ROMA!

Liz and I are now on our last night in Rome. I have loved being here, but I am ready to leave and head north to Scotland!

Thursday was Liz's 21st birthday so we met up with her friend Killian who is studying in Rome this semester who took us out after a wine tasting at our hotel. We met him and a few of his friends at the Campo de' Fiori, which is the main hangout area for college students. We spent some time at one of the bars there before going on a mini- walking tour of Rome. We went to the Pantheon and the Trevi fountain before heading back to the Campo de' Fiori and grabbing a taxi home.

myself at the wine tasting

The Pantheon

The Trevi Fountain

Myself at the Trevi Fountain

The Theatre of Pompey, where Caesar was murdered

The next morning Liz and I slept in a little (a consequence of the 21st celebrations) and then headed to the Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere. We met up with Killian again who took us to the Monumento a Garibaldi, a spot from which you can overlook almost all of Rome. We watched the sunset over the city while drinking some delicious Italian wine. It was incredible. We then headed to dinner at a tiny place called Tony's. It was a hole in the wall family run restaurant. I had the most amazing chicken parmesan. True Italian cooking. Amazing. After wandering around for a little we headed home (which took longer than expected as it was a full hour before we got a taxi). The taxi driver was hilarious. When we told him we were visiting from the London he got very excited and showed off his Union Jack key chain to us, proclaiming London to be his favorite city. It was funny to meet a Roman who looked at London the way most Londoners look at Rome, as an exotic location. 

Piazza Santa Maria, the oldest church in Rome

Liz and I overlooking the city

Myself in front of the city

Today Liz and took a gorgeous walk through the rain to the Colosseum. Despite the rain, I really enjoyed the visit. We ran into two other Colgate students who we are studying with in London, Eliza and Mike. I find it is increasingly common for us to run into people who we are connected with as we travel. It seems we will find people we know no matter where we travel! The Colosseum was incredible. Being there was very surreal. The building is enormous and was able to hold 50,000 spectators when it was built. It is humbling to be in a building that is both that old and that complex. Got to give those ancient cultures some serious credit for managing such an elaborate building without the building technologies we have today. 

In front of the Colosseum

The Colosseum!

A memorial to the Christians who died here

The ruins of what was once underneath the Colosseum floor

View from the upper level

Myself at the Colosseum

View of the Forum from the Colosseum

Loving all the history!

We had dinner at the hotel restaurant this evening, which was delicious. I had proscuitto and melon for an appetizer, Spaghetti carbonara and then tiramisu. Delicious. I love tiramisu, so this country is my dessert heaven. 

AMAZING

Tomorrow we depart for Scotland. I couldn't be more excited! Scotland and Ireland have been the two places I have most wanted to visit since we arrived. I can't wait to be in the Scottish countryside! A true returning to the homeland of my ancestors!