Meet the Cast. Candace's Man.

So, for whatever reason, I was given the task of bringing Candace home an Italian man. Well, since I know her tastes so well, I found Fredico. He is a Swiss Guard for the Vatican, and as you can see, has incredible clothing taste. He informed me that as a man in uniform he would be happy to take on the challenge of Candace. He also mentioned, which I thought was a bit odd, that he always wears his uniform ... to bed, in the shower ... always. Candace will certainly get used to that. Maybe he has an extra one for her as well.

While at the Vatican, we had special academic permissions to see things that are closed to the public. This image is Raphael's loggia. When Raphael designed this space, it was opened to the courtyard outside. It has since been closed to preserve the amazing works of art.





We were also allowed into Burmanti's Tower. This tower was constructed to allow Popes to ride horses into the Vatican, and up to the higher palaces. My question is what did they do with the horses once they got to the top?

Meet the Cast. Chic Peas.

Last summer I got a bit of ridicule for never showing people on my blog. You can all only take so many buildings I guess...so here is a story including peeps... A few of us were out to a great meal. Second from the left is Alison. She has not learned much Italian, and has (what I will call) a "special" Italian accent. As we were completing our dinner, Alison asked how to request our check, in Italian. We were coaching her on how to say it. Several times. And not quietly. When Kaarin (second on the right) noticed the table next to us laughing a bit, as was the waitress. We then realized how comical it would be if we were eating at a restaurant in the states, and someone was desperately trying to ask for their "Check Please," but kept saying instead "Chic Peas." Maybe you had to be there, but we are still laughing about it today...

Some Pictures

The Everyday.

I want to start by saying thanks to you all for the kind words, and very interactive nature you all have taken to the postings thus far. I really hope it continues. Only 4 days in Roma so far, and it actually feels like I have been here for weeks. There are a few things that I have adopted as sort of a routine...so here they are....

1. Gellato. Every day. At least once. A new flavor every time. Now I know that is going to have a significant impact on my figure...but with all of the walking we are doing, I think (hope) it will all even out.

2. Vino. Every night. At least 2 glasses. You have probably all heard about how the wine in Italy is cheaper than the water. Well that is only partially the case. Water is free from the myriad of fountains along the streets. So if you count those, the adage is a bust. But otherwise, very true.

3. Pantheon. Every few hours. At least 3 passes. Given our location here on the Piazza Pio, and my travels around town, I end up passing the Pantheon on a regular basis. It is so weird to pass something I have been studying the past 2 years as part of my daily goings-on.

4. Sleep. About 5 hours. At least I try. We live off of a beautiful and vibrant and alive Piazza...which is good and bad. The people, trucks, and various other noises make it difficult to get to sleep before 1:00 am, and sleep much past 7:00 am...so we will see how long I can last under these conditions.

In my own little corner...

So, I am now in Rome, and all checked in. Unpacked and ready for action. So far, it is not at all as ungodly hot as I had expected, nor is the food as ridiculously priced as I had imagined. Our apartment is right on the Campo dei Fiori, and we just watched the morning produce market pack up for the day. The apartment is pretty nice, with beautiful 20 foot+ high ceilings. Class starts tomorrow, which is sure to be a challenge...but for now, I am just going to enjoy my last free night in Rome.

Up, Up, and Away

So, here I go again. I just checked in at SFO, and am about to transverse several time zones, countries, and airports on my way to Roma. I woke up this morning a little confused. You know how sometimes your dream feels so real, when you wake up nothing feels quite normal. That was this morning for me. After my shower, I started feeling better, but the reality of this trip has not set in yet. For now, I will enjoy my books, the crazy people all around me, and the random airport snacks along the way. I hope any of you that find this website enjoy the postings. Please feel free to comment...