I love Rome!
We have had wonderful wonderful weather this week. Everyone that is from Rome says that this weather is what we are suppose to be having and last week was very unseasonably cold. It has been sunny (not a cloud in the sky) and in the high 50s and low 60s all week. When I’m walking around outside with just a light jacket and sunglasses, it’s hard to believe that it’s February!
Yesterday I had my first on-site photography class. We went to the Villa Borghese which is basically the “Central Park of Rome.” It’s breathtaking… especially on a day like yesterday. Near the entrance of the park, there is a pond where you can rent out row boats for only 3 euro. There are statues and fountains everywhere… and the park is filled with palm trees! I was walking around taking pictures and eating popcorn for about 3 hours yesterday. I couldn’t get enough of it… I will definately be spending a lot of time there this spring. Amanda (who is in photography with me) had another class afterwards and had to take the subway back to school, but I wanted to walk. There were two other girls in my class who decided to walk with me and we strolled along the streets of Rome for about 2 hours. We got gelato at my favorite gelato place by Campo dei Fiori… and then wandered around Piazza Navona where there was a live polka band surrounded by several old couples dancing. How cute!!! I made a video of it on my digital camera.
There are so many random little things about Rome that make me smile. Yesterday there was a very old man walking through Villa Borghese listening to a walkman and he was singing the words and bobbing his head along with the music. Then today there was an old lady who was wearing a full length fur coat who was driving around on a motor scooter! The old people here are so cute.
The nice weather has put me in such a great mood. But being outside so much has been wearing me out too. I have been getting tired so early each night! But my roommates and I sit around until 1 or 2 am each night talking and telling stories… we’re getting to know eachother very well and it’s great. I definately lucked out as far as my roommate situation goes. There are several other people that I know who don’t even talk to their roommates here…
I’m not sure if I’m going anywhere this weekend or not. It one of the few weekends that I don’t already have completely planned out. I think we might take a day trip to the Tivoli gardens which are right outside of Rome… or maybe we will just take in more of the city this weekend.
We’ve booked a lot of trips this week. We bought tickets for the Olympics in Torino on the 25th of February… we are going to see the 3rd and 4th runs of bobsledding! (We’re going to root for Jamaica!) We also booked a trip to Venice for Feb 17th and 18th for my birthday!!! Spending my birthday in Venice will make up for having such an icky birthday last year.
Anyway, I’m starving so I need to go get a sandwich. Enjoy the new pictures that I posted of the Villa Borghese!
