Ancient Rome

Dear Family and Friends,

It is my third day in Rome and I have so many pictures already that I'm not sure if my computer will store them all. Today we visited the Roman Forum, Palantine Hill, and Circus Maximus. It was as if I had traveled back in time. The ruins are amazing, the largest structures I have ever seen. We were able to view the ruins of the temple of the vestal virgins and the ruins of the Temple of Julius Cesar (where he was buried). There were so many old structures that I can hardly remember the names of them all, but what we saw was amazing. I still cannot understand how they were able to create these architectural masterpieces during that time. We than walked through Palentine Hill, which is absolutely huge. You could spend a whole day walking through there and still not see everything. We were able to go down into two ancient Roman homes, one of which was called the House of Livia, home to the wife of Augustus. You have to walk down really steep stairs and through really dark corridors that have gorgeous frescas on every wall. It was one of the coolest things I have ever done. We than went to look at Circus Maximus, which was used for the chariot races. Many locals and tourists use it as a track now to jog. The second picture is of circus maximus. My picture is not able to span out to get the entire length of it, it is incredibly long. The first picture is of the Temple of Antoninus Pius and Faustina. It was built to honor Emperor Antoninus Pius (138-161 A.D.) and his deified wife, Faustina. The third picture is of ruins in the Roman Forum. Lastly, the bottom picture is of the remains of the Temple of the Vesta, in which a fire burned all day long. As long as the fired burned, Rome would stand. The Vestal Virgins tended to this fire, always keeping it lit. The Vestal Virgins were picked as young girls and had to train for 10 years before they learned all of the traditions and customs.

Love to All,
Elena

First Two Days in Rome

Dear Family and Friends,

It is my second day in Rome and it is absolutely amazing. I still cannot believe that I am here, it is beautiful. We visited the Spanish steps, Trevi fountain, the piazza navona, the church of Santa Minerva, the pantheon, and the church of St.Ivo. I have to say my awe inspiring moment was standing in front of Trevi Fountain. It is enormous, the grandest fountain you could ever see. The spanish steps were absolutely beautiful, they are located in the piazza di spagna (Spanish Square). The staircase connects the piazza di spagna to a French church called the Trinita dei Monti. At the bottom of the steps is a large fountain called the barcaccia which takes the shape of a sinking sail boat. The church of Santa Minerva was very beautiful, the paintings and sculptures were breathtaking. In the picture above is a sculpture called statua del redentore created by Michelangelo in the early 16th century. The ceilings in the church were so colorful and detailed, it is amazing how people were able to paint these amazing biblical scenes. I have one picture above of a painting on the ceiling in Santa Minerva. The other two pictures above are of Trevi fountain and me with a new friend, Jennifer, in front of the Spanish Steps. Tomorrow we will walk into the most ancient parts of Rome such as the colloseum and circus maximus. The school that we are staying in is located 10 minutes away from them so we do not have to walk far. I will continue to update pictures and videos as I go.

Love,
Elena

Rome, Italy

Hello Friends and Family,

It is the day before I leave to study abroad in Rome. I have been waiting for this moment to come for the past few years, and now that it has I feel excited and nervous at the same time. I am sure that it will be a wonderful experience, perhaps one of the best of my life. I will primarily be staying in Rome but will also travel outside the city to the Amalfi coast to the town of Sorrento as well as Pompeii. I also hope to travel to Florence and possibly Venice with my classmates. I will continue to update my blog with picture and personal accounts of my experiences over the next few weeks.

Elena