Rome Post #2: DAY TWO

We arose bright and early (like, 5 am...but consider that we'd all crashed at 6 pm the night before) on day 2, because Fr. Jeremy had the privilege to celebrate Mass on the tomb of Pope Blessed John Paul II!

We got to see the Vatican and St. Peter's Square for the first time. For me, it was totally love at first sight. I have to say, St. Peter's is my absolute favorite place in all of Rome. 

After that, we headed into Father's favorite place to eat...Tavola Calda, right around the corner from St. Peter's Square.

I have a lot of Coke-lovin' sisters (and a Coke-adorin' mom...), so I took a lot of pictures of Italian Coke adds and art. Coke is actually better in Italy, believe it or not!

The cobblestones outside of the Pope Paul VI Auditorium, where the Papal audience was held. I love cobblestones. I actually miss them a lot. Its so weird having the ground be perfectly level now that I'm back home!

POPE BENEDICT XVI! I literally started tearing up when he came out, because I got such a sense that he IS our spiritual father. I was pretty much the only one who didn't think the audience was boring...there is a lot of time where the Pope is speaking in Italian, French, Dutch, Spanish, and any number of languages we Americans just don't understand. But I thought it was incredible. They called on each of the groups there, at which point you got up and cheered/sang/pretty much did whatever you wanted to show your affection and support of the Holy Father. We were pretty boring/tame compared to the British school kids and the Italians...they got really into it! 

After that, we went to lunch. There was this thing called the Johnny Depp. Pictures needed to be taken.

I had this huge mushroom pizza I ate like, 1/26th of. Ah, well.

That was also the restaurant where the waitress seemed to assess the fact that we were Americans, and proceeded to turn the TV to this station where they play nothing but American music videos 24/7.

I left the country to ESCAPE Moves Like Jagger. 

Back to St. Peter's Square for our special tour of the Vatican (which we got to see before the tour for Mass, which was pretty cool. We already knew our way around a little bit.) Deacon Aaron, a deacon whose been studying in Rome for 6 years and is FULLY AWESOME, was kind enough to give us the sweetest tour EVER.

First of many incorrupt saints we saw: Pope Blessed Innocent XI.

Even the FLOOR is beautiful. 

HAGIA SOPHIA! This was pretty fascinating: there are stars on the floor of St. Peter's Basilica that mark where certain churches would come if lined up against the back of the basilica. Hagia Sophia is an ancient Byzantine church in the Holy Land that is currently a mosque. I want to go see it so badly, and I thought it was amazing to see how much smaller it would be...and this is one of the ones CLOSER to the door! 

Later that night...the Tiber. So much love. 

I honestly cannot tell you which church this was. We went into several dozen before the trip was over, and this was day 2.

In the Gelato Shop of Awesomeness: MINI-NUTELLAS! So epic! I was seriously tempted to get some. But...you can get a jar 12 times that size in Walmart for less than that (keep in mind Euros are worth more than dollars!).

My first gelato from the Della Palma Gelato Shop: MANGO! So good. 

Than we went to a restaurant on the street...that was pretty amazing. 

The lovely heating lamps that kept us warm in the late-December Italian chill (which was actually cold compared to the Midwest, weirdly enough...).

Zupa di pollo: chicken soup! Mmm...

COOLEST THING EVER!! I don't remember what it's called, but we were just walking back away from the Parthenon towards the Metro, when Father pointed this out. I got so excited because I read about this (or something like this) in my Theology book and had hoped we'd see it. I also saw another thing that looked just like it....not sure which one was which. Its called Trajan's Column; Trajan was an emperor of Rome, and basically made himself an ego-fest on this column. Its covered with pictures of his achievements and battles, but the statue of him on top was replaced by one of St. Peter! Very cool. 

And finally, the Italian flag in lights. Amen.

The Skye Boat Song, The Corries

My mom discovered this song on a blog she reads, and we have both been listening to it over and over. This may be the most beautiful thing I've heard in years. I sincerely hope that iTunes can grant my request for them to make it available!

Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,
Onward! the sailors cry;
Carry the lad that's born to be King
Over the sea to Skye.

Loud the winds howl, loud the waves roar,
Thunderclouds rend the air;
Baffled, our foes stand by the shore,
Follow they will not dare.
Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,
Onward! the sailors cry;
Carry the lad that's born to be King
Over the sea to Skye.

Though the waves leap, soft shall ye sleep,
Ocean's a royal bed.
Rocked in the deep, Flora will keep
Watch by your weary head.
Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,
Onward! the sailors cry;
Carry the lad that's born to be King
Over the sea to Skye.

Many's the lad fought on that day,
Well the claymore could wield,
When the night came, silently lay
Dead in Culloden's field.
Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,
Onward! the sailors cry;
Carry the lad that's born to be King
Over the sea to Skye.

Burned are their homes, exile and death
Scatter the loyal men;
Yet e'er the sword cool in the sheath
Charlie will come again.
Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,
Onward! the sailors cry;
Carry the lad that's born to be King
Over the sea to Skye.

Rome Post #1: DAY ONE

Now, apparently the natives are getting restless and plotting to come after me with clubs and sharp pointy knives for leaving them hanging so cruelly, especially since I had the audacity to post something Tangled-related but failed to give any details about my amazing trip to Europe.

I have been much humbled by this.

So, here you are, faithful followers: Rome post number one.

On the bus to the airport at 8:30 am. The sunrise was really beautiful, and I had a whole seat to myself to spread out on (not to mention my backpack...cruelest backpack on the face of the planet). There are indeed perks to being the only teenage girl traveling without a dozen other girls you've known since birth. 

Airport!

Our gate, G4. That was actually a really amazing 2 hour layover...one of the guys in my group, Theo, and I got to talk to a girl from France who was taking the same flight as us to Paris. It was really awesome to just randomly chat with a person from a completely different country. She was pretty awesome; she had come to America to stay with a friend over Christmas. It was impressive how many things she and Theo found in common to talk about, and since I'm typically more reserved around strangers anyway I mostly just listened. We never learned her name, but man, that was a cool experience. 

EEP! I was really rather frantically excited at that point. 

Duh.

I found out after the fact that I probably shouldn't have been allowed to take pictures during the taxi and takeoff. Huh. 

This is the part where I about freaked out...

IT WAS BEAUTIFUL! I loved every second of it!

I may be the only person who can honestly say they loved the plane food. 

About halfway through the flight, the plane was a little wobbly, but I was convinced I was enduring horrific turbulence and was pretty miserable for the next 4 and a half hours. More than the wobbliness (and it was just so LOUD after a while), I felt like I had been chewed up and spat out by a washing machine because we essentially pulled an all-nighter, thanks to the 7-hour time difference.

My seat buddy, Josh, was able to sleep. I wanted to hate him, but I couldn't. I was just so miserable after a while. And then they served us 'breakfast' at 11:30 at night. 

All part of the adventure, of course. 

Paris from overhead!

The terrifying Paris airport. Or maybe I was just sleep-deprived. I don't know. I was actually searched in that airport...fortunately, the French lady who very professionally rifled through my backpack was really nice and didn't take anything away. 

I was assured by Fr. Jeremy, our fearless leader, that it was because I look like such a little terrorist.

Hm.

The French plane that made sounds that did not seem like healthy-airplane noises...

FIRST PICTURE IN ROMA! 

My first up-close and real-life palm tree!

The yard of the convent where we stayed. 

Beautiful!

The epic view from my room, S2, which I shared with three other wonderful girls. We got settled into our rooms, which didn't take too long. Our hotel convent was really amazing...I unfortunately got very few pictures of  in inside, but it was a lot nicer than we expected because we got such a good rate for our rooms. 

The Vatican Museum!! <3

So, after an 8 1/2 hour flight, and than a 2 hour flight from Paris to Rome, I was kind of ravenous because I had been unable to eat the egg and cheese biscuit thing they served me in the middle of the night. Off to find food and see Rome for the first time!

First food in Rome (come to think of it...first food in like, 5 hours!).

Best picture of Day 1: Italian Diet Coke. 

We than went shopping for religious articles to be blessed by Pope Benedict XVI the next day at the papal audience (more to come...). I got a dozen beautiful medals, but looking back I should have brought a lot more. I was so worried about money until like, the last day when I really splurged. 

Passed out around 6:30 pm, and I actually got in bed the latest of anyone in our room! Sheesh. 

So, that was Day 1 (although without the time change, it would sort of be a day and a half, but for simplicity's sake, I just morphed them together). Day 2 coming soon! 

God bless and Happy New Year!

2012 so far...

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And we're only 6 days in!