Second to last day of walking

So for today's post we are supposed to think about what Rome means to us.  This is a tricky question because over these past three weeks I have learned so much and experienced so much in this city that it would be hard to narrow down what Rome means to me. I think that since coming on this trip I definitely have a different perspective on Rome and a new appreciation. Before the trip I would have told you that Rome is very significant in human history and then I might have listed off a few monuments and sites that are important. After taking this trip though I have learned more about Rome than I even expected to. There were so many days on this trip where I would look at the schedule and have no idea where these places were that we were going, but after the day I would come away with a new appreciation for that site and I would have another piece of the puzzle of Roman history. It has been really amazing being able to experience Rome in a class setting because of the detailed history that we get to learn about every site. As I think I have said before, I am very glad that this class has been my first experience with the city of Rome.

One of the biggest things that I took away from my visit to Rome is how this city is a massive mix of ancient and modern. Every where you go within the city there are reminders of it's ancient past, but you are also surrounded by crazy traffic and flashing lights from the cafes and restaurants that line the streets. I think the greatest example of this for me was when we visited the Pantheon. As we were walking down a street filled with cafes and vendors, the street opens up into a big piazza and then you are staring at an incredible building that is nearly 2000 years old. The city of Rome is a perfect combination of old and new.

Today was our second to last day of this trip and it was our last full free day. Some of us from the group decided to get out of Rome and we took a train to the city of Florence. When we arrived we didn't really have a plan for the day but we thought we should try and get the museums and Duomo out of the way first.  We made our way to the museo de academia where the David statue is located. Once we found it some of the group decided not to go in because it was kind of expensive to get in. I figured I probably won't be back to Florence in a while so I might as well go in. When we got in the museum it was awesome to see the David statue, which was sculpted by Michelangelo.  It was way bigger in person than I thought it would be and it was very impressive. After the museum we went to the Duomo which was absolutely amazing. The outside of it is so intricately made and it is quite the spectacle. We went into the church and I also climbed to the top of the bell tower which required climbing up 414 stairs. We were all out of breath and sweating at the top but the view was worth it! When we finished with the Duomo and the museum we grabbed lunch and then split off into smaller groups to go shopping. Florence is known for their leather so I obviously had to get some. I also bought myself an Italian soccer jersey to add to my collection of soccer jerseys from places I've visited. We ended the day by having dinner as a group and then heading to the train station. It was an awesome day in Florence and the city was beautiful. I would definitely go back if I had the chance.

This will be my last blog post for this trip and I can't believe it is almost time to go home. My time here in Rome has gone by so quickly and I have enjoyed every minute of it. This will absolutely be a trip that I will never forget and I am so thankful for the things I have learned and the memories I have made here.

Ciao!