Ravenna, Rome, life in Italy

we had our painting critique for mid terms. I turned in my 2 “blood” portraits and we spent most of the class talking about our paintings. After we decided to go out to pizza for the rest of class and talk about what we wanted to do with our remaining weeks in painting. I was a nice change from class in the studio to class over pizza J
we decided to miss Italian last wednesday and go to Ravenna for the day. We got up early and got on the train at 6:30 am and were in Ravenna around 10. We walked around and went to about 6 different museums and saw all the mosaics of Ravenna. We were done around 3 pm and had some tea before we were supposed to get on the train home at 5 pm. The 5 pm train never showed so we waited for the 5:45 train. At 5:40 or so we got on a train that we thought was the train to Florence, turns out there are 2 #1 platforms and the train to Florence left without us. We figured out that the next train was at 8 pm so we went and walked around some more and got more tea and then went back to the station at 8. Only to find out that there wasn’t another train to Florence that day and we could take the train to Bologna and then go to Florence but there weren’t any more trains to Florence from there and we would have to stay the night in Bologna or get a taxi the rest of the way home. We decided to stay in Ravenna for the night and paid 60 euro for a room, luckily they didn’t mind that neither of us had our passports with us. And then we laid in bed watching Scrubs in Italian and regretting not asking for help earlier. : /

We went to Rome bright and early on Saturday. The Bus ride was about 4 hours there and we had the same driver that we had on the way to Pompeii. A few of the Swedish students and another American girl who is a senior came with. And also a girl from Nigeria who was late and made us wait 30 minutes for her. We got to Rome and the first thing we did was go to the Vatican. We walked into the square and took pictures and then our teacher told us we didn’t get to go inside because the line was too long so we went to the Sistine Chapel instead. We walked through the Vatican museum and saw all the art, the museum was huge and I just really wanted to get to the Chapel so a few people and I ran ahead. Julie and I ran through out the modern exhibit trying to find the chapel which was very far away, we ended up running all the way to the basement and then back up to the top floor trying to find the Chapel. We finally found it and I was so amazed when we walked in. I stood in there under god and Adam for 30 minutes, sneaking pictures of the ceiling. I went and bought a rosary for someone (not sure for who yet) and waited for Sara and the rest of the group. After we went to the Spanish steps, took pictures of the sunset, and had an 18 euro drink at a bar at the top! My painting teacher told me it would be the best drink that I will ever have in my life so I decided to pay the money for it. It was a pretty good drink but I still don’t think it was 18 euro good! That’s about $25! For dinner went took taxis to a pizzeria and ate with one of the ladies from Arcadia in Rome. We took the subway back to the hotel and had drinks in one of the rooms before going to bed after a long day of walking. The next day we got up and went to the coliseum with the group, we got in for 3 euro instead of the usual 11 and had 30 minutes inside. We went to Imperial Rome next and walked through there. We went to the Trevi fountain and then had lunch with a few people. Then we walked back to the hotel and got on the bus back to Florence. It was a very busy 2 days but I think I managed to see all the major spots in Rome; I will defiantly be going back someday.

This week we mostly just relaxed and tried to get some homework done. In drawing we went to this part of Florence I hadn't been to yet and went into the most beautiful church I have ever been to. The whole church is decorated in gold and marble scultpure and paintings, like most churches in Italy. except with this one every single inch is covered in art. there was a man there that works for the church and quit his job in order to dedicate himself to the church in and the Virgin Mary. Sara and I are trying to get some more christmas shopping done so we made a point out of going to all the big markets this week. Friday a few other arcadia students and I went to the movie theater and saw the new Harry Potter! It was in english with italian subtitles so the whole place was filled with American students. The rest of the week I have been painting and drawing, our trip to Arezzo on saturday got canceled because not enough people wanted to go so they moved it to December 4th. Next weekend Sara and I and a few of the guys are going to Modena and Milan! Modena is where the Ferrari Factory, what better way to spend thanksgiving weekend! The countdown until I come home is in the 20s now. It's going by so quick! Im really not excited to come home, and I have so much I need to do before I leave Florence!