Roma

Rome is Huge.

Our hostel was about a 20 minute walk from the Vatican, so it is a ways out - so at night we would stay at the hostel meeting all sorts of different people - French, Canadian, Dutch, German, Israeli, Brazilian, British. Hostels are an amazing place to expand your knowledge of other countries and cultures, and even learn a few words in another language. We learned a tongue twister in Dutch which I couldn't possibly begin to type, let alone pronounce, and talked about all the things we had done and were doing and our dreams and politics and anything else we could think of.

The Architecture we saw was... breathtaking. overwhelming. too much to even put into words to properly convey the emotions I felt when we visited the sites.

I cried when I saw the Pantheon - it seems to jump around the corner out of nowhere. Suddenly I couldn't believe that I was even in Italy, let alone in the company of such genius. I was crying for today's architecture as well. There I was, standing in front of the Pantheon, which has been standing for thousands of years - and today we can only build fast and cheap, because we know it will get torn down eventually. That's no way to be with art.

We visited the Coliseum, The Roman Forum, The Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, the Spanish Steps - it was all too much at once, really. I needed more time to truly relax and take it all in. But we were busy, and the kicker was the Sistine Chapel.

After waiting in line for hours and going through the entire Vatican Museum - which holds some of the most beautiful and ancient pieces of art - we were finally there. I was there, staring up at some of Michelangelo's greatest, most pain-staking work. It was staring me down from every angle - there's not an inch of wall or ceiling that isn't covered -  I cried again. I was standing in his footsteps. I couldn't believe my eyes. I think back on it and wonder if I appreciated it as much as I should have - the guards were rushing us through - but I think that kind of work isn't something you can fully comprehend on the first go. I'll just have to go back one day.

During our free time we wandered around the city -we went back to the Trevi Fountain several times, sat in a park behind Castel Sant Angelo for the afternoon, just soaking it all in, and letting our minds adjust to the fact that yes, we were, in fact, experiencing this city.

Rome overall was amazing - there are hardly words to express how grateful I am to have had the opportunity to experience it and all it has to offer. I met people and finally was able to enjoy first-hand all the sites I had studied so diligently for so long. I still can't believe that I was there.