Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri and Napoli!

Time is ticking and there is only 2 more weeks left in Rome.  I feel like I just got here, it is insane how fast time has gone by.  With such little time left in this ancient city I want to spend it exploring everything I can...Over this last past weekend was our last class trip.  This trip consisted of Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri and Napoli.  When we got to Pompeii we did a quick tour of this ancient city.  It was crazy to see how preserved everything was and what happened to the city.  We even saw two preserved bodies in the position they were found in when Mt. Vesuvius erupted. Supposedly Mt. Vesuvius  is due to go off again within the next ten years but scientists are watching carefully so Pompeii 2 doesn't happen.  Unfortunately we couldn't stay there long and headed to our hotel in Sorrento.  The hotel was amazing, each couple of people got a big room with a balcony overlooking the beautiful view of the coast.  That night everyone went out, including Dr. Dawson, to sing karaoke at a bar.  It was the best night yet, everyone was enjoying themselves and we all bonded of Dr. Dawson's wonderful singing of "my heart will go on".  The next morning we had time for a free day so my friends and I headed to Capri.  We took a ferry over to this picturesque and beautiful place.  We got a boat tour that showed us all the important caves then we took the a train to the top of the hill.  I even saw a friend from high-school on the boat tour, what a small world! After the boat tour we went to the top of Capri.  There was little shops and restaurants overlooking the whole city.  We continue to see more great views, with white houses surrounding the crystal clear water.  At the end of the day we had to take the ferry and headed back to Sorrento.  The next day on our way back to Rome, we stopped in Naples.  Naples is very different then Rome in its lifestyle.  The people seem to be more carefree and just go about their day doing whatever they want.  People in Napoli also use their space differently then those in Rome.  One place could literally be a parking spot, a sidewalk, and a picnic place all in one.  For that reason, the city was also very dirty.  Because each spot is utilized so much, there was bags of trash everywhere.  It even made NYC seem spot clean.  When we got free time we went to "michele pizzeria".  This pizzeria is famous from the movie "Eat Pray Love", when Julia Roberts stuffs pizza down her face, realizing that she can't worry about counting calories and needs to stop feeling guilty for what she eats.  In the movie she claims to be having a relationship with her pizza and after trying it for myself, I agree. The pizza was amazing, it even tops Roman pizzas.  After eating that whole pizza I had to definitely take in the words of Julia Roberts, because I couldn't stop feeling guilty, but it was so good! After lunch we explored a few more sites and headed back to Home Sweet Rome.  I couldn't have asked for a better weekend trip, spent with all my classmates!

Benedetto!

On Wednesday, we all received tickets to go to the papal audience.  I wasn't sure what this entailed but I didn't want to give up such a great opportunity and"When in Rome".  So on Wednesday morning we got up at 630 am and headed to the Vatican.  We waited online till 8, when they opened the doors.  We had to go through quick security and then were able to sit in the fourth row (since we got there so early).  At 1030 the ceremony started. The Pope rode in on the Pope-mobile and waved his hands through the crowd, as everyone chanted his name "Benedetto".  Once the Pope took his place on the stage, he said an opening prayer. A few bishops got up to the podium and spoke in all different languages.  Then the Pope said a few prayers.  After, one bishop called different groups names out-loud if they were present.  Some groups would stand up and sing or play a song.  When he said "students from Loyola University Maryland", we all stood up and cheered and the Pope gestured the blessing hand movement towards our direction.  At the end of the ceremony, he blessed the rosaries and other religious objects we brought with us.  Seeing the Pope was such a great opportunity and I'm so glad I was able to go.

"This is what dreams are made of" Tivoli Gardens

For all of you who've seen the Lizzie McGuire movie, that movie became a reality for me this past weekend.  You know in the movie when Paolo sneaks out with Lizzie to show her these beautiful gardens with waterfalls, I was there! (Minus the Italian boy holding my hand, running through the waterfalls singing "This is what dreams are made of") Tivoli is a small town about an hour outside of Rome.  It looks like a mini version of Rome.  After getting off an hour ride train we explored the town and found the Tivoli Gardens.  The gardens were beautiful with waterfalls and fountains all over.  We walked through the park and sat down for a picnic next to one of the fountains.  Seeing the movie with these gardens in a scene, made seeing them that much surreal.  There's so many things you never think you're going to see, that when you see them its literally "like a movie".