped for coffee at Magnolia, a small caffe on the Campo de' Fiori. I tried my first Italian coffee: a cappucchino that was exceedingly delicious. Lisa (our art history professor) gave us a tour of the area around the Rome Center, showing us good places to eat and shop. She let us try pizza bianca (pizza crust with olive oil and a little salt) from a great bakery, and it was awesome. After the tour, my three roommates (Catherine, Kristin, Sarah) and I went shopping for food and essentials: bread, cheese, dish soap, toilet paper, and wine around the Rome Center, and fresh fruits and vegetables from the market in the Piazza San Cosimato, which is just down the street from our apartment. The oranges and tomatoes here are delicious! And cheap! We tried our first gelato!

At 4, we went to Magnolia with the rest of the class to watch the World Cup, USA vs. Slovenia. It was really fun, even though the US was losing, until the power went out, for no apparent reason! We sat in the dark, hoping the game would come back on, but finally we left and went home to make dinner. We planned to make pasta with tomatoes and zucchini, but unfortunately we could only turn on one of the gas burners on our stove (although I have since figured it out, we could not get the gas to stay on for 3 burners). So we made our meal in batches, but it was nevertheless very tasty. Sarah is really into cooking, and she knows what she's doing, so we couldn't really fail!

On Saturday, we went to visit our monuments. We walked through Rome to the Pantheon, the Campidoglio, and Trajan's column (I'll talk more about them as we visit them as a class). The day was perfect: not too hot, but still sunny. We got paninis for lunch and did a little more food shopping, and spent most of the afternoon working on reading for our class on Monday and our art history projects. The welcome dinner for our program was in the evening at one of Lisa's favorite restaurants, Trattoria Moderna. I sat next to Professor Kasaba, who is very friendly and funny and interesting. His daughter Melise (I think that's her name) was running around and talking with everyone - so cute! We had a traditional multi-course meal: antipasti (caprese salad, vegetables, octopus, prosciutto and melon), risotto with sausage and asparagus, pork with tomato sauce and spinach in butter, and desserts (tiramisu, chocolate cake, and baked peaches), followed by coffee. The whole affair took three and a half hours. Everything was fantastic, and I ate way more than I should have.

Later today is another World Cup game, and Italy is playing. The caffes will be packed; we're planning to go out and see if we can find a place to watch it!

Happy Father's Day!