Rome Is Where the Heart Is: Where's a Time Turner When You Need One?

I can't believe I only have nine more days in Roma! It has flew by and we've still got a lot to see! So here's an update. Since the weekend I have had more class and learned about the Early and High Renaissance Periods in art. Our friend that is studying abroad in London, Robert, came to visit us for a day on Monday. We toured him around Rome and saw all the major sites in roughly three hours! I was pretty impressed. He got a good taste of the city for if he ever wants to come back.

Today I went with my art class and some other students to the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel. We got to see some art from the ancient time periods we are studying. Unfortunately we did not get to go into the Raphael section but I want to see that eventually. St. Peter's Basilica was closed too so I've got to go back on Friday. But we did get to go into the Sistine Chapel and see the ceiling that Michelangelo painted! It was absolutely amazing. So much more impressive that I imagined it to be. Only a genius could capture scenes from the Bible like that. Unfortunately it was hard to bask in its glory when the guards are forcing you to keep moving, yelling "SILENCE", and "NO PHOTO". But I got a good crick in my neck to take in all the frescoes. I laughed imagining how upset Michelangelo probably was when the Pope told him to paint a ceiling. He included such great detail and people can hardly enjoy their beauty while craning up to look at them. I'm sure he was very frustrated by the task, especially because he was more of a sculptor than a painter.

Afterwards well all went to Old Bridge gelato and got three giant scoops each and while we were enjoying our sweet treat on such a hot day, there was a bride and groom that came to enjoy some too! It's such an awesome place!

But the best part of my day was when Anne and I went to the cat sanctuary called Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary. There's a section of ruins that this woman owns a sanctuary in and she takes in abandoned cats. They get neutered and spayed and adopted out. The gatti di Roma (cats of Rome), were so darling! Some were blind, some had neurological disorders so they wobbled around, some were a bit scared, but all were happy to have a peaceful place to sleep in the heat of the day. Anne and I pet them and played with them. It made my heart happy to know that there are good people in the world that start things like this. I bought a t-shirt for the cause :).

Tomorrow we are going on another group trip and this Saturday a group of us are going to check out Pisa!

Ciao! Io amo i gatti!