S, 11 June 2005 (Rome, Italy)
Getting into a city quasi-late can have its advantages. It's a chance to rest and think a bit without feeling like you should just get going right now. Rome reminds me of New York: busy and active and lots of bussle, but organized and, above all, friendly. I met a guy at the bus stop (once I found it) who asked if I was going to the hostel. He had his son with him (not much English) and they were goign the same way. He kindly pointed me and another fellow taveller (Sofia, from Argentina) to the correct stop. Not a bad hostel, but long hallways and I'm at the very end!

Roommates: Ian (an older Australian) and Milan (from Prague, Czeck Republic, about my age).

U, 12 June 2005 (Rome, Italy) So I have now attended mass in Italian as well as German. I came to the Santa Maria della Vittoira at just the right time and decided to sit and join. It was short, only 40 minutes, and very light crowd, which I liked. Again, though, during communion only the bread was given, the priest was the only one to take the wine. I have to ask Don about this. Also, this being such a small church, there were no attendants to the priest and though an organ, no music. After the service I had a chance to see La Ecstaci de Santa Teresa. It was so high up it was hard to get a clear view from the ground, but it was still amazing. I also was struck during the passing of the peace in the mass how I felt like part of the community there, even though I didn't understand a word.

Before arriving at Maria della Vittoria, I went to Santa Maria della Concezione, to see the Cappuccini Crypt. How amazingly powerful! Five rather dark alcoves decorated with the bones of 4000 friars, done in the 17th century. I snuck a few pictures because of the power of it. "What you are now, we used to be; what we are now you will be." Pieces of vertebrae, ribs, femers, jaw, skull, arm, leg, finger, everything is nailed into the ceiling in shapes and designs and patterns, or stacked into arches and shapes along the walls Each room carries in bulk a certain body part. You're right in the middle of death, but there's a macabre beauty to it as well, as if death is only a moment, an event. Death can be a lovely and celebrated thing.It's not to be feared; like life, it just is. It's what we make of it. There is something artistic about the life that comes from death, and like art, the transistory nature of everything. Perhaps that's part of the point: all is transitory except God, but even from these transitions something new and greater is born. The world has so much to teach us; we have to get out and experience it (wow, how's that for unrelated?).

Though I like Rome in general so far, I think I was somehow more impressed with Venice. Perhaps it needs more time...or maybe less cost on the food (and more "local" marked outlets, not just the cheap food (or not) knock-off stands and pricy bars).

I went through the baths of Diocletian and the church that was built over part of them. I heard the end of some great organ music. Then I wandered back via (subway) to Pincio Hill. What an amazing view! There's a lovely large garden up there of which I Followed the edge to the Spanish Steps. After a bit of searching, wondering, and puzzling, I realized that must be the garden James referenced. It's much bigger than I expected, and relatively quiet.

I've now found my way to the Trevi fountain. Pretty neat, but way too crowded for my tastes. And no one pays attention to what's going on around them, so it's a jostling mess. But I did just witness someone putting a bottle of wine in one of the side fountain pools. What a great way to get our wine chilled! The order of operations when arriving in a city for the first time: Find information desk. Get a map of the city and a map of the bus/metro system (if applicable). Consider a timetable, if appropriate. Find luggage storage and prices. Note what food is available nearby. Find nearest metro stop and get ticket/pass. Go to hostel.

Went to the Church of S. Ignacious...illusionary ceiling: wow! And the celing leading to it is also neat and attempts for a depth of effect. There's a concert there tonight that's fre and I plan to come back for it.
	From there it was a short walk to the very high (and majestically old) Pantheon. Neat, but just not what I expected. Oh, well, maybe it was the crowd effect again.

I wandered past it twice and now I'm waiting to get into the Gesú church. After this I'm going to grab some food to take back and time the trip from San Ignacious to the hostel so I can confirm when I will need to leave (I think 19:30 for a 21:00 concert). I'll rest, eat dinner, call home, and...get...to the concert.

So the Gesú stuff wasn't as cool as I'd hoped it'd be. The ceiling was neat (like Ignazio) and there was a lot of good art, but nothing that really called to me. I think I saw the lapis lazuli, that is, if it was the round thing in the nave just to the left of the altar, but it didn't seem anything so spectacular.

M, 13 June 2005 (Rome, Italy)
The choir wasn't worth it, especially what I went through last night. Well, I shouldn't say that, I did get inspired to do an a capella choral version of Psalm 139. But they oversang, din't really understand the style, and generally were not a great choir. Good selection of music, though, just overall not well done. They did have a lot of heart, which came through in some places so that I did lose track of the lesser technicalities.

Coming back, though, the metro stop I needed was closed! Thank God I brought the bus map. It saved my ass, though I still ended up walking almost the whole way back (I'd estimate 5-6 km). Taht is not an experience I'm anxious to repeat. Added to this, I'd developed a blister on the ball of my right foot, and with the extra walking my left foot hurts in the same spot. I don't think there's a blister there and I hope to keep it that way. It all makes walking very painful, so I'm definitely going to have to take my time today.

I'm getting hot already. Time to go soak up the sun and keep the water coming. Thank God for fountains!

Maybe it's oversaturation of one sort or another. Maybe it's just not the day for this for me. Or maybe it's just the way it is. The point remains, though, that I'm not very impressed. I have done the Palatino and the Colloseum. I walked past the Circus Maximus. All have been rather blasé. The Circus Maximus was just a field with a hill on one side, some steps, and a dirt track (I couldn't even tell if it was circular or just a line). There were some ruins on one side, but nothing too impressive. A €22 ticket gets me entry to about 9 different places (which would be €10 each). I've used it for the Palatino and Colloseum. I'm questioning if it's been worth it. I'd better find one or two more it works for to at least technically get my money's worth. The Palatino was large, which was somewhat interesting, but the ruins were in such decay that it's hard to really tell what is what. The Colloseum, neat I guess, just less than I expected.

Saw a great shirt this morning: "Scream if you want to feel free." Oh, and one other neat thing about Palatino: the many arrays of wild flowers springing up in the area.

The Bascilica della Santa Cecilia is amazing and so quiet. Beautiful ceiling with a picture of her organ, a statue of her in front of the altar, and (surprise!) a crypt under the church which is where she is buried and what used to be her house. The nun selling the tickets was very friendly. At the gate (locked) to the room where Cecilia's buried I sang the chorus of the Hymn to St. Cecilia: Blessed Cecilia Appear in visions to all musicians. Appear and inspire! Translated daughter, Come down and startle composing mortals with immortal fire!

I stopped at a small restaurant around the corner for dinner and got a hefty plate of Timbal (?), a lasagne-type dish with tube-shell noodles, tomato, cheese, and bits of salami, and a bottle of peach tea. Nice, simple dinner. And I have just over an hour to get to the Piramide stop.

T, 14 June 2005 (Rome, Italy/Vatican City)
Last night I met up with Milan. We had a great time walking Trastevere; it really is beautiful at night! The good parts are all up along this enormous hill, and parts follow the wall of Rome. At on point we went into a walled garden (it was near sunset) and this car drove by hoking at us, except we didn't realize it was at us! Then a guy got out and started yelling at us in Italian and pointed behind us. We soon realized he was rather rudely telling us to leave. Later we came acros a beautiful view of the city and went halfway down a very dark trail before realizing that may not be the best idea.

This morning I joined Milan and his mom early to go to the Vatican Museum and see the Sistene Chapel. The Vatican is such a tease! You go through room after room of incredibly beautiful art yet still the Sistene Chapel in further along. But once we got there! The male nudes that flank the main panels seem set away from the ceiling as if they left out at you. And the panels themselves, hard to see from such a distance and bengin your neck, but still somehow better than the poster and book copies. And the wall panels were also impressive. But the whole time guards are shouting at us to keep quiet (ironic, no?) and not take pictures or video.

When we left we went to S. Peter's and soon fell in with a free tour guide. But as I went through the entrance, my knife was again caught (this time both of them). Unlike in the museum, though, there was no baggage check room. I decided it wasn't worth parting with them. So I went to find lunch, telling Milan and his mom I'd see them tonight at the hostel.

I find it a very sad world when a place that i the head of such a large and strong religious institution has to be concerned about pocketknives.

So I ate and rested on the metro. Bus 660 took me out to the Appia Antiqua, just south of the Catacombes. Cecilia Metella is the first site I cam across and it's covered by the ARchaeology Card! Pretty neat, if small, and at least very quiet. I then walked past the Mausoleum of Romulus (closed) to the Catacombs of San Sebastin...

I love the water in Rome. The spouts are everywhere and the water is always cold and a little sweet. Very nice and refreshing.

The catacombs were interesting, but not worth €5 just because the guide was not something very useful to me. Though interesting, she was somewhat limiting in terms of what I wanted. So I didn't do the next catacombs, but I did walk a very pleasant road with very little traffic and almost no people. I've been continually amazed by the variety of flowers in Rome. There are so mnay and they are so vibrant and arrayed so interestingly. I recognize poppies, I think, but no others.

I went back to the Vatican before dinner, but after dropping everything in the room. It was large, with very nice statues, but I honestly wasn't impressed. Is it there to glorify God or man? Or perhaps man's image of God? We have to wear pants and can have nothing on our heads, but out of respect for whom? The building with all of its security felt as cold as the stone that was used to build it. I couldn't climb the dome because it was too late and I'm debating whether or not to do it in the morning. Aren't the Swiss Guard uniforms cute? (ha!) They were designed by Michaelangelo (he should have stayed out of fashion and stuck to painting and sculpture) and no one wanted to give it up.

We have a full room tonight. When I got back Ian was here, as well as Fabio, an Italian from Ferenze (Florence) who has been here a few nights for exams. There was also Luigi, a newcomer from Napoli (Naples). Fabio, Luigi, and I played a game called Briscola, and it was fun. Luigi speaks only Italian, which mas made for some fun communication.

W, 15 June 2005 (Rome, Italy)
After a goodbye note from Fabio and parting ways with Milan, I stowed my bag and went back to the Vatican to climb the dome. But I forgot! This is the day the Pope makes an appearance. So I briefly saw him from a distance, but because of the activity with him there, all of S. Peter's was shut off. So, no dome climbing for me. I left in frustration for the Baths of Diocletian, which was also quite a dissapointment. I've definitely gotten my technical worth out of the Archaeology Card, but I would not have done it if I had it to do over knowing what I know now. It wasn't worth €22.

Found a really good place for lunch, then spent time wandering, looking for a water fountain. Finally went to the one at Cappuccini Crypt and came back to the station. I'm ready to get to Spain and start practicing Spanish, plus I'm now looking forward to such a long trip as a chance to rest.

(Train from Milan, Italy)
I had such an adorable experience near the end of the train ride from Rome to Milan. Train travel can be filled with joys and frustrations. Frustrations may be people whistling. But joys are found in children. Sitting across the aisle from me was a boy, probably five or six, with a Spiderman toy. He was so cute! Near the end of the trip, he came over to the empty seat on my side and I enjoyed watching him play. Soon he was playing with the two guys sitting facing me. Then he wanted me to play! I don'tk now if I didn't know what to do because the two guys were there watching or because I don't speak Italian. But the boy seemed fascinated with me nonetheless. He was so open, expressionate, and playful. His mother told me that he understood English, but he couldn't speak it yet. My confusion with him was the delight of everyone in the area, but I didn't care because the boy made me laugh. He finally asked my name and took delign in repeating it. As an amusing diversion, I showed him the candle from Venice, but he thought I was trading for his Spiderman toy. When I was leaving he kept calling, "Ciao, Shawn!" and trying to follow me. He was a great joy and just the angel I needed to relift my spirits.

I am now halfway through my trip. On to Spain! (Bypassing France...for now...)