"Travel is only glamorous in retrospect." So said our travel guide to start the day and as we stagger in to the hotel, aching and sleepy, we are inclined to agree. There was a power outage at the catacombs site we were scheduled to visit, so we detoured to a new location, the San Sabastiano Catacombs after dropping off those not participating at Palatine Hill. The most interesting location was a Roman burial site below what is now a church with Benini's final sculpture, a bust of Jesus. (Travelers from last year's Peru trip were disappointed not to see any bones--the bodies have all been moved to a lower third level below ground for preservation and respect.) Next, we visited St. Paul's Basilica, the second largest church in Rome behind St. Peter's. Statues of Paul show him wielding a sword, a much different image than those who think of him as a proliferate prisoner. The inside of the basilica was cavernous, the alabaster pillars from Egypt breathtaking. Although we did not get to see the Pope, we did see his mosaic lit in the ceiling along with mosaics representing all 260+ pontiffs since Peter.
Our drop off point was the top of the Spanish Steps, filled with people at noon eating and crowd-watching. Students headed to Trevi Fountain to find it under construction, a disappointing amble across a man-made walkway with a view of haz-mat-clad restoration workings sufficing for a flowing fountain. On the way to the Pantheon a kind man let the students take pictures with his two pet Parakeets...for a euro! Just a lesson that "free time" in Rome doesn't mean it won't cost you anything! Inside the Pantheon (so sorry those of you who didn't keep up with Coach Neighbors and didn't get to see inside) was the tomb of Victor Emmanuel, the first king of united Italy and Queen Margarita, the namesake of Italy's most common pizza. The interior was being prepared for a liturgy and was another 'wow' in a long line of indescribable moments. It is encouraging to see students stunned by the architectural and artistic beauty of a place.
Piazza Novano was nearby, a haven for artists where many students bought a memento of Rome. More traditional shops on the Via dei Corso and dei Conditti also earned some tourist dollars from the great state of Texas. Our day would not have been complete without a student getting 'lost' in the crowd, this time distracted by conversation with an Italian boy! Just like the parable of the lost sheep, we left the 99 (literally!) and searched until we found the one lost lamb. There is a sense of relief now that we are all safely back at the hotel. Our nightly routine is groups of students crowded in the lobby connected to WiFi on their phones while those who didn't get online fast enough walk across to McDonald's to do the same. Adults are showering, putting in their earplugs, and falling asleep even before I finish typing. Because I refuse to sprint off the bus and into the lobby to fight for WiFi access, I, too, will have to wait until tomorrow sometime before this message posts. No worries. It's Rome. It's glamorous, remember?
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