Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Back in America


Now that I am back home and exhausted, life seems ordinary and back to normal-- almost as if the past two months had never happened. Throughout my time in Rome I chose to focus on the Via del Corso and the people in the streets. I miss the long walks along the Corso going into different stores even just heading to class for the day. I walked down the Corso nearly every day that I spent in Rome and back at home I have no Via del Corso to walk down. There are no sidewalks near my house and the street I use every day has no palaces, museums, or anything of the sort along it to check out. Compared to the people in the streets of Rome, the people back home also look so ordinary. I never thought I would say this BUT I might just miss stepping over beggars to get to class or walking past the men exploiting the history of Rome in their gladiator costumes. No one back home is quite as interesting or exciting to look at. Back to life in the ordinary.My experience in Rome has impacted my life. I feel more accepting of other cultures and encompass more pride for my own culture. I am excited to one day visit more countries around the world, maybe Australia or Brazil or even India. The time I spent abroad was eye-opening to a whole new world of opportunities and adventures. I walk away from my study abroad experience with a new appreciation for home and the little things I took for granted before going to Italy, such as toilet seats and free water in restaurants. Besides thanking my parents those who I would most of all I like to thank are Amie, Joe, Sam, Eric, Nicole, and all my professors for aiding me in my adventure throughout Italy and making it into one of the most exciting and unforgettable summers of my life.


Image taken from: http://www.worldexecutive.com/cityguides/pics/new_york/new_york_1.jpg

Friday, June 26, 2009

Ciao Roma!


Today I leave Rome and begin my journey around Europe for the next seven days!

Onto Venice, Vienna, Prague, Munich, Amsterdam, Paris, and then home! I am super excited to see the world and am doing it in record pace. I will miss gelato and paninis and walking past the Colosseum on a daily basis, but I am ready. It has been an interesting seven weeks and I have no regrets at all! I would recommend anyone who is interested in history, art, architecture, religion, food or even just travel in general to spend a few days in Rome. It is a great city and will be dearly missed!





Image taken from: http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,5377649,00.jpg

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Ciao to the People of Rome!

Sadly enough, I think I might actually miss the different characters I have seen walking along the streets of Rome. What will I do walking down the streets back home without seeing a gypsy on the ground begging for money? Or a group of tourists crowding the sidewalk? Or even hearing the occasional "Ciao Bella!" coming from a creepy middle-aged Italian man? I suppose it is just an adjustment that I will be forced to make, because these characters just can't be found back in my hometown.

I would say more than anyone though, I will miss the street musicians. As an avid music lover, the contemporary sound of a man playing an accordian , playing two recorders with his nose, or even the man from day one that I saw lip-syncing to Pavorati is music to my ears. For now though, I must say my goodbyes and maybe I will be back again!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Ciao Via del Corso!



Today, I took what could be my last walk down the Corso. With only two more days left in Rome, I knew my chances of returning to the Corso ever again would be slim. Since the day I arrived in Rome I have walked down Via del Corso almost every single day. We had class in the Piazza del Colegio Romano (which is right off the Corso) every day during the week. It was not only for class though that I would walk along my favorite street.

The girls and I would always go souvenir or clothes shopping in stores such as Zara, Le Group, and H&M. Often we would grab gelato at a local gelateria on the Corso in between classes. I have visited its' several museums, such as the Palazzo Doria-Pamphilj. One night I even ventured to the movie theater along the Corso. It is easily accessable to go to Villa Borghese, the Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps from the Corso as well. Throughout my stay Via del Corso has acted as the beginning point of many adventures I have taken throughout Rome. I will miss it dearly, but my time here is up and I must say my goodbyes.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Barcelona v. Rome

This weekend we traveled all the way across the Mediterranean to Barcelona, Spain! I had the time of my life and I am super-excited to travel around Europe starting on Friday!! There were several things I liked about Barcelona that just aren't around in Rome.

1. Dunkin' Donuts AND Starbucks
2. 50mL Coca-Cola ... $.80
3. Cheetos
4. TAPAS (mmMMmm)
5. great seafood collection ( I tried octopus, sea bass, mussels, and squid)

These are just a few things in Barcelona that made me smile. I know a lot of the items are from back home, but it was nice being able to eat something besides pasta, paninis, and gelato for once.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

American Shopping on the Corso

What do tourists love more than taking pictures and saying cliche things like "when in rome"?

Americans love little reminders of home and seeing that things have been American-ized in other countries. At least I can speak for the kids who study abroad in Rome that I have met when I say this. Where do we all hang out at? American and Irish pubs. Where do we find ourselves eating out at? Pizza places, such a cliche college food. And where do we look to shop? American stores along the Corso.

Yeah, shopping in another country seems thrilling and fun, but it can be expensive and unaffordable for someone here long-term. Many of the shops along the Corso charge upwards of $60Euro for just a shirt, which at the current rate does not translate well into the American dollar. It is almost comforting to see American shops such as H&M, Diesel, Sephora, Guess, Levi's, etc. along the Corso--even if they are a little bit more expensive than at home. Living in a foreign country it is nice to see in the least a sign from home, and in a way it seems like an appreciation of American fashion sense (especially in a country where fashion and self-presentation is so important on a daily basis). Now more than ever companies have expanded world-wide and I can say I almost feel relieved by it. I love shopping and there is nothing better than spending my shoppinf money supporting the American economy.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous

Welcome to the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous Tour de Roma! Today we have a selection of different locales that middle-class folk like us stare at in awe, and meanwhile the affluent and infamous of the world enjoy the luxuries we will see because $100Euro bills are mere pocket change to these people. Throughout the tour we will experience high-end fashion and high-end living at its best. If you have ever checked out celebrity gossip online or in magazines, you might recognize some of these places from pictures of such celebrities as Jessica Alba, Eva Longoria, and Justin Timberlake. Do not worry, this is a window-shopping only tour. So do not feel bad if you can't afford a $300Euro shirt, to live in a Palace, or to stay in a 5-star hotel on Via Veneto. We're all in envy together, so let's get going!

Our tour begins at the Spanish Steps in Piazza di Spagna, a popular tourist stop in Rome. Walking down Via dei Condotti we can see on both sides of the street many world-famous designer shoppes. Via Condotti gained its fame when the atelier of Bulgari opened there in 1905. "Today, it is home to the flagship stores of the most elegant design houses, including Valentino, Hermès, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Gucci, Versace, Bulgari, Chanel, Armani, Dolce e Gabbana, Prada, Ferragamo and Campanile" (Shopping in Rome, 2009).

Next we are going to head down towards the Quirinale Palace, where the President of Italy Giorgio Napolitano resides. Along the way though we will be passing through the Trevi Fountain, Rome's most well known fountain, which has been featured in several movies such as La Dolce Vita and The Lizzie McGuire Movie (both movies star the rich and the oh so famous). We are stopping at the Quirinale President to get to see the view of this prime real estate. How better could someone live besides the president or prime minister of a country?

Onto the Palazzo Barberini/Galleria Nazional d'Arte Antica, on Via Delle Quattro Fontane. This palace was financed by Pope Urban VIII and designed by the famous artists Bernini and Barromini (Frommer's, 2009). "But worth the trip itself is the Nile Mosaic, a well-preserved ancient Roman work and the most remarkable ever uncovered. The mosaic details the flooding of the Nile, a shepherd's hunt, mummies, ibises, and Roman warriors, among other things. The museum collection is mainly from the 13th to the 16th centuries, with works by Fra Angelico, Filippo Lippi, Lorenzo Lotto, Andrea del Sarto, Perugino, Canaletto, Raphael, and Caravaggio" (Frommer's, 2009). A nice palace turned must-see museum, admission is not too expensive, but owning any of the artwork will break your bank account.

Where will you stay on your trip to Rome? Well no other than a 5-star hotel, right? You only come to Italy once so go big or go home (with money). The next two stops are two of the most-famous 5-star hotels in Rome. The Splendide Royal on Via Porta Pinciana and the Westin Excelsior on Via Veneto will offer you a stay in Rome like no other. The prices can be high, up to $2100Euro per night for the presidential suite (Expedia, 2009). Check out this review and you'll see what I mean.

Fodor's review of the Excelsior says, "Once a herding pen for princes and maharajahs, the Excelsior today is the hotel of choice for visiting diplomats, celebrities, and, well, American business conferences. Every corner is lavished with mirrors, moldings, Oriental rugs, crystal chandeliers, and huge, baroque floral arrangements. Guest rooms have elegant drapery, marble baths, top-quality linens, and big, firm beds. While traditional, refined, and luxurious, the cheaper rooms here don't really offer a lot of bang for the buck, so spring for the better ones, or settle elsewhere" (Fodor's Online, 2009).


Last but not least, we must see where the rich and famous spend nights in the VIP Room drinking champagne. We head down Via Boncompagni to Jackie O' Bar. Coming to this bar "expect fine drinks to come at a cost and a general air of moneyed refinement" (World's Best Bars, 2009). It is as exclusive and VIP as the Paris Hilton's birthday bash, so don't expect to get in unless you are dressed to the nines and your name is on the list. It's okay though because there are lots of cheap, fun bars in Campo d' Fiori and Piazza Navona for you to hang out in.

This concludes our tour, I hope you enjoyed the walk of where you may get to shop, live, and party if one day you end up wealthy and notorious. Ciao!


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Dog Walkers

Everyone loves their pet dogs and what better way to exercise both you and your dog than to take a walk down the street? People walk their dogs in every town and city around the world, especially when it is really nice outside. There are some international differences though between dog-walkers in Italy and those back home in the United States.

Many of the dogs in parks and on the streets of Rome are not on leashes. Weird? Back home there are little things we like to call lawsuits that happen all over from unleashed dogs biting passer-byers, especially little children. It just is not safe back home to have a dog off the leash. Here is a map of rabies across Europe though. I do not see one speck of green on that map to show rabies in Italy. Maybe that is why people allow their dogs off the leash. I know that I was quite frightened as I took a run through a park when a dog came chasing after me. It was not until I completely stopped running that the owner did anything to make the dog get away from me. Seems strange, but it did happen.

The weirdness did not end there. Usually when I walk down the sidewalk I avoid one of two things, puddles or sticky gum. In Italy I have added a new avoidance to my list-- dog feces. The dogs of Rome are allowed to take dumps on the street without any punishment to their owners if the owners do not clean it up. I know for a fact that this is not the case back home in America. There are fines against leaving dog feces on the sidewalk. It perplexes me why leaving it on the sidewalk is not a problem. I guarantee thousands of people walk the streets in Rome every day, and the poop is usually smeared so I know people are stepping in it. Is there a complaint box somewhere? If so, where can I file a complaint??

Monday, June 15, 2009

Tourist Traffic









The temperature outside is getting hot, Hot, HOT!!

Summer is getting near as the days go on, meaning more and more sunshine every day. Funny how the place of the sun in the sky has an affect on the traffic patterns of people on the sidewalk. Yesterday while walking down the Corso, I quickly became irritated by how slowly the people in front of me were walking and noticed that there was an overflow of people on my side of the street. I looked right across to the other side to notice that only one old man was walking down the street. Before thinking twice I quickly crossed and after about 50mt realized why no one was on the opposite side of the street-- the sun rays were burning the back of my neck to a crisp. I looked back across to the other side of the street and noticed how cool and shaded the area was. I had never noticed this type of traffic pattern in people before. Now that I have noticed it though I see it everywhere. I just haven't figured out yet if it's worth sweating down the sunny side of the street to avoid slowing walking behind tourists on the shady side.

Tourists Eat Here!

What do tourists crave the most while walking through or shopping down the Corso? Gelato? Pizza? Paninis?

Of course not! We tourists crave McDonald's and Burger King! In true American fashion, McDonald's and its rival Burger King can be found just around the block from every busy area. Nothing like being in a foreign country to make you crave America's finest fast food burgers. Maybe it's a feeling of comfort we get from even just seeing those golden arches. I admit that I have eaten McDonald's more times in Rome than I have in the past year at home.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Disney Store in Rome

Who is everyone's favorite mouse? M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E Mickey Mouse, of course! Naturally walking by the plethera of shops on the Corso, it only makes sense to see the Disney Store, reeling in customers and kids who love famous characters like Donald Duck and the Little Mermaid. In Disney fashion, the store has been designed and decorated to mimic the architectural style of Ancient Rome. As a play on history and a play towards tourism, there are statues of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy around the store, as well as a dome and oculus that mirrors that of the Pantheon. It is well-designed and appropriate to the historic look of the city. As an advertising major, I think it makes sense for Disney to tap into the culture and style of tourism through Rome. For me personally, it was just interesting to see how Disney would adapt its themes and look to fit into Rome. Guaranteed though is that the theme runs from the faux cobblestone floors to the Pantheon-like dome on the ceiling. The lady at the register was not too pleased that I was taking these pictures, and she politely asked me to stop... but I managed to snag a few to show you what it actually looks like.



Insight on the Architecture of Disney Store

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Random Procession in the Streets

Walking home from the Termini today, there was some sort of procession on Via Merulana. I'm not exactly sure what the procession was for but it involved an alter of some sort, as well as several priests and monks. It consisted of about 100 people, priests and monks first followed by what I guess you could call civilians. The group was relatively small, but was led by a police car in the front, and behind was a full lane of traffic. I attempted to research what type of holiday or event it could be for, but there was no information available. I think it was some sort of memorial service for a saint of the church or something along those lines, only because priests and monks were involved. This assumption only comes from knowing how religious the people of Rome can be, and how many have strong ties to the church. Other than that idea, I really am not sure of what was going on, but it was interesting to see!

The streets of Rome are always a happening place. I am not sure whether it is just life that can be found in any major city or at this is just life in Rome. I have never lived in a place where every week certain streets are shut down for parades, festivals, markets, or even tourists. The narrow streets throughout the city always seem crowded. It is unusual for me, but interesting to see different events going on all around the city streets.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Boys Town of Rome


Today we took a journey to the city limits out to the Boys Town of Rome. This is a town run and resided by orphaned boys from around the world. The boys we met today hailed from Egypt, Morocco, and Afghanistan. It is now an American funded charity (the president of the organization explained that over 90%) which was created by an Irish priest in 1951.

The city is set-up to help underprivileged boys succeed in school and in life. The boys attend school and have jobs in the community, as well as chores around their living quarters and which includes cleaning and cooking. The boys are given the opportunity to acquire the life skills that they might not get otherwise. Sometimes it is easy to forget that others, especially children, are affected by circumstances outside of their control. In my opinion, the Boys and Girls Towns of Rome are a great alternative to orphanages or letting children otherwise live on the streets. It was nice seeing the philanthropic touch of Americans around the world first hand. I would recommend visiting the site yourself because it really makes you think about the privileges and opportunities you have had throughout your life that maybe other children never had.


Check out Boys Town here!

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Where are the Supermarkets?

The Via del Corso has been a main street throughout Rome for centuries. There are three palaces and various other residential apartments above the clothing stores and restaurants that line the streets. Where are the supermarkets? Where is Di Per Di (a supermarket that can be found throughout the city)? Does it make any sense that no supermarkets can be found along this street? Then again, it is less than obvious that there are any living quarters whatsoever on this street. Perhaps having a supermarket would make the street seem a little less touristy and a little more "lived-in" than the city wants it to be portrayed as. I think this is just one of the possibilities. Regardless, there are shops nearby in Piazza Navona and the Pantheon that I have found. It is just strange to think that there is not one grocery store that can be found down the Corso.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Tourists

Rome is a city that is practically filled to the brim with tourists.

With a plethora of historical sites, museums, palaces, and ruins to check out it only makes sense that the tourist industry in Rome is booming. But what exactly does this mean for the city? It means fools like me are wandering around hopelessly trying to navigate the streets in an attempt to find the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain or the Colosseum. The attractions in Rome are spread far and wide throughout the city, not in one central historical part of town as one might expect. It is easy to walk into the middle of tourists snapping the cliche pic, as seen below (taken in Pisa not in Rome obviously). Due to all the tourists, many of the shops and restaurants are aimed at offering foreigners the authentic Italian experience of pastas and mini Colosseum replicas. Although I walk by these places and think "who would want that?" obviously these places exist because other tourists buy into the products. Are these tourist attractions in Rome really much different than the tourist attractions in any other country? Isn't the tourism industry built solely upon giving the "authentic" experience of life in another country? I think back at home we just don't notice that the same annoying street vendors and same terrible "authentic" food stores exist because we might avoid tourist areas altogether. Maybe getting the truest Roman experience requires a tourist to go to somewhere off the map, somewhere out of the center of town.

Sometimes when I go for a run, I just pick any street and I have seen a different side of Rome that I don't around the Colosseum area where I live. People are sitting outside, relaxing and enjoying the night. Windows of houses are open and it almost seems more lived-in than around Via Labicana where I live. I think it's giving a try to head out to a part of town without any big historic monuments or famous restaurants and maybe you will find a part of Rome that you didn't know existed.

Become a Tourist of Roma Just Like Me!

Monday, June 8, 2009

Competitive Shopping

Finding the best prices in shops on the Corso can sometimes be a difficult task. All along the streets are many different shops that range in price from $10Euro a shirt at one of the peddler stands to over $500Euro a shirt at Fendi. On the bright side. there are clothing stores scattered the whole way down the Corso providing shoppers with vast opportunities to find the perfect outfit. With such a large range in prices, one would imagine there is fierce competition between stores for customers. As an advertising major, I look at the location of stores, the clothes on the mannequins, and the names of the shops and try to figure out what the stores are trying to advertise to me. Doing this I came across a somewhat strange combination of these while walking down the Corso.

The other day, I was wandering down the Corso and noticed a very peculiar sight-- the Adidas and Nike stores were not only on the same block, but were RIGHT NEXT TO EACHOTHER on the street. How could this be possible? The two biggest competitiors in athetlic gear worldwide, with stores side-by-side seems unheard of. My next thought was NEVER in the States would this happen. There is no chance. I can almost guarentee that there are some sort of laws and standards against it. Maybe the logic behind it is to be blatant about the competition between the two while forcing consumers to immediately make a decision between which store he or she wants to shop in. I'm not exactly sure of the logic of doing it, but it's my best guess. So if you are looking for some fitness gear in Rome, you won't have to travel too far down the Corso.

Lively Neighborhoods


Via del Corso has a very lively neighborhood, which is why I picked it as my location to observe while in Rome.


The Corso is a straight road in the center of Rome, that goes from Piazza del Popolo to Piazza Venezia. The street is lined with several restaurants, gelato shops, clothing stores, museums, palaces, pharamacies, and even our school the Sede di Roma. None of the cities major tourist attractions are on the street, but the centralized location between many of the famous sites creates a heavy flow of tourism traffic in the area. The infamous sights that lie just a short walk from the Corso include the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps, the Roman Forum, and the Trevi Fountain. There are a few not as famous palaces, museums, and galleries that are on the street, such as the Galleria Alberto Sordi. It's a great buffer area between historic sights that allows tourists a break to shop and eat in the city. Several other parades and events occur down the Corso during the year, also drawing bigger crowds.

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Lovers in Rome


The lovers of Rome are vast and plenty. Turn a corner at any time of day, anywhere in the city, and you can find two infatuated lovers staring deeply into one another's eyes. Whether it be on the grass in the park, outside of the Colosseum, waiting for the Metro, or even at the grocery store the romantics of Rome pay no attention to the idea of Public Displays of Affection! This idea not only extends to the locals of Rome, but also to tourists across the city as well. It must be the atmosphere of the city on a warm Spring night that brings out the affections of all the Romeos and Juliets. Maybe it's just a feeling or idea of togetherness and the ability to last forever that the ancient ruins thousands of years old portray to the romantics. Either way, if you are looking for a romantic trip to Europe, Rome may be the place for you.


Finding Romance in Rome!
Romance of Rome Video Game!

Stop & Smell the Roses

Today our walk through the Aventine hill lead us to a beautiful rose garden known as the Roseto Comunale. Mia explained that this rose garden contains hundreds of different kinds of roses and had used to be a Jewish cemetery

The tranquility within the rose garden created a pleasant atmosphere to get lost inside one's mind. One could barely hear the rough rumbling of traffic from inside of the garden. The cool morning breeze drifted through the rose bushes, bringing out the sweet scents from the rose petals. The New Haven rose, in my opinion, smelled the best with its fresh, delicate, but not overwhelmingly perfumed scent. Although some of the roses had already died because of the heat of the season, the picturesque rows of roses remained distinctively lovely.More information on Roses in Rome

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Festa della Repubblica

Today marks the annual celebration of Festa della Repubblica in Italy.


In 1946, after years of governmental turmoil and World War II ended fascism, the people of Italy voted to become a Republic and exiled the monarchs that ruled the country who were known as the House of Savoys (Festa della Repubblica, 2009). Since 1948 a parade has been held every year on June 2 to celebrate the creation of the Italian Republic. We caught the parade as it proceeded past the Colosseum on Via del Fori Imperiali. "All Armed Forces, Police Forces, the Fire Brigade and the Italian Red Cross, along with some military delegations of the NATO and of the European Union, take part in the parade and in the deposition of the laurel wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier" (Festa della Repubblica, 2009). It is much like the celebration of Independence Day in the United States. Not being a citizen of Italy, nor have any Italian blood made the parade not a especially meaningful to me in regards to Italy (though I did think about how I will make it home right before the Fourth of July), but it was interesting to see the different factions of the Italian military.

Here is a view of last year's parade:





Information gathered from:

"The “Festa della Repubblica” is the Italian national holiday." Welcome to Italian Week 2009 in Brisbane - THE ITALIAN FESTIVAL. 02 June 2009 .

Monday, June 1, 2009

Street Vendors

Street vendors are all over the tourist areas of Rome. In true touristic fashion, these vendors are extremely over-priced. The vendors do not even attempt to give a sales pitch for their products, because they know just by being located along Via del Fori Imperiali they will sucker hungry and thirsty tourists into buying their paninos, pizza, Pringles, Peroni beers, Ritz crackers, and Coca-Cola products (yes, you can buy beer right off the streets in Rome). If you find yourself along any of the tourist areas or main streets avoid these stands. Try looking down an alley or side-street where the prices are lower and the food is better quality. It is cheaper to look around a bit and prices can be unreasonable if you only go to the first spot you find. Last week we were near the Vatican and went to the first ristorante we found, and ended up paying $10Euro for pizza and $5Euro for a 500mL Coke--both tasted terrible.

Cinema Metropolitan

Tonight I went to the Cinema Metropolitan to see Angels and Demons with a few of my friends. The theater is located at the north end of Via del Corso, right near Piazza del Popolo. The movie was excellent and it was neat to see a movie that was actually filmed in Rome. Everytime a new location popped up on the screen I became excited because I have visited a lot of the sights. There were scenes at Piazza del Popolo, Piazza Navona, the Vatican City, St. Peter's Basilica, Santa Maria della Vittorio-- to name a few.


The movie theater had the most comfortable seats I have ever seen in a movie theater, and was relatively small with only four rows that had 15-20 seats in each row. The theater also offered paninis, beer, mixed alcohol drinks, and gelato at its concession stand. Prices were relative to those that can be found back home. If you are looking for a little piece of America in Rome, I suggest visiting a movie theater that plays American movies in the original version! It was a great time!

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Giro d'Italia

Today marked the last leg of the 100th Annual Giro d'Italia cycling race.

The Giro, as it is known, is a three-week long road bicycle race that happens in May every year. The race is part of the Triple Crown of Cycling events, along with the Tour de France and the World Cycling Championship (Giro d' Italia, 2009). There are 21 stages throughout the race, one per day, and this year began on May 9, and finished today.

This year the race began in Venice, and the last leg of the tour ended through the Roman Forum right down the street from where I live! The total distance of the race this year was 3395.5 km, equivlant to 2109.9 miles! It was exciting to see all of the fans and cyclists around the streets today. As you can see a main straightaway of the race was right down the Via del Corso and the streets were packed from the Piazza del Popolo to the Piazza Venezia! The Via del Corso is a busy street as it is, so I'm sure that having the road blocked off for the race created traffic problems across the city, but on the flipside shop-owners received the most benefit from the fan-base that was drawn to watch the race from outside their shops.

This year's winner was Denis Menchov of Russia.


For more info on the race & picture of map taken from: http://www.bikeraceinfo.com/giro/giro2009.html

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Key to my Heart

One of my best friends from home, Laura, keyed me in on a different kind of tourist site in Rome: the Milvian Bridge. Today we visited this bridge (a 4 mile walk from where we live!) to check out what it is about.

A little bit about the bridge. Lovers go to the Milvian bridge, place their names on a lock, and throw the key into the Tiber. A New York Times article from 2007 states that doing this is a way of "ensuring that the love lasts forever and cannot be broken." The ritual began after the book I Want You by Federico Moccia had his fictional character do the aforementioned at the bridge. Soon locks were popping up and being chained all over the bridge.

I must admit, it would have been a little more romantic to see if I had gone there with a lover. I did put a lock of my own on the bridge though, with my initials and my friend Laura's as well as PSU 2009 (because hey it's the Penn State thing to do right?) I hope to come back someday and see my lock still there!


Key to my Heart

NYT Article on Milvian Bridge
Create a Virtual Padlock here!

Friday, May 29, 2009

Palazzo Doria Pamphilj

Last week we visited the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj on the Corso. This palace is the home of the Pamphilj family and houses portraits of many of the great names throughout the Renassiance (DK Publishing, 47). This palace is one of three palaces among the main stretch of Via del Corso. As a center road in the city, it is logical that the street houses palaces to display the wealth of the citizens in Rome for all to see.

The art is not extremely impressive, but the portrait of Pope Innocent X Pamphilj by Velazquez is the most significant piece in the collection as was explained by the audio guide during the tour. The furnishings of the palace are fancy in style but must have been better suited for the time period it was decorated. Unfortunately, the rules of the palace did not allow me to take any actual photographs or else I would have evidence of (in my humble opinion) that the better part of the palace is not quite so aesthetically pleasing, it's a bit much to look at all at once. There are two courtyards within the walls of the palace, and in Rome courtyards have been symbolic of which social class one is part of. With that and the location on the Corso, the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj insights on how royalty of the 17th century lived. Some of my classmates enjoyed the palace and thought it was beautiful, but it is a matter of taste and you can never know until you check it out yourself!



Image taken from: http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/1422/11370956.JPG

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Gladiators


Street Gladiators take advantage of the history of Rome by imitating the dress of the gladiators who fought within the Colosseum during the early 1st century. Directions for those trying to find these street performers are easy if you take a walk along Via del Fori Imperiali outside of the Colosseum or also walk through Piazza Venezia near the Victorio Emmanuel II Monument. These sometimes handsome men will flirtatiously approach you, and in an unimpressive manner flashing their swords and shields. One would think with such movement and distractions that a picture of these street gladiators (without paying a small fee) would be easy to take-- but it is quite the opposite. It's almost as if the only mental and physical abilities these men have is a sense for tourists attempting to grab a quick photo of them. I managed to sneakily snatch a photograph of one of their helmets early in the morning while the street gladiator was fixing his armor.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

"Siamo i campioni"

For the first time today I heard the Spanish version of "We are the Champions" by Queen being sung by FC Barcelona fans throughout the bars in Campo di Fiori. It was a glorious night for the club soccer team, who defeated the Manchester United Red Devils 2-0 in the European Champions League Finals tonight. To be honest, I was rooting for Man-U because of a certain player named Cristiano Ronaldo, but as I soccer fan I knew that FC Barcelona had the better team and the better players. Sigh. If only soccer was as exciting back home in the U.S.

Picture Taken From: http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20090527/capt.6648bb39ddca4470b98c11804a2372dd.spain_soccer_champions_league_final_dr105.jpg

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Traffic Jams in the Piazza

At the south end of the Corso, traffic empties out into Piazza Venezia. The Corso sees heavy amounts of traffic in the afternoon, especially at the piazza, which has a conjuction of five different roads all coming into on round-about type intersection. This can cause quite the traffic jam. Usually a traffic director posts himself on a stand in the middle of the piazza to direct the traffic. The sounds and movement of the traffic can be seen in this video.


Monday, May 25, 2009

Weekend in Capri

Over the weekend we traveled by train, metro, bus, and ferry to get to Sorrento and Capri in Southern Italy. It was a nice relaxing weekend along the coast of Sorrento, it lacked the crowded streets and scorching sidewalks of Rome. On Saturday we spent the day at Capri, exploring the island and hanging out with all the Medusa jellyfish on the beach. The nine of us stayed at the Villagio Nettuno Resort just outside of Sorrento, where we had our own private bungalows and complete with a scenic view of the Mediterranean. I would recommend a trip here for anyone who is looking for a quiet and relaxing time away from the city.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Suore

Around the city, especially the Vatican, many different types of nuns can be seen. Being the mecca of Catholicism, I expected to see religious figures throughout the city but I had never realized a few things about them.


In particular I have noticed that not one of the sisters I have seen has been wearing the same outfit. Usually when I would think of a nun or a sister I would think of the outfit being worn as the typical black robe with white underneath, but I have seen several different oufits on the sisters around Rome. I have attempted to research why this is, but to no avail. I heard from a friend that sisters from different sects and positions within the church wear different clothing. This is my only explanation thus far, but I can tell you that if you are looking to see or speak to a sister, head towards any of the 900 churches around Rome (especially the Vatican) and you will be sure to find some.


Interested in joining a convent Click Here.
Increase in # of U.S. women joining convents?

In the Night

Beware of the Corso at night. After midnight many homeless people can be seen sleeping in the entry-ways of the buildings. It is an unnerving sight at times that can take you off guard. Being that Via del Corso is a busy area, even at night, I was not expecting to see the homeless fast asleep. It's hard to believe that the polizia or carabinieri do not make these people move, but I guess they feel sympathy of the homeless of the city.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Collettore di Immondizia

Trash Collectors can be seen throughout the city of Rome. I would say that it is a relatively clean city for the amount of people who travel throughout the streets on a daily basis. From the picture you can see that the required uniform is quite interesting. These trash collectors can be seen at most busy tourist locations sweeping up trash and emptying garbage cans. I would not consider it to be the most glorious of jobs, but these street cleaners do exceptionally well at keeping the streets tidy. So when visiting Rome, expect to have clean streets to walk on, a big difference between some of the major cities in the United States.

San Pietro

Saint Peter's Basilica is hands down one of the most majestic places I have ever seen in my life. I found myself in complete awe and my jaw was gaping for the hour I spent walking around in the Basilica.

Saint Peter is known today as the Prince of the Apostles because of his prominence throughout the Bible as the first mentioned amongst the Apostles in several different books (Saint Peter, 2009). This position is closely linked to the same position the Pope holds today, which is why sometimes Saint Peter is referred to as the first Pope of the Christianity. He was one of Jesus's closest friends and followers. As the Bible tells, at the Last Supper Peter is the apostle whom Jesus told would deny him three times before the night's end. After preaching the word of Christ for several years after the death of Jesus, Peter was crucified in the same manner in AD 64 (Saint Peter, 2009).

Saint Peter's Basilica was built during the fourth century over what is claimed to be his original burial sight (Saint Peter, 2009).



"CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles." NEW ADVENT: Home. 21 May 2009 .

Image taken from: http://hereditasmagazine.com/spring_2006/st_peter.jpg

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

automobili sulle vie

People use several different types of transportation to get around the streets of Rome.

In the United States , seeing one of the SmartCars was a funny little instance where I found myself amazed by the size of it, especially since I drive a gas-guzzling Ford Explorer. I even read an article in USA Today during April that said because of the decrease in gas prices, SmartCar sales in the U.S. were dropping drastically. In Roma, the SmartCar and other cars of its size can be seen everywhere around the city. Gas in Roma (and all around Europe) is significantly higher than in the U.S., where I've seen gas costing 1.26Euro a liter, which is equivalent to $6.75 a gallon in the United States. Having fuel efficient, high MPG cars appears to be a necessity in Roma. I recommend using public transportation or walking over other means of transport.


Central Rome Public Transport Map

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Chiese Famose

Sant' Ignazio di Loyola

Rome, which contains one of the biggest religious meccas in the world (Vatican City), also houses over 900 churches, including Sant' Ignazio di Loyola (Churches in Rome, 2003). With such an abundance of churches, what exactly puts a church on the map as an important site to see while in Rome? Is it location? the age? the art and architecture? the priest? the religion its followers worship?

For the Sant' Ignazio di Loyola church, it is a combination of several of these elements that make it famous. Today we visited the church in hopes to find out what makes it so important. Where is it located? The chiesa (as said in Italian) is located in the Piazza di Sant' Ignazio only a few blocks away from the infamous Pantheon. How old is it? It was constructed in 1626, over 375 years ago. What about the art and architecture? The church has a picturesque ceiling, as well as many paintings hanging from the walls. The ceilings are extremely high but the vivid colors of the ceiling brilliantly radiate despite the height. Several tall columns can be seen throughout the church as a means of structural support and beauty as well. One of the most scintillating images was that of a chandelier that glimmered in the sunshine coming from a window. Several of the alters, candles, and chalices were gold-plated and gave a rich feeling to the church. Having been in several churches in the United States, I have not seen anything quite as luminous and radiant as the paintings, columns, and statues in this church. Take a look at the pictures I took of the church, they do not even give true justice to the vibrant intricacies in the artwork within the Sant' Ignazio di Loyola.

To say the least the church is very aesthetically pleasing and I believe that if I attended a Sunday morning mass I would understand and respect even more the Sant' Ignazio di Loyola church.


More Info on Chiesa Sant' Ignazio

Monday, May 18, 2009

Carabinieri v. Polizia

Who protects and serves the streets?

Walking through Rome, you see two types of men in uniform: the Carabinieri and the Polizia. In my view, I never really see either doing more than directing traffic, allowing pedestrians to cross the street, or standing around talking to one another... but apparently each has different abilities and control when it comes to law enforcement.


Carabinieri. Created in 1815 by King Victor Emmanuel I, the Arma dei Carabinieri is the national gendamarie of Italy that polices both the military and civilian populations. Its headquarters are in Rome and officers are placed by a territorial basis (Wikipedia, 2009). The Carabinieri can be seen all over downtown Rome, patrolling the streets and posted up at crowded tourist areas. This military group is an essential part of keeping the citizens and streets of Italy safe.

Polizia. Created strictly as a civil police force, also has its headquarters in Rome. The Polizia di Stato are responsible for patrolling roads, airports, and customs amongst other locations. The Polizia is the primary force of citizen protection throughout Italy, and are expected to maintain public safety and order at all times. This force can also be seen patrolling the streets of Rome as well as standing guard at several busy tourist attractions and piazzas.

The main distinction between the two groups is the ability to police military operations. Personally I have seen neither do anything but drive around or stand around on street corners. This causes my suspicion that there are not many tickets given out and the court system is not a busy one. It reminds me of the part in Italian Neighbors where it is alluded that most people take matters into their own hands because each law is interpreted per case and there is no such thing as precedent. Bepi must be the only one, in both the fictitious and real world, that actually uses the court system.


Apparently there are four different types of police in Rome. Could you imagine having four different police forces back home. Who does that put in control? Does that create issues between the different forces? I would imagine so. I am not sure how any order is maintained when so many different authorities are in one place at one time. I guess that is just the chaos that is life in Rome!


Il Vittorio Emmanuel II

This is a view of the Victorio Emmanuel II monument from the center of the Piazza Venezia.

This monument lies directly across for the infamous central street of Via del Corso, with Via del Fori Imperiali heading off to the left side (if facing the monument as in the picture). It marks the south end of the Via del Corso, which is a logical spot because the towering monument can be see all the way down the Corso even to its opposing end at Piazza del Popolo. It is just a short walk away from the Forum, the Palentine Hill, and the Colosseum. Directly behind it lies the Capitoline Museums.

I pass this monument every day on the way to class and cannot help but to take a long look at its size and beauty every time. The monument was built in during the end of the 19th century in honor of the first king of unified Italy, King Victorio Emmanuel II (D.K. Publishing, 74). Joe, another CAS student, described it as "the wedding cake" and not until I recently read in my guidebook did I know that this nickname is well-known and considered insulting to the people of Italy. It is a beautiful buildings adorned with fountains on both sides that are constantly surrounded by tourists in the heat of the sun.

Publishing, DK. Rome (Eyewitness Travel Guides). New York: DK Travel, 2003.


Italian Neighbors

Reading Italian Neighbors by Tim Parks, I stumbled upon this almost philosophy you could say, and found it quite intriguing.


"Thought for the day: Every morning in Africa the gazelle wakes up and knows he will have to run faster than the lion if he is not to be killed. Every morning in Africa the lion wakes up and knows he will have to run faster than the gazelle if he is not to die of hunger. When the sun rises, it doesn't matter if you're a gazelle or a lion, you'd better start running" (Italian Neighbors, 209).


It's a different way to take a look at the world. I think it's a great perspective onto how some people, especially in America, wake up every morning, sip on their coffee, and think about what they will do with their day.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Parcometro

The Ins and Outs of Paid Parking on the Streets

Worldwide most urban centers have parking meters lining the streets to take advantage of the parking wars and raise funds for several government projects-- not in Rome. In several locations in Rome, parking ticket vending machines can be found, but no parking meters on the streets. Why?

During the mid-90s, the city government decided to attempt to take advantage of the high rate of tourism and heavy traffic flow by installing parking meters around the city. A New York Times article referred to the effort as an initiative to encourage public transportation and walking to decrease the amount of pollution. (I'm sure that was reason #2, right a close second to the monetary benefits.) The law easily passed with excitement over the increase of jobs in the area and the citizens did not mind having to pay a few dollars to park every now and then. Then why aren't they in place any longer? Well apparently although the citizens of Rome agreed on having parking meters installed, they didn't really go for the idea of actually inserting money and using the meters. Romans would park in front of a meter and just not pay. Part of the issue is explained in an article on Wantedinrome.com that draws the statistic of 1 meter-maid per every 322 residents. With those odds I wouldn't buy any parking ticket at all. Needless to say, the parking meters are not seen all around the city, although in the northern area some streets still have them.


Purchase your own No Parking Meter Button here!

Netunno Beach

Saturday was beach day. Swimming in the Mediterranean was about 10 fold better than swimming in the dirty Atlantic Ocean outside of New Jersey. The water was refreshing for such a humid day. Nettuno is the last stop on the train we took and was well worth the hour train and 6 euro to get to. It was a cozy little town that lacked the overcrowded tourist-y and crowded feeling of Rome. In fact though, Nettuno is a tourist town that with a very large yacht club. I would not mind in the least bit if the study abroad program was moved out of Rome and into Nettuno. We played frisbee on the beach, a totally American activity to partake in.
Surprisingly the beach had some very very openly intimate couples laying around. I've learned that anything I deem unusual or awkward is probably just a cultural difference and nothing more. I know it's wrong to generalize on this sort of thing, but thus far it's been true. Regardless, it was a beautiful day for the beach. We even walked down to Villa Costaguti-Borghese, a well-protected nature reserve built in the mid 1600s. Disappointingly enough, it was closed for the day so we didn't get to go inside. I intend on taking another trip down to the beach, hopefully it will be open for my next visit.



Sampson and I admiring the view of the yacht club and sea.