Vatican and the Papal blessing

On our last full day in Rome, we decided to go to the Vatican for the first papal blessing of Pope Francis. Unfortunately we missed the actual prayer but it was still a very special experience to be in the Vatican on the same day. As you can imagine, there was a plethora of people from all over the world who came to witness the Pope. We saw flags from Argentina, Mexico and all over the world being waved in the crowd.

We wanted to get into St. Peter's basilica but it was very difficult to find the entrance with the crowds so we approached two friendly looking deacons to ask for directions. As chance would have it, one of the deacons was responsible for the churches of Michigan and knew the catholic church in Owosso. It never ceases to amaze me how small our world is and this kind man gave us not only directions to the basilica but also a blessing for safe travels.

After pushing through the crowds we made it into the basilica and I was completely caught off guard by what was inside. I had no expectations for what the basilica would look like and it astounded me with its beauty. From seeing the Pieta to simply observing the magnificent scluptures and ornamentation of the building, the basilica was one of the most beauitful things I've ever seen. In addition, there were also prayer services occurring so a majestical chant floated around me as I walked through the church. For not being a particularly religious person, it was a very moving experience.

We were not able to see the Sistine Chapel because it was still closed for conclave. After leaving the Vatican we saw a few more sites in Rome and ended the day with a wonderful meal. Italy was a magical country and I'm so excited to be going back there and share such a beautiful place with my whole family.

Italian journey continued: Florence

After spending a few days in Rome, I caught a train and headed to Florence. Despite the fact that the train left at 8:30am it was impossible for me to sleep because I had a coveted window seat and the Italian countryside was too beautiful to sleep through. This trip validated my love for traveling by train because in addition to moving from A to B, I got to absorb more of Italy, including vineyards, chateaux and quaint towns. 

We arrived around late evening in Florence and the first thing we did was find gelato. My friend who studies in Florence gave us a great recommendation and it was hands down the best gelato I've ever had in my life. I had two cones just because I wanted to try as many flavors as possible. Our hostel was located close to the famous church in Florence and it was breathtaking to pass such an amazing structure multiple times in day.

That night we had an amazing dinner at a small restaurant called Il Latini. While it was slightly out of our student budget, it was definitely worth the expense. Our waiter absolutely loved us and kept bringing us additional dishes with the appropriate Italian wine. Our meal ended up being upwards of 4 hours but it was so enjoyable to have each dish explained to us by an Italian native and really sit and enjoy our food like the Europeans do. 

The next day we had absolutely flawless weather, which we took full advantage of. Our hostel offered us a walking tour of the city and we got to see all of the key historical sites and learn more about the history of Florence. We stopped at the main bridge in Florence which was conveniently located next to a gelato place, which we couldn't say no to. After the tour ended we went to go see Michelango's David which was one of the most breathtaking works of art I've ever seen. I've always been more interested in painting over sculpture but David was unlike anything I've ever witnessed. It was a flawless work of craftsmanship and I could have spent all day staring at it. Unfortunately though, our stomachs were grumbling and only an authentic Italian panini could help us. We went to a small place that was recommended by my friend and had I an incredibly flavorful and delicious panini.

Florence was a very different city from Rome and I wish I could have had more time to discover it but considering I ate gelato four times in the two days I was there it was probably for the best I didn't stick around any longer! 

My first few days in Roma

Hi everyone! I just returned from a wonderful trip to Rome and Florence, Italy. I've outlined my first day below but I will be writing another post for my days in Florence and my trip to the Vatican. Overall, Italy was such a beautiful country and as a complete art and food addict, I couldn't have been happier there.

We arrived in Rome late on Wednesday night and after some interesting Italian/English translation made it to our hostel where we instantly passed out.

The next day we walked all over Rome and covered pretty much the whole city. The first stop we made was the Colosseum. We got to walk around inside and it was amazing to see how well the building has stood the test of time. We also saw the Italian equivalent to the Tomb of the Unknown Solider which was in a magnificent structure.

After that we walked to another part of the city for pizza and the weather was nice enough that we got to eat outside. I had a mushroom and truffle oil pizza, probably one of the better things I've tasted! We then walked to the Pantheon and had some amazing gelato at a famous gelatori. After we walked to the Trevi Fountian and threw coins in.

We ended the day with a great meal in a small local place and went to some bars around the Italian university.

My favorite thing about Rome (besides the food of course) is all of the amazing architecture. It's truly incredible how ancient all of the buildings are and what good shape they are in. It's breathtaking to be wandering around the city and pass magnificent sculptures and buildings from ancient times.

While it was only one day I was pretty pleased with how much of the city we covered and the fact we did it all on foot. We definitely earned our gelato and pasta dishes!