Sempre Impegnata [Always Busy]

Ciao tutti! Sorry I haven't been able to make any posts lately, but like the title says, I am ALWAYS BUSY! Since my last post I have been touring all over Rome with my roommates and with my Art History class. I've seen the Forum Romanum [Roman Forum], the Terme di Caracalla [the Baths], le Catacombe di San Sebastian [the Catacombs], il Colosseo [Colosseum], Santa Maria Maggiore [central church of Rome], la Scala Santa [Holy Stairs], il Partrichio Lateranense [Lateran Palace], il Quartiere San Lorenzo [San Lorenzo Neighborhood where la Sapienza & my job is located], il Circo Massimo [Circus Maximus], the Capitoline & Palatine Hills, and all over Trastevere [where lots of bars, restaurants, shopping, and fun can be found!].  That being said, I'll let my pictures do the rest of the talking.  Enjoy!

We love "il sesso sulla spiaggia" ['sex on the beach'] -- new favorite drink!

This "photo-bomb" has yet to get old in our apartment. If you look just over Jillian's [left] elbow you will see me striking quite the pose. We always seem to have fun walking home late at night!

"Ching Ching!" [Cheers!]

Dinner at our favorite place, Perdincibacco, which is an outdated word for "cool." My fettucine al mare was spectacular. If you're ever in Rome, you MUST go here to eat. Literally everything is delicious.

Parking, Italian Style.

OMG WE FOUND MEXICAN FOOD! Can you say "Sangria & Guac!" MMMMM!

I was a little bit.. ecstatic about my beef fajitas.  Just a little bit...

Adorable Jillian finishing off the apples from the sangria. We couldn't get enough.

Dedication at the Patriarchio Lateranense, the original Vatican, commissioned by Constantine after the Edict of Milan  in 313 declaring freedom of worship.

A dove carrying an olive branch in its mouth is a symbol of the Papacy & Christianity that can be seen all over Rome. This was on the floor of the Patriarchio Lateranense.

This is the remainder of one of the few Medieval frescoes  in the Patriarchio.  During the Renaissance the Kings (Popes & Napoleon) weren't interested in retaining or restoring pieces from this time, only those from the Imperial Period. One of them (I don't think it was this one, although it may be) is attributed to Giotto.

The incredible altar at the Patriarchio. SO MUCH GOLD.

The heads of the two figures at the top, behind the bars, are supposedly relics:  the heads of St. Paul & St. Peter. There bodies can be found elsewhere. Relics and the stories behind them always make me giggle. When our professor was telling us about them he told us that one church even claims to have Jesus' foreskin. Then he went on to ask us if he was pronouncing "foreskin" correctly, probably due to the shocked/disgusted looks on all our faces haha.

People throw money down here to make offerings to the relics that are behind the statue at the bottom of the stairs.

The beautiful apse of the Patriarchio.

If I remember correctly this is the private chapel... bear with me, we took this field study almost two weeks ago!

This political fresco depicts Pope Sylvestre breaking ground to build the Patriarchio. Constantine had been taken the land from the Lateranese family (who had been accused of plotting the emperor's death and were executed) and then donated it to Pope Sylvestre to create the first Christian church of Rome.

The obelisk found outside of the Lateran Palace is the tallest of the four major obelisks. It had been brought from Egypt by Constantine and put in the Circus Maximus until it was later placed here by Pope Sixtus V during his Christianization of Rome.

The Lateran Palace, home to the popes from the 4th century until the 15th.

San Lorenzo, where the infamous Scala Santa are located.

The Scala Santa: the stairs that Jesus climbed and descended 3 times during his trials in Jerusalem . St Helen, mother of Constantine, brought them from Jerusalem to Rome. You are only allowed to go up them on your knees, which is apparently very painful.  Many come to do this during lent to attempt to feel a hint of the suffering that Christ felt during his crucifixion.

In the hole is one of the blood stains that Jesus left on the stairs.  Bizzarre, no?

A piece of the ancient Roman aqueduct just seated atop these buildings. Haha, oh Rome...

The Church of Santa Maria Maggiore. This cathedral is the central church of Rome. It was created after the Miracle of the Snow occurred, where Pope Liberius' dream in which he envisioned Mary telling him to build a Cathedral coupled with snow atop a hill came true.  The following day he saw snow atop the Esquiline Hill (one of the tallest) in the middle of August.  Stunned he immediately plotted out the area that would become this cathedral.

The interior of Santa Maria Maggiore. The gold is said to be brought from America after she was
"discovered."

This is the Triumphal Arch at the head of the nave. Unfortunately this covers the beautiful frescoes of Mary that are behind it in the apse.

Another reliquary.  Santa Maria Maggiore holds many relics, the most interesting (to me) is the Holy Crib, which was the manger Jesus slept in after his birth, 

These are the frescoes that were obscured from the archway; aren't they incredible? It depicts Jesus and Mary as Emperor and Empress, since this cathedral is dedicated to her.

Found another dove at the top of the archway! See what I mean about finding this symbol everywhere.

HOW COOL!  This isn't very far from where I work.  I just had to take a picture when I saw it.

Aww  I saw this cute little family (their daughter is sitting on the rock between them) one day on my walk home.  It made me miss going on vacations with my family.  I sure miss y'all!

This is one of the campaign adds for Ignazio Marino that my work, DGG Consulting, created. "Sorprendiamo L'Italia" means "Let's Surprise Italy!"

While the others went outside for a smoke break I decided to take a few shots of the office. I love this poster "Spaghetti Spin Doctors."

As you can see they are interested in American politics as well.  I asked my boss about it and he told me he had gone on a tour of America during the 2008 presidential campaign, making a documentary, and had gotten lots of memorabilia along the way.

Café.. what gets me through those long afternoons.

Some of the girls at Liquid, a bar in Trastevere.  We always have such a great time!  From Left to Right: Alli, Andrea, Jessica. Me,  & Fatima.

Rhyme and I! Can't wait to hit up Paris with this fun girl!  We're going to have a blast!

The name "Liquid" makes a lot more sense after seeing the floor.  It had a thin layer of liquid under glass that moved when you walked around.

Jillian, Andrea & myself at Liquid, waiting on of sex ont he beaches.

Jillian & I's "Prom picture" haha

Temple of Vespasian.  My Art History class is called "Rome as a Living Museum" and I really don't this there is a better title for the city; history is everywhere!

This is the Temple of Portunus, which is actually found in the Forum Boarium, AKA the Cattle Forum (HAH), and the oldest Forum in Rome.

The Temple of Hercules, also found in the Forum Boarium.

My favorite fountain I've seen (save the Trevi Fountain) around the city.

Santa Maria in Cosmedin, the church where la Bocca della Verità [the Mouth of Truth] can be visited.  Be sure to bring your wallets if you plan on going here, just to take a picture by the Mouth of Truth is a minimum of 2 euro.

Circo Massimo [the Circus Maximus]. Not much left to see, but the Romans preserved the giant field where it once was.

We got a chuckle out of this wedding getaway car -- too cute! You can see the happy bride and groom in the back.  I literally see weddings going on all over the city everyday, but on weekends (when this was taken) you see even more. We saw 3 going on that day.

OMG I FOUND GRAPES! I had been searching for my favorite fruit all over the city and I' finally found some! They were expensive, but so worth it.

The Baths of Caracalla!  One of the most relaxing monuments I've seen so far. Too bad women weren't allowed back in the Imperial times...

Entrance to see the Baths.

Behind these giant walls is where the actual baths were located.

Simply incredible.

Jess, Me & Fatima at the Baths.

Some of the original flooring remains.

The Ancient Romans were so advanced that they actually had three different types of Baths: Frigidarium, with cold water, Tepidarium, with temperate water, and Caldarium, with hot water.

Me at the Baths! I definitely could've used a nice dip in the frigidarium that day; it was so hot!

Can't get over it... amazing.

"I threw a wish in the well/Don't ask me, I'll never tell..." & now 'Call Me Maybe' is stuck in everyone's head. Again.

I loved all the greenery.  It was so peaceful.

Please don't make me leave!

San Sebastian Cathedral.

The nave of San Sebastian.

Shrine to the Virgin.  She has a crown of lit stars around her head, but it's kind of difficult to distinguish in this picture.

The ceiling of the cathedral, depicting one of the miracles of San Sebastian.

Apse & Altar.  Stunning.

Diocletian reproached Sebastian for his supposed betray, and he commanded him to be led to a field and bound to a stake to be shot at with arrows.  The archers "shot at him until he was as full of arrows as an urchin," leaving him there for dead.  Miraculously, the arrows did not kill him.

Inscription to San Sebastian's tomb in the Catacombs.

San Sebastian's tomb.

The girls at the Baths. Left to Right: Ellen, Jessica, Alli, Fatima, me, & Andrea.

BEST FONDENTE CON PANNA [dark chocolate with whipped cream] EVER! MMMM

My art history class at the Colosseo. Left to Right: Michelangelo, Ellen, Me, Andrea, & Professor Racioppi (we endearingly call him 'Mr. Rome' because he knows everything about this incredible city).

Newlyweds! Outside of the San Sebastian Cathedral there was a bunch of confetti on the ground, so of course Fatima & I thought: PHOTO OP!

Tutti Frutti Shots with Jessica and our ISC, Sara!

The remains of a Bath.

Class trip to the Colosseo... Casual.

Alli & I.  She's the shortest in our group, and I'm the tallest,.

Jessica & I enjoying our sex ont he beach; seems to be a recurring theme of this trip haha

Catacombs! Eerie! 

More catacombs, but these were for the wealthy/nobility.  Sorry the pictures aren't so great; we technically weren't supposed to be taking any, but that's yet to stop me!

Inside one of the Chapels (tombs for the wealthy).  Big difference from the simplistic tombs of the commoners.

Jessica in front of the various stone graffiti remains.  It's believed that  St. Paul & St. Peter 's bodies had been housed here for awhile based off the graffiti engraved into the rocks stating their names.

Tombs again.

Me at the Circo Massimo.  We actually saw people running there like it was a track.

"You & I, only us two."  Romantic graffiti like this can be found all over the city.  I miss you, Kevin! 

Walking up the Capitoline Hill, and oh look, the Temple of Saturn!

All these people were headed to a wedding.  And yes, that is indeed a sword he's holding.

View of the Roman Forum from the top of the Capitoline Hill.

The Temple of Saturn was built in the 5th century BC to commemorate and protect the Roman Bravery.

Me at the top of the Capitoline Hill.

You can thank Napoleon & Mussolini for excavating and restoring the Forum to its present state.

The Capitoline Museums at the top of the Capitoline Hill.

Another Wedding!

...& the cute little flower girl!

Capitoline Museum with the enormous statues in front.

Close up of the Vittoriano.  Look at that Italian flag proudly flying in the wind.

Look closely and you can see the Italian flag made out of flowers.  The area in front of the Vittoriano was where Mussolini held the majority of his speeches, so after the fall of Fascism this area underwent a Damnationes ad Memoria (changed to obscure the strong past and meaning of something) and was turned into a round-about.

The end of the WORST BUS RIDE OF MY LIFE.  We were packed in there like sardines.. never enjoyable.

I was craving a cheeseburger, so I made a pilgrimage to the nearest McDonald's.. I got Miami Fries (WHY DONT WE HAVE THESE IN AMERICA?!), the "Grandioso" (giant ass cheeseburger), and, of course, a Coke.  It actually all tasted completely different than the McDonald's at home.

Work! DGG Consulting :)

The immense Colosseo, which was actually named that not after the size or shape of the Colosseo itself, but  after the giant statue that used to be right outside.

The interior of the Colosseo. The wooden arena floor, now gone (except the reconstruction in the far side of the pic), hid these hypogeal structures (basically like rudimentary elevators) that were essential to the functioning of the venations (wild beast hunts).  They were used to raise the animals and the intricate scenery (every game had a detailed setting, often mythologically based).

Personally, I'm an advocate for anastylosis because I would LOVE it if they fully restored the Coliseum  to its former glory and held mock games there. That would be so badass.

The first buttress added to the Colosseo under Pope Pius XII's restorations (the first Papal restorations ever) in 1807.  The architect was Raphael Stern.

The Arch of Constantine.  This arch is a hodge podge of things stolen from the other "good" (Christian) emperors by Constantine to associate himself with their greatness.  The roundels are from Hadrian, the top columns and statues are from Trajan, and the reliefs at the top are from Marcus Aurelius.

Had to get a picture of me and some poppies on our walk up the Palatine Hill.  I miss my Poppy!

The Arch of Titus.  Originally this archway was wedged between two building, but during its restoration under Napoleon it was isolated.  Architect Valadier was commissioned to complete it (only the center remained).  He used different materials (travertine instead of the original marble) and more simplistic columns (smooth rather than the original fluted, with his own, unique capitols) to distinguish the original from his addition.

Mussolini's anastylosis of the Temple of Venus & Rome.

This is Venus' cella, facing east (since Venus is associated with the Sun).  The Goddess Rome's cella faces west, towards the city.  This was where the colossal statue that the Colosseo's name came from was located.

Me & the Colosseo, shot from the top of the Palatine Hill in front of the Temple of Venus & Rome.

The plan of the Temple of Venus & Rome.

Inside the Goddess Rome's cella. Look at the porphyry (redish marble) columns.  Porphyry was the marble of the Emperors because it was extremely strong.

The Temple of Castor & Pollux.

The Temple of Vesta, where the Vestal Virgins tended the eternal fire.  It likely had a vent in the roof to allow the release of smoke from the fire.

The Atrium Vestae [House of the Vestals] was the residence of the Vestal Virgins.

This is where Emperor Caesar was cremated after his death.  

Behind the wall is where his actual cremated remains are.  People shower this area with gifts, as you can see.

Yes, this is real.  There are 4 of them apparently.  They were a gift from Lamborghini celebrating 150 years of Italian Unification.  Italy was unified in 1861. 

Me at work, after a little coffee!  All smiles :)

Also, I will be posting another blog (soon hopefully, depending on our internet) with pictures and whatnot of the weekend I just had! We went to Pompeii, Sorrento, Positano, and the Beach at Amalfi. Words cannot describe the beauty.  It truly was like a slice of heaven on Earth.