All Flights Lead To Rome
This past week my friend Mallary and I went to Rome and it was fantastic. We were so excited to see the sites, taste some real Italian food, and listen to the beautiful language. What we did not know was that this was going to be a test of endurance, let me explain.
We booked a really cheap flight, which most european airlines offer, and because of this we had about a 6 hour layover in the Madrid airport. That really didn't bother me, but it is different when it is 12 to 630 in the morning! Mallary fell asleep, but I ended up staying up for what would become 1 and a half days. Mallary also had to bring all of her luggage because when it was time to go back to Sevilla, she was going to have to stay and catch her group flight. Again, we had to spend the night outside of the Sevilla airport because it closes for about 3 hours. But enough of that, we need to talk about our 3 big days in Rome.
Our first day started off at our hostal, Friendship Place, where we were not sure if we could leave Mallary's two huge suitcases, and get the safety of knowing no one would take them. It ended up being an amazing place to stay, but upon first glance Mallary and I both had the exact same look of horror. Luckily for both us, we trusted our new friends that run the place and it ended up being a really great stay. After checking in, we started walking around and ran into the Colisseum, yeah that's right, we practically saw this thing everyday. At one point we took a nap near the Colisseum, mainly because I had been up for about a day or so, and then we went and got our first tastes of Italian food with lasagna and pizza.
The next day was a Sunday, so everything like the Vatican or museums were closed, so we just started walking and ended up finding the Pantheon, some amazing Plazas, the Spanish Steps, and enormous churches where both us would say, "I wonder if this church is important." We had a lot of laughs as we were walking, everything is so huge and old and beautiful. I can't forget to tell you that we ate and had our fair share of Gelati and Italian foods. We also went into this beautiful church and sat and prayed and it was really amazing. After a long day of walking around, Gelati, people watching, and just absorbing every moment, we went back to the hostal to get ready for our last full day, which included the Vatican.
The last full day we woke up knowing what we were going to have to do, which would be walking to the Vatican, waiting in line, and waiting in line. It really wasn't that bad, we brought our books and read in line and we would play games and ask each other a billion questions, so what was 3 or 4 hours felt like 5 minutes. The Vatican was so beautiful, and enormous, and when we were at the top you could see all of Rome and St. Peter's square and it was really breathtaking. After the Vatican we really didn't do too much, we went and had more pizza, went to a cafe and read and had cappuchinos, and then called it a night.
After 3 full days of sites and tours and ruins, we walked around again, but not towards any of the ruins or the better part of Rome. We got some breakfast and Gelati and ended up finding this other side of Rome that was really cool, it was where the tourists WERE NOT! We basically had coffee or Gelati for a few hours and then took our flight back to Sevilla. Like I said earlier, we spent the night in Sevilla, and then Mallary and about half of the Tech students left for Lubbock, while I am here at a friend's apartment for 6 more days in Sevilla.
I have to say that this experience, not just Rome, but of Spain, Portugal, Africa, Italy, and all the other little cities I have been to have been something incredible. I feel like I have learned a lot about myself and how I deal with certain things, of course I have learned a lot of Spanish, and I feel like I have a lot to bring home as far as experience goes. I am so thankful for getting to do this and I cannot wait to be home soon to see family and friends and talk about all the things I have done! I hope to see you soon, and as always, hasta luego!
We booked a really cheap flight, which most european airlines offer, and because of this we had about a 6 hour layover in the Madrid airport. That really didn't bother me, but it is different when it is 12 to 630 in the morning! Mallary fell asleep, but I ended up staying up for what would become 1 and a half days. Mallary also had to bring all of her luggage because when it was time to go back to Sevilla, she was going to have to stay and catch her group flight. Again, we had to spend the night outside of the Sevilla airport because it closes for about 3 hours. But enough of that, we need to talk about our 3 big days in Rome.
Our first day started off at our hostal, Friendship Place, where we were not sure if we could leave Mallary's two huge suitcases, and get the safety of knowing no one would take them. It ended up being an amazing place to stay, but upon first glance Mallary and I both had the exact same look of horror. Luckily for both us, we trusted our new friends that run the place and it ended up being a really great stay. After checking in, we started walking around and ran into the Colisseum, yeah that's right, we practically saw this thing everyday. At one point we took a nap near the Colisseum, mainly because I had been up for about a day or so, and then we went and got our first tastes of Italian food with lasagna and pizza.
The next day was a Sunday, so everything like the Vatican or museums were closed, so we just started walking and ended up finding the Pantheon, some amazing Plazas, the Spanish Steps, and enormous churches where both us would say, "I wonder if this church is important." We had a lot of laughs as we were walking, everything is so huge and old and beautiful. I can't forget to tell you that we ate and had our fair share of Gelati and Italian foods. We also went into this beautiful church and sat and prayed and it was really amazing. After a long day of walking around, Gelati, people watching, and just absorbing every moment, we went back to the hostal to get ready for our last full day, which included the Vatican.
The last full day we woke up knowing what we were going to have to do, which would be walking to the Vatican, waiting in line, and waiting in line. It really wasn't that bad, we brought our books and read in line and we would play games and ask each other a billion questions, so what was 3 or 4 hours felt like 5 minutes. The Vatican was so beautiful, and enormous, and when we were at the top you could see all of Rome and St. Peter's square and it was really breathtaking. After the Vatican we really didn't do too much, we went and had more pizza, went to a cafe and read and had cappuchinos, and then called it a night.
After 3 full days of sites and tours and ruins, we walked around again, but not towards any of the ruins or the better part of Rome. We got some breakfast and Gelati and ended up finding this other side of Rome that was really cool, it was where the tourists WERE NOT! We basically had coffee or Gelati for a few hours and then took our flight back to Sevilla. Like I said earlier, we spent the night in Sevilla, and then Mallary and about half of the Tech students left for Lubbock, while I am here at a friend's apartment for 6 more days in Sevilla.
I have to say that this experience, not just Rome, but of Spain, Portugal, Africa, Italy, and all the other little cities I have been to have been something incredible. I feel like I have learned a lot about myself and how I deal with certain things, of course I have learned a lot of Spanish, and I feel like I have a lot to bring home as far as experience goes. I am so thankful for getting to do this and I cannot wait to be home soon to see family and friends and talk about all the things I have done! I hope to see you soon, and as always, hasta luego!
posted by The Grant at 4:15 AM
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