I finally made my way to Spain’s capital city of Madrid. The impromptu trip turned out to be one of the most enjoyable of my time in Spain so far. I met up with Ben, my friend currently studying in Morocco. It was really nice to see someone from home and be able to hang out in Europe. It was kind of surreal to think about. The main point of our trip to Madrid was to see none other than Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I in English. That’s right folks, we both traveled for two hours to see a movie in English. It was totally worth it. The movie was, needless to say, awesome, and the company wasn’t bad either. 

The next day we explored Madrid’s two famous art museums: the classical El Prado, and the modern Reina Sofia. El Prado houses hundreds of famous artwork from the Renaissance period, I like to think of it as the Louvre of Spain (and it also had a strict NO photo policy, unfortunately). Although the museum was fascinating, the Reina Sofia was truly remarkable, in large part to one specific exhibit (see the slideshow). It was a room filled with dozens of newspaper front pages from September 12, 2001, the day after the 9/11 attacks. They were from all over the world in every imaginable language. It was particularly weird to see the headlines about the attacks in Arabic. The exhibit was the first work of art that I have ever had to physically remove myself from - that’s how much it impacted me. It was eerie and emotional and really touched me. Both Ben and I agreed that it was a great piece of art because of our prolonged and emotional response to it.

After our museum day, we met up with my friends who were also in Madrid for the weekend, and we went to one of the biggest discotecas in Europe - it was called Kapital and it had SEVEN floors, each with a different theme. It was pretty overwhelming, and definitely something that would be hard to find in the States. It was a good way to end my trip to Madrid. So, between Harry Potter, seeing one of my best friends and visiting the Reina Sofia, Madrid left me with quite an impression and a tough act to follow.   

Continuing my tour of Spain’s beautiful cities is Sevilla, another Andalusian town that combines the Christian and the Muslim that is so characteristic of that region. My trip to Sevilla was also my first experience with RyanAir, the low-cost European airline that everyone uses. Everyone also complains about it, RyanAir is notorious for being delayed, cancelled, and shoddy. Despite of all of these things, it was not bad. Our plane made in on time and without any major events to tell about. While its no Delta or British Airways, it was definitely worth the fifty euros that it cost to fly from Valencia. 

Anyway, once we landed at around eleven Thursday night, we made our way to our hostel and after being reprimanded several times for being too loud, finally got the hint and went to bed. The next morning, we woke up and met with Esteban’s high school Spanish teacher, who is teaching in Sevilla with his wife for the year. It was awesome to have someone who knew the city to show us around. First, we went to this church really close to our hostel, the Iglesia Colegial del Divinio Salvador. This cathedral no doubt gets over shadowed by the Cathedral of Sevilla, but I almost enjoyed it more. We got there in the late morning, when the sun was shining through the stained glass and reflecting on the columns, and it was pretty spectacular.

Our next stop was the world famous Cathedral of Sevilla, the largest gothic cathedral in the world and the third largest cathedral of any kind. So, it was big. The most striking and iconic part of the cathedral is La Giralda, the structure’s tower. Originally a Muslim minaret, La Giralda was later converted into a bell tower when the Christians “remodeled.” As such, the bottom portion is in the Muslim style, and the top fourth is Christian. The cathedral is also where Christopher Columbus is buried, his tomb carried by statues representing each of the four ancient Spanish kingdoms. The largest single altarpiece adorns the church’s apse, located at the cross of the two naves. Oh, and the Sevillan cathedral also houses the second largest pearl in the world. Needless to say, the cathedral is remarkable in its austerity and grandiose nature. It was very humbling to be surrounded by so many of the world’s most spectacular pieces of art and architecture.

After that, we headed to the Plaza España, the seat of Sevilla’s government. The enormous plaza is semicircular in shape, and has a bench and tile mosaic dedicated to each one of Spain’s major cities. One can walk from left to right and see all of Spain, in alphabetical order! A scene from the Star Wars prequels was filmed in the Plaza España too. All nine of us got a picture taken together in front of Valencia’s bench, and it was really cool. It really felt as though Valencia was our city, and we were representing it all the way in Sevilla. 

That night, we all headed to a flamenco show suggested by Esteban’s teacher that was put on by students (and more importantly, was free). It was really cool to see and hear flamenco students, as opposed to the professional dancers who have been dancing for years. One student watching another seemed a lot more intimate, and I really enjoyed it. After the show, we experienced a little bit of Sevillan nightlife, and headed back to our hostel, into our bunkbeds, and fell straight to sleep. Being nine college students, we slept in the next morning (by accident of course), and although our day started a little late, it turned out to be pretty full. We went and saw the Alcázar, the royal complex in Sevilla. It was the home to Ferdinand and Isabella in the 1400 and 1500s, and was even the site where the first circumnavigational voyage was planned. Like most architecture in Andalusia, the Muslim infusion was evident and beautiful.

Later, our personal tour guide/teacher took us to the film festival that was showing in Sevilla that weekend. We all really wanted to see Flamenco Flamenco, but it was sold out, so instead we ended up seeing a documentary about a 90-year-old communist, revolutionary woman. It was a documentary in the truest sense of the word, meaning ninety minutes of this woman, Nieves, sitting in her chair and recounting her life. I saw about ten minutes of this unchanging camera angle before I unfortunately fell asleep, and I was definitely not the only one. Despite that, it did give us a funny joke to tell for the next day. After the movie, we got ourselves on last gelato and headed home to pack to leave the next day. Sevilla was definitely a beautiful city, filled with grandeur and characterized by big, ornate, historical architecture. 

Granada is an amazing town where the Spanish and Muslim cultures clash to form beautiful architecture and amazing cityscapes. My friend Lauren and I decided to get there by midnight bus, and that was an experience in and of itself. In short, it was the worst way to spend seven hours of my life I can imagine. The bus stopped every hour or so to let people off and on, accompanied by the bright turning-on of the lights and the bus driver’s loud announcement of where we were (the ride home on Saturday was more of the same). In spite of that, the trip was amazing!

We got into Granada early in the morning, and surprisingly navigated the labryinthine streets to find our hostel.  After dropping off our stuff, we just walked around the streets getting a feel for the city. Our hostel was in the Albayzín, the traditionally Muslim part of the city. It was really pretty, with all the side streets and random churches, mosques, and convents. After getting an amazing view of la Alhambra - which is the same famous view that President Clinton reported to have witnessed the most stunning sunset in the world. Then, like the true Spaniards we have become, we enjoyed a long siesta after the bus ride from hell, and woke up rejuvenated and ready to go on our hostel’s walking tour of the city. Our guide took us throughout the Albayzín, and then led us up a hill overlooking the city. From there, we could see la Alhambra, the Albayzín, and the modern city, all juxtaposed in the setting sun. It was pretty breath-taking. We then walked around to las cuevas, the caves behind the city where many of the gypsies live still to this day.

Sidenote: Legend says that the caves were formed when the last of the Granadan Muslims were being expelled from the city. As they were fleeing, they knew that they couldn’t take their gold into the mountains with them, for fear of the Spanish ambushing them and stealing it all. So, they buried it, and left a secret code so that their children could find it. The clue hinted that it was beneath an olive tree, so the Spanish cut down all the trees on the hillside and buried into the earth looking for the treasure, thus forming the caves that the gypsies live in today. 

After the tour, we returned to our hostel and ate dinner with the people there. We were actually able to meet some really cool people - a couple students from Dartmouth studying in Madrid, and a pair of friends, one from London and the other from Lebanon. They were all really funny, and we ended up hanging out with them that night. It was a really good hostel experience, my first true European one, and I’m glad that it left a good taste in my mouth. 

The next day, Lauren and I had tickets to see Granada’s most famous landmark, la Alhambra. This ancient fortress is enormous - it used to be a city within a city! It was originally built by the first Muslim sultan Al-Ahmar. Its name means “the red” in arabic, named after the red stone comprising its walls. After several hundred years of Muslim rule, the Christians took the city and renovated la Alhambra a little, building a palace for the Spanish monarchs and a church within its walls. Thus, the juxtaposition that so clearly defines Granada (and most of Andalucia) was born. The Muslim arches and mesquitas sitting side-by-side with the Christian crosses and chambers was really beautiful. La Alhambra is also composed of the Generalife gardens, which is just acres of terraces, vines, trees, and fountains. The entire complex was amazing, and the architecture was so characteristic of southern Spain and its unique beauty.

Next, because of the impeding rain storm, Lauren and I went and saw the newest Guillermo del Toro movie in honor of Halloween weekend: Los ojos de Julia. It was really good, and in Spanish! I was happy that I was able to understand what was happening without the aid of subtitles or dubbing. Then, we went back to las cuevas for a flamenco show overlooking the lit-up Alhambra at night. The show’s coolest aspect was the backdrop. The back wall was glass, and offered a clear view of la Alhambra with all its lights. The show itself was more of a one-man show, albeit a very talented and enthusiastic flamenco dancer. It was less intimate than the flamenco shows I have seen in the past, but it was no doubt still very cool. Then, begrudgingly, Lauren and I made our way back to the bus stop, and got on another midnight bus to Valencia. We made it back right about eight in the morning, and I treated myself to a very long siesta that day. Granada was an amazing town and its Muslo-Spanish architecture has definitely been the most aesthetically pleasing to me thus far.  

On the “Tivoli Day” post, some of you may have noticed a little text redaction. I suppose it’s time to explain. Jonathan and I had been talking for some time about getting tattoos in Rome. We had been talking about it for months, thinking of different ideas and designs. We each even drew some designs ourselves! It was all based on the word “Fratres” - the Latin word for “Brothers”. Our quest to translates “brothers” into Latin was a challenge in itself (don’t worry though, “Fratres” was confirmed by a university Latin professor). We also knew that we wanted the tattoo have a certain amount of ambiguity to it, as opposed to just writing the word, we wanted it to have a distinctly artistic feel. To accomplish this, we started playing with tattoo designs that could be read both forward and backward. So, with those two criteria, we each started compiling different ideas and drawings. With our collection of ideas, we met up in Rome, found ourselves a tattoo shop, and presented them with our thoughts.

Unfortunately, a certain language barrier existed. The tattoo shop owner spoke English well, but his apprentice did not. As luck would have it, the apprentice would be the one drawing for us. So as best we could, we explained that we had brought some ideas that could act as her inspiration, and to take them to a professional level. With that, we were off to see Rome. Two days passed, and we returned to the shop eager to see what she had drawn. What she had drawn almost an exact copy of what we had left her. So, a little discouraged, we tried to explain that we wanted her to expand of what we had given, but it was difficult to get our point across. With that, we took her “new” drawing back to our apartment, and went to work.

Jonathan and I are not artists. What we accomplished was art though. Armed with a sharpie, a pencil, and whiteout, we transformed what our artist had sketched into something that looked amazing and that we both loved. We incorporated elements from both our original designs into the final piece. With our new drawing, we returned again to the shop and asked her to just clean up what we had brought in, add a swirl here and a point there, and that we’d see her the next day to get inked!

So, the big day was finally here. We got to the tattoo shop at 5:00 sharp. I won’t lie, I’ve rarely been that nervous. It wasn’t the thought of getting a permanent drawing on me - I love the design and the meaning behind it, and am confident that I will for the rest of my life. What I was nervous about was getting stabbed thousands of times. Sweaty and shaking, I laid down on the table while my artist put on the stencil (I got tattooed by the apprentice and Jonathan by the owner). After looking at it in the mirror (and being able to read it), I gave her the thumbs up, and we got started.

The feeling is hard to describe. At times, it felt like someone was dragging a sharp pencil across my sunburned skin, at others it actually felt like I was being stabbed by a needle. Eventually, the muscly part of my back got numb, but the boney part definitely did not. When she hit my shoulder blade, the needles vibrated my whole bone. It was an incredibly weird sensation. I had to just close my eyes, and go to a different place. It helped a lot knowing that Jonathan was going through the same thing at the same time. Forty-five minutes later, I was all done. I stood up, went to the mirror, and looked at my tattoo for the first time. I loved it, and I immediately knew that we had done good.

Even now, three weeks later, I still look at it and smile like its the first time I’m looking at it. I see it, and think of my incredible week in Rome with Jonathan. More than that, I think of my brother, and how he will always have my back, and I his, and now we share this bond that will always be with us. “Fratres” for life.

Our last two days in Rome! I want to preface this post by saying that a lot of places that Jonathan and I visited over these last days did not allow photography, so unfortunately there will be a lack of pictures to accompany some things. Sorry!

We got on a bus and made our way to the ancient Appian Way with Jess and Sarah. The ancient Appian way is not as ancient-looking as one would expect for the name. It has been paved-over and modernized, and now acts as an active roadway with little pedestrian room. Nonetheless, we got off the bus, braved the tight street, and found ourselves at Saint Sebastian catacombs. This series of catacombs is where the word comes from, the very first catacombs! Stretching over 7 kilometers under the ground, the catacombs housed dead Romans in three different levels. The word “catacombs” comes from the Greek words meaning “close to the quarry” because the excavating Romans transferred the removed stone to a nearby quarry, where they would then use it to construct the tombs for the individuals and families. The tour that we took was incredible and actually very informative. The catacombs had served as ancient Roman burial grounds dedicated to the Roman gods, then as a Christian burial site, and finally superseded by a cathedral build over top. It is told that during the various wars fought in and around Rome, the fleeing people would hide in the catacombs. The archeologists think this because on the walls were found thousands of inscriptions in ancient Latin, Greek, and even Aramaic (the supposed language of Jesus). In the church above the catacombs is housed Bernini’s last sculpture, which he completed in his eighties. This church is also the site where Apostle Peter saw the vision that inspired his to stop fleeing Rome and return to be crucified. It was a very cool experience to be there, at the first catacombs on the first highway where Saint Peter allegedly made his biggest decision and which housed Bernini’s last sculpture. A lot of firsts and lasts.

After that, we left the Appian Way and Jonathan and I split up from Jess and Sarah. JW and I wanted to finish seeing all the things around our neighborhood that we hadn’t gotten a chance to see. First, we tried to see the Santa Maria Maggiore, but it was unfortunately closed. Next, and most excitingly to me, we went to the Santa Maria della Vittoria. A lot of people probably won’t have heard of it, but it houses one of my favorite sculptures: the Ecstasy of Saint Theresa, a marble sculpture surrounded by gold made by Rome’s favorite: Bernini. It depicts the moment when Saint Theresa claims she was pierced by an angel’s arrow, experiencing both great pain and, stated in the title, intense ecstasy. The statue’s face is flushed with emotion and it is sculpted so precisely that it looks like a screen shot out of a movie. I have admired the work of art since I studied it, and it was really amazing to see it in person.

Lastly, Jonathan and I went to the Crypt of the Capuchin Monks. Like anything that calls itself it crypt, it was pretty creepy. The Capuchin Monks, instead of burying their dead, removed and bleached their bones, and decorated the crypt with them. Upon entering, we were told very explicitly that as a sign of respect to the dead, absolutely no pictures would be allowed or tolerated. With the warning, we stepped inside to a cellar of bone-art. I can only describe it as an oriental rug-like design, but with bones. They were intricately arranged and stalked. One chamber had piles of hip bones arranged like an alter, and another had the fully assembled skeletons still wearing their monk robes. Because it was so unique, Jonathan and I naturally took pictures, secretly of course, making sure to turn the flash off. However, someone else had not as thoughtfully planned out their picture taking, and left their flash on. As his camera flashed, the entrance woman barreled down the chamber and began shouting at Jonathan about his lack of respect and about how he had to get out. You see, on the security video, the lady saw a man with a dark shirt flash a photograph, and accused Jonathan. Although it wasn’t him, we did have illegal pictures on our cameras, so we decided it was time to leave. Later that night, we deleted the pictures for fear of the Capuchin Monk curse that was almost placed on us.  

Saturday morning, Jonathan and I woke up for our appointment at the Borghese Museum. Yes, we had an appointment, because each visit is only allowed to last two hours. Once again, we rented bikes from our neighborhood bike shop, quickly checked the map, and headed towards Northern Rome to the museum. After a slightly wrong turn and an almost-vertical uphill ride, we made it to the Borghese, got our tickets, checked our cameras, and made our way in accompanied with our audio-tours. Part one of the tour focused on sculpture, while part two focused on painting. The first part of the Borghese may as well as been called “Bernini’s corner” because it was dominated by his greatest works. Both his David and Apollo and Daphne were absolutely striking. David was one of his firsts, a strong symbol of the instant before David released the stone that would slay Goliath - he is squinting his eyes in aim, his body is twisted, ready to uncoil and sling the rock, and he is forcefully biting his lower lip in concentration. Apollo and Daphne was equally amazing, Bernini captured the instant that Apollo caught up with the river nymph Daphne. Daphne did not want Apollo’s affection, so prayed to her father Poseidon for help, and he transformed her into a tree - Apollo has just touched Daphne as she is beginning her transformation, her fingers are growing leaves and her soft skin is turning into hard bark. I encourage you guys to Google image both. Besides that, the museum was filled with Titians and Raphaels which were beautiful and colorful, but nothing really compared to Bernini’s sculptures.

After leaving the museum, Jonathan and I rode through the Borghese park, which ended in an overlooking scene of the Piazza del Popolo. We then enjoyed our DOWNhill ride, which was much better than the uphill one of earlier. We rode our bikes down the bike path adjacent to the Tiber River towards Trastevere, the Roman neighborhood on the other side of the river. There, Jonathan and I got to a restaurant just in time to avoid the downpour that ensued. We had a nice lunch while we watched it rain, then rain harder, then finally stop. We spent the rest of our afternoon souvenir shopping and walking the streets near our apartment, just enjoying each others company and the beautiful neighborhood that we have lived in for the past week. We ended our last day in Rome by once again meeting up with Jess and Sarah, and grabbing dinner overlooking the lit-up Colosseum. We drank wine and ate pasta and marveled at the Roman masterpiece. Then, we got our last Roman gelato - mint, coffee, and of course, nutella! We went back to our apartment, watched one last episode of Rachel Maddow, packed, and tried to grab some quick shuteye before Jonathan had to wake up at 3a.m.

It was a truly amazing week, and one I hope to never forget. It was better and more fulfilling and bigger and grander and funnier than I ever could have expected. It started as a joke in a small Volkswagon on the way to the Outer Banks with Jonathan and Heather, and it ended with one of the most amazing weeks I could dream up. Thank you parents for letting me study in Europe so that I can do things like this. Thank you Jonathan for coming so far. Aeternum frates.

“There is a destiny that makes us brothers, no one goes his way alone; all that we send into the lives of others, comes back into our own.”

Edwin Markham

We’re on day five already! Today, Jonathan and I woke up early and got on a train to Tivoli. The ride was about an hour, of which I was asleep through all of it. With all the things that we’ve been doing and seeing, sleep is not one of them. For Jonathan and I, it says a lot that we’ve been getting up before 10 everyday! Anyway, we got on the train and an hour later got off in Tivoli. Tivoli is essentially the opposite of Rome. It is small, rural, and its main revenue is probably not tourism. It was a vacation spot for ancient Roman emperors and a contemporary escape from the busy city life of Rome. 

Our first stop was the Villa Gregoriana. The Villa is two thousand years old, and to my surprise, was not a traditional villa at all. It was built on both sides of a valley, cut in two by a river. This river would always flood and destroy the village, so the Tivolians rerouted it, partly underground. This rerouting, however, created several beautiful waterfalls that are now scattered throughout the villa. The hike down and back up last about two hours, and the scenes were amazing. The waterfalls were so majestic and ran so smoothly from one level to the next. Intermixed into the waterfalls and lush foliage were the remnants of the ancient edifices that once crowned the valley. Of particular interest to Jonathan and me was an old house of some kind that we weren’t technically supposed to be in. (Side-note: Since JW and I were basically the only people at the Villa Gregoriana today, we took the restricted area signs as merely suggestions, and in turn discovered some of the most intriguing and beautiful views.) This house, although little more than crumbling stone, was spectacular in its age. It was easy to imagine each room lavishly decorated with the finest marble or tile. The Villa Gregoriana is also the home to some of the famed caves of Neptune’s sirens. Roman mythology dictated that the caves behind the Gregoriana’s waterfalls housed the deadly sirens who beckoned for travelers to come close and fall prey to their trap. We eventually made our way to the top of the opposite side of the valley, and taking one last look at the surreal Italian mountainside, continued on our Tivoli adventure.

Next, after having an expresso overlooking the Villa Gregoriana, Jonathan and I headed to the bus station, and after some confusion and miscommunication, we boarded a bus that took us to the Villa Adriana (Hadrian’s Villa). Following the trend of our bus ride, among other misadventures, we accidentally entered though the exit and therefore started at the end of the villa, which also turned out to be a dead-end. Unperturbed, we eventually got our bearings and walked around Hadrian’s massive estate. To fully appreciate the grandiose villa, a lot of imagination had to be employed. Not much of what originally stood still stands today. Nevertheless, the ruins that remained gave some indication of the original design. This villa was and is the largest in Italy, and included every kind of building and pond and tree and decoration. It must have been very ornate. Today, while only a small fraction of what used to be is still visible, it did have elements of original grandeur. Overall, however, the villa was underwhelming and Jonathan and I left feeling slightly disappointed with Hadrian’s once immense estate. Regardless, like the Villa Gregoriana, the natural beauty of Tivoli’s rural setting was worth the trip.

After that we mounted the bus back to the center and proceeded to board the train back to Rome. Once again, I was out the whole way there. We made it back to Rome just in time _______________________, but that deserves a separate post that will come later! 

We ended the night meeting up with some of my friends from Valencia at the alleged best pizzaria in Rome. The fact that I can’t remember the name should be an indication that this title was not true. Although the pizza was good (like all pizza is in Rome), it was not the best. It did have an over-easy egg in the middle, which was a unique but pleasant addition. Either way, it was nice to see some of my friends in Rome!

After spending two days on our feet for hours upon hours, Jonathan and I decided that it would be a good time to rent bikes. The weather was beautiful (in sharp contrast to the Vatican experience) and so we spent two days bicycling around Rome. Jonathan is used to biking across Manhattan, but for me, big-city biking was definitely anxiety-inducing. It’s a face-paced world when you’re on a bicycle in an unfamiliar city, but needless to say, we survived that transportation aspect of the day. We saw so many things that they begin to blur together - Rome has so many historic sights that warrant a visit that we tried to cram as many in as possible, and still did not see everything. 

Our first stop was the Castle Sant’Angelo. This edifice has served as a castle, prison, fortress and barracks during its centuries of existence. In order to reach the entrance, you have to cross a pedestrian-only bridge that leads over the Tiber and straight to the castle. Both sides of the bridge are lined with Bernini sculptures depicting angels, each carrying a sign of the crucifixion of Jesus. I mention this only because the amazing part about Rome is that everywhere, on ordinary bridges or unassuming side-streets, there is beauty and history to find. Anyway, after making our way into the Castle Sant’Angelo, Jonathan and I performed a self-guided tour of the building. It was pretty cool, to say the least. Walking within its walls, I really felt safe, and imagined the security that soldiers and Roman citizens felt when barricaded inside. To me, it personified the height of Roman power. The most incredible part, however, was the view from the top. From the highest point on the castle, one has a view of the entire Roman cityscape - from Saint Peter’s Basilica to the Roman Forum. The skyline is littered with churches and basilicas, over 900! It was pretty breathtaking to see the entire city, especially the amount of beautiful duomi that popped up throughout the entire landscape of Rome. Perched atop Castle Sant’Angelo is a majestic statue of the Archangel Michael, from which the building gets its name. Holding a thrusting sword, the angel protects Rome from intruders and challenges anyone who defies Roman might. It was an amazing contrast, the beautiful and serene city of Rome in front of me and the beautiful and terrible Archangel behind me.

After we descended, we rode our bikes about 30 seconds and sat facing, once again, Saint Peter’s Basilica. It was pretty cool to ride straight towards the Vatican on a bicycle on a warm, sunny day. After taking in that moment, we turned around and biked along the Tiber River, stopping at the many street venders and doing some souvenir shopping. Eventually, we made it to the Piazza del Popolo, whose centerpiece is a 3000 year old Egyptian obelisk commissioned by Pharaoh Ramses II. It was brought to Rome about 2000 years ago, so it was even old for the ancient Romans! Surrounding the piazza were huge statues, and two beautifully quaint churches, the Santa Maria de Montesanto and the Santa Maria dei Miracoli. We went into the one on the left of the piazza (Montesanto), where they were holding a mass in English! Like all the other churches in Rome, it had striking ceiling frescos and grandiose golden altarpieces. I was just amazed at the obelisk in the center though. It was neat to see what ancient Romans considered historic and aesthetic, then what we, as contemporary people, considered historic and aesthetic (which was a hybrid of Egyptian and Roman).

Next, we unlocked our bikes and headed towards the famous Spanish Steps. In all honesty, the ride to the Piazza Spagna was more interesting than the Steps themselves. We saw all sorts of street performers (a man who was playing at least 10 instruments at once and several human statues) and beautifully Italian little streets and alleyways. The Spanish Steps were, simply put, just steps that lead to a cathedral. I’ve heard that in the spring, when the flowers are in bloom, it’s amazing to see, but now, in the late autumn, it was pretty underwhelming, unfortunately. Not shaken, however, Jonathan and I continued our journey and ended up at the Pantheon. The building was transformed from a pantheistic Roman temple into a Christian basilica, and to be honest, I wish they had kept the former. All the statues had been replaced with mini-alters dedicated to this or that saint or pope. I would have loved to see each niche filled with a different depiction of a Roman god or demigod. That being said, the oculus at the apex of the dome was spectacular. The building was designed with an intricate system of holes and pipes in order to allow the rain water to drain from the floor after having cascaded through the oculus. Either way, it was very cool to see the famous Pantheon and its architecturally amazing dome. Our entry into the Pantheon was followed by a very good lunch in the piazza right outside. We sat facing the Pantheon and the surrounding square while we ate probably some of the best pasta that we tried. Then, as icing on the cake, we went to Taza d’Oro, which is known for serving the best coffee in Rome. Jonathan got a dopio expresso (double) and I ordered a granito, which is their version of iced coffee. It was more similar to coffee ice cream, but more icy, and it was topped with homemade whipped cream. It was delicious! Definitely the best iced coffee in Rome, although I can’t speak to the expresso. 

After absorbing lots of old history and seeing so many well-known Roman sites, Jonathan and I returned both days feeling exhausted, but definitely fulfilled. Of the two days, the most memorable moment was actually the bike-ride home. As the sun was setting, Jonathan and I were biking through the Roman Forum and straight towards the Colosseum. The weather was warm, and the lighting on the old ruins was amazing. I can’t describe it - all I can say is that it was truly a surreal experience being there with my brother biking towards the ancient Roman Colosseum at sunset, wind in my hair and a huge, unfathoming smile on my face. 

Our theme song of the day, inspired by the Pope’s outstretched arms.

Today, Jonathan and I headed over to the Vatican. In order to accomplish this, we had to wake up at seven in the morning, grab a quick expresso, and battle the rain and the Italian metro system to make it to the international border. Fortunately, we made it to the Vatican walls in one piece (albeit a little damper than when we started) and embarked on a tour with Alex, our guide from yesterday. Before I begin describing the painting, architecture, sculpture and mosaics that we saw, I want to preface by saying that I am by no means a religious person. I do not regularly attend mass and, to be frank, do not find myself speaking with the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit very often. That being said, my journey to Vatican City was a very religious experience. Best described, it was not a sensation directed at God, Allah, Yahweh, or any other specific deity, but a general respect and piety that I have rarely felt.

After waiting in line for an hour and fifteen minutes (that was the express, group line), we finally made it into Il Musei Vaticano. At first, everything was hectic as hoardes of tourists, myself included, tried to get their bearings and orient themselves. Once underway, however, everything, for a time, settled down and we were able to enjoy the art. The first thing that we saw was a replica of Michelangelo’s Pieta (the original is in Saint Peter’s Basilica and shielded from the public by a glass wall and a lot of distance). The word pieta refers to the image of Christ held by Mary immediately after he was removed from the cross. Alex explained that at first glance, the sculpture appeared to have been done incorrectly: Mary is much larger in proportion to Jesus, she appears to be the same age, and she is not supporting his legs and thus not preventing them from sliding off her lap. The Pope who commissioned Michelangelo to make this piece described this moment as the worst in Mary’s life. This inspired Michelangelo to recall the story behind Jesus’ birth, when it was revealed to Mary what would happen to her newborn son. Consequently, Michelangelo captured this moment in his Pieta, the moment when her son’s fate was first shown to Mary. That is why Mary appears bigger than she should in relation to Jesus, that is why she looks young, and that is why Jesus’ legs aren’t supported - it is the representation of Mary’s vision while she holds her newborn son. 

Next, we sped through the first wing of the Vatican Museum, stopping only to see a few vital pieces of art that were central to Michelangelo’s life. This included the Laocoön, one of my favorite sculptures of all time. While not done by Michelangelo, it is a Roman marble copy of a Greek copper statue. It marks the beginning of a new era in ancient Roman art, with anatomically correct bodies and emotive faces. It depicts Laocoön and his two sons being attacked by snakes, and their anguish is evident as they futilely try and fight back. The emotion displayed by the figures astonishes me, intrigues me, and frightens me. 

I wish I knew more about all the other amazing sculptures we saw, but our guide did not have time to explain everything to us, nor did we have time to see everything. If one looked at every piece of art in the Vatican Museum for one minute, they would be there for two and a half years straight. That’s a lot of art! The next big thing on our tour, however, was the famous Sistine Chapel. Stepping into the Chapel gave me chills, right away. It was literally breathtaking. It was more impressive than any picture or description could reveal. It is honestly the definition, in my mind at least, of art in its purest and most beautiful form. Michelangelo painted nine panels - three depicting the creation, three depicting the fall of man, and three depicting the great flood - that lead the eye to the Last Judgment, a massive fresco that takes up the entire back wall of the Chapel. Every figure looks three dimensional and lifelike, every pose and muscle is perfectly painted, and every detail is carefully thought out. I could talk about the Chapel for a long time, but there are really no words that can capture what I want to say. There were also no pictures allowed, but I tried to sneak one anyway. Sorry Vatican!

Eventually, unfortunately, we had to leave the Chapel. That concluded our official tour, and left Jonathan and I the opportunity to explore on our own. We went into Saint Peter’s Basilica, and once again I was impacted with the unexplainable goosebumps that I can only attribute to some sort of religious sentiment. The basilica was enormous and grandiose in every single way. It houses dozens of gargantuan statues, tombs of Popes, the original Pieta, and even Apostle Peter’s crypt. It is the papa of cathedrals, churches, and basilicas. Its scale is immense. From the bottom of il duomo (the dome) and looking up, it looks like you’re looking directly into the clouds, permeated with sunlight. From one end of the nave to the other is two football fields long and illuminated by the most beautiful stained glass and crowned by an enormous, golden altarpiece. 

 
  
To end out time in the Vatican, we stepped outside and admired Saint Peter’s Square. I found particularly interesting the contrast between the gigantic Saint Peter’s Basilica backdropped to a spiring Egyptian obelisk. Other than that, it looked just like it did in all the movies. I would love to see the Pope there, emerging from the top of the basilica and giving mass to a crowd of devoted Catholics.
After our amazing day in the Vatican, we made our way back to Via Leonina (our hood), where we relaxed and checked up on our missed emails, Facebook notifications, and fantasy football outcomes. After some rest, we went to the Colosseum, which was beautifully lit up. Of everything we’ve seen so far, the Colosseum is one of my favorites and one of the most awe-inspiring sites in Rome, especially lit up against the dark sky at night.

We ended the day eating kabob rolls and sandwich, watching Rachel Maddow and planning tomorrow. Well, we actually ended the day getting gelato, again. Here, they have NUTELLA gelato, which is amazing. Not a bad way to end an amazing day! Buona sera!!

Today was our first full day in Rome, and we spent every single minute doing things. I wasn’t going to post daily, but Jonathan and I did so many things and learned so many facts that I don’t want to forget any of them! Besides having cappuccinos, pasta and gelato, we saw: the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, Musei Capitolini, “hidden Rome” tour, Piazza Navona and the Trevi Fountain.

After getting some breakfast in a local café, Jonathan and I headed to the Colosseum (which is literally one minute from our flat). Once we got into the Colosseum area, we were immediately approached by a woman offering an English tour of the Colosseum and Roman Forum, which we gladly (without much shopping around) accepted. In its original form, it was fifty meters high and held 60,000 people. The Roman emperors imported animals from Northern Africa, Mesopotamia and the Far East to hold games in the massive structure. Our guide equated their importation of giraffes, hippos and lions to a contemporary show involving aliens and monsters. Romans in the early A.D.’s had never seen animals from other parts of the world. Can you imagine describing a giraffe to someone who had never seen one?? It was truly awe-inspiring to stand in such a historically famous place.

After leaving the Colosseum, we met up with a new guide (Alex, who incidentally was a much more informed and easy-to-listen to guide) and headed over to the Forum. This massive area, in its height, housed the Roman Senate, the grand Palace, the arches of Severus and Titus, and the famous Palatine Hill, along with myriad other buildings, temples, and meeting places. Upon Romulus’ coronation of the Palatine Hill, he and his army celebrated by inviting the Sabine women over and drinking wine (which they had mixed with honey to make sweeter). Due to the added sugar, the alcohol got into their blood streams faster, which the Sabine women did not know. Subsequently, after a couple of glasses of wine, they had passed out. Romulus quickly snatched up a woman into his arms and carried her over the hill. His soldiers, seeing this, did the same. Hundreds of soldiers carried hundred of PTFO’d women over the Palatine Hill. This is why after getting married, new husbands pick up their wives and step over an invisible threshold - a cool etymological connection that we learned that stemmed from ancient Rome. The Forum itself was amazing to walk through - the same steps that Aristotle, Marcus Aurelius, and Julius Caesar walked. 

Next, we went to the Musei Capitolini, which houses many of the famous Roman art that I had studied in art history. There, we saw the Colossus of Constantine, the Dying Gaul, and the Capitoline She-Wolf. Having two wings separated by an underground tunnel and above-ground piazza, the museum was bigger than we had time to fully explore. We did see, however, that it was built where the ancient, huge Temple of Jupiter used to be. We saw the crumbled corner of the Temple’s foundation in the museum, and it was a shame that the giant temple no longer existed. In fact, we learned that only 4% of Ancient Rome was visible or still stood. Most of it had been destroyed in the earthquake, pillaged, or built on-top of. I really hope that the same doesn’t hold true with current day cities like New York, Beijing, or Paris in a couple of centuries.

After spending some time in the museum and grabbing some Italian pasta, we met up with our Forum guide for a “secret Rome” tour. It was fascinating. First, he took us to the basilica where Michelangelo was originally supposed to be buried. Here, a church that he frequented, was where for 15 days he was buried until the Medicci family, dressed as women, snuck into his crypt and stole his body. They moved it to Florence in order to show Michelangelo’s allegiance to their family instead of to the Catholic Church. Subsequently, any record of this was removed from Church archives and today, is not printed in guidebooks or acknowledged by the Catholics. Now, it houses the bones of Apostle Philip (who knew Jesus had one of those?). Next, we saw la María Santísima Causa Nostrae Laetitiae. This tiny church was at the end of an obscure alley way, and is the smallest functioning replica of the Sistine Chapel, designed by Constantino Brumini. This church has a fascinating history. During Napoleon’s invasion, a women ran down this alley and at the end, found a painting of the Virgin Mary. As she prayed to it, she says she saw the Madonna’s eyes follow her. The woman survived and the site was deemed a holy space. Brumini built the tiny chapel there, and painted his love on four panels on the ceiling. He discovered later that she had an affair with one of his assistants, and heartbroken, sailed to the United States. There, he was commissioned to paint the interior of the dome of the capitol building in Washington D.C. As he was painting, he thought to himself that the only reason he was granted this opportunity was because of the woman he once loved, and so he painted her (the same painting in the María Santísima) in the capitol, directly next to George Washington’s face!

After that, Jonathan and I decided to explore Roman nightlife on our own. We found ourselves at the Piazza Nevona, in which is located the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (the Fountain of the Four Rivers). Bernini’s masterpiece is most famously depicted in Angels and Demons as one of the four sites that the Cardinals were being assassinated. In reality, the fountain represents the four major rivers of the continents - the Nile for Africa, the Ganges for Asia, the Danube for Europe, and the Rio de la Plata for the Americas. We also found the Trevi Fountain, also designed by Bernini. This breathtaking fountain is most famously known for its ability to make people fall in love. Supposedly, if you throw a coin over your shoulder into the fountain, you’ll fall in love in Rome. We weren’t willing to risk the Euro. Its water is still supplied from an ancient aqueduct, including the mechanism that forces the water out of the aqueduct and into the fountain! 

All in all, every minute of our first day in Rome was used to its fullest extent. I am having so much fun, and I could not imagine sharing this monumental and amazing journey with anyone other than Jonathan (although our lacked sense of direction leaves a lot to be desired). I am so excited to learn so much more about the ancient city, and will look forward to keeping you all as updated as possible! Arrivederci!

In expanding upon the dichotomous Spanish lifestyle, I feel like I should elaborate on two trips I’ve taken that seem to capture this bipolarity (plus it gives me the chance to elaborate on two trips that I’ve taken).

The beach towns of Peñíscola and Ibiza, at first glance, seem to offer the same things: beautiful beaches, historic architecture, and seaside restaurants. However, while both do in fact offer these things, their commonality stops there.

Read More

After having been in Valencia for only a month, I have experienced an entire lifetime’s spectrum worth of emotions. Although a month is not a long time, it has felt both long and short. I think I can attribute that to the fact that it finally feels like home, with routines, familiarity, developing likes and dislikes, and security. My time in Europe has finally transitioned from a Spanish holiday to my life. My life is now in Spain.

Read More