Spring Break Part 2
Our time in Rome was so busy, but I’m glad we fit in seeing
as many sights as we did. The first day we saw the Colosseum, Palatine Hill,
the Roman Forum, the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, St. Angelo’s Castle, some more
canals, and the Spanish Steps. Walking through all the ruins was surreal. It’s
crazy to think about everything that’s happened in Rome. I’m amazed at how much
is still intact. It was an especially interesting experience to see Rome on
that day because it was the ides of March…There was a man who came to read an
excerpt from Julius Cesar. We even got to see Julius Cesar’s burial site with
flowers to commemorate his death. We had some great tour guides who explained
more of the extensive history in Rome. That evening was one of my favorite
nights of the trips. We bought food from a local market and made a spaghetti
dinner; we seemed like a family sitting around a big table and telling stories.
Things got a little crazy though when we accidentally broke a pane of glass in
the kitchen door…The following day was just as busy. We took a tour of the
Vatican museum, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, and the Trevi
fountain. There was so much to see in the Vatican…including an infinite amount of
statues. My favorite part of the day was seeing St. Peter’s Basilica. First, we
walked up all 551 steps to the top. I think I walked up more steps in this trip
to Italy than I have in my entire life. It took me a while to make it to the
top, but the view was worth it. I guess you have to go through a little pain to
experience and appreciate the most beautiful views. The inside of St. Peter’s
Basilica was incredible. The sheer size was enough to amaze me, but the stone
work, mosaic ‘paintings’, and La Pieta were exceptional. I also enjoyed the
Sistine Chapel. You have to remain silent while in the chapel. It was nice to
sit in the chapel, have some solitude, and admire Michelangelo’s creation. The
Trevi Fountain was also remarkable. The white stone makes it so pure. Being the
tourist I am, I most certainly threw a coin over my shoulder. I loved getting
to see all the sights in Rome, but our next stop was definitely my favorite
stop in Italy.
After Rome, we took a train to Naples and then a ferry out
to Sorrento. Sorrento was completely breathtaking. It’s a city on the coast,
but it’s very mountainous…the best of both worlds. There isn’t much to do
sight-seeing wise, but that’s one of the reasons Sorrento ended up being my
favorite city on this trip. The days we spent here were relaxing yet
adventurous. Our first day there was St. Patrick’s Day, so of course we found
an English restaurant and ate some great fish and chips which we washed down
with some Guinness. The rest of that day was spent just walking around the
city. The following day we slept in, had a great breakfast in our air bnb, and
then did some more exploring. We came upon a soccer field. We had luckily just
bought a ball, so we spent a few hours playing soccer and handball. All of us
were really worn out afterwards…guess we’re all a little out of shape. After
walking down to the coastline, we came upon a black sand beach. This was a nice
way to end the day; we just hung out by the water, skipping rocks and soaking
our feet. That night was eventful. We had another ‘family’ dinner and later
some of us went out to experience some of the night life. Things got a little
too crazy for one of us… Let’s just say puddles are not a good sleeping
place…and “you NOT okay.” Our last day in Sorrento was by far my favorite day
of spring break. We hiked to this cove near our place. It was the warmest day,
so we were all in shorts and t-shirts! I love hiking, so it was really fun to
climb up all the rocks and ruins. A few of us went swimming in the water. I
think I can say that was the coldest I have ever been. The initial shock from
the cold temperatures makes it hard to breathe. But after that feeling
subsides, you start to feel like you’re on fire, and then eventually everything
becomes numb and it’s not so bad. We probably stayed in a little too long
because once we finally got out, we were shivering violently. After warming up,
we spent a little more time hiking and taking in the view one last time. That
evening, we had our last meal at a nice restaurant and reminisced on our
adventures over the past 10 days.
The next day it was time to go home. After a train, a bus, a
plane ride, and two more buses, I finally made it back to Bonn. Coming back to
Bonn felt was little sad only because I knew spring break was truly over, and
we had to get back to school.
Overall, spring break was definitely one for the books. I
enjoyed all of the pizza, pasta, and daily gelato (especially Amarena…holy moly
that stuff is amazing). I enjoyed all of the cathedrals, ruins, and nature we
got to see and experience. But I mostly enjoyed the company on this trip. I
couldn’t have imagined a better group to experience Italy with. Until next
time, Italia….
Ciao for now!
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