Last Day in Rome

6:56 PM August 11, 2011. Fuimicino Airport, Rome.

Got back from Salzburg yesterday via Berlin (yes, that is the other direction. Our flight connected to Berlin). Since we had a 6 hour layover, Chelsea and I explored Berlin for a little bit.
We went on a boat tour of the river Spree(the river that runs through Berlin). We also had sausages and a stein of beer.

Now, sitting at the airport waiting to check in. They are now telling us we can't check until 7:30 :/

I'm ready to leave Rome. I had a great time, but it's time to leave. Most people were nice, others were very rude, but that's how it is in most places.

I'm over the cobblestone streets that hurt your feet and make car/bus rides very bumpy. I don't want to look at pizza and pasta for a long time. I want rice that isn't arborio. Damn it, I want soy sauce that doesn't cost €6 for a little bottle.

Yes, it's time for something new. And I am so excited to he going back to England, even if it's just for a little bit. I feel like I'll be coming home (plus I can wear more clothes).

Yes, there is turmoil around England--Liverpool, Manchester and London. And I'm staying in London. However, the riots in London are in East London and I won't be going anywhere near there. I just need to excise more caution. Anyway, I can't wait to go back!

Rome: The Final Week

7:39 AM August 6, 2011 on the train to Venice.

I am delirious and tired. I look like a monster with red eyes and dark circles. I couldn't sleep last night because I kept thinking about how the hell am I going to lug ALL my shit throughout Europe. Anyway, I left my big luggage at Chelsea's apartment because they have until the 11th, when we leave for London.

Anyway, majority of the week was spent working on our project.

As it was our last week and we still had things we wanted to see, we decided to go check them out.

Coliseum: it's smaller on the inside. It's still pretty impressive, but the facade makes it look like it would be bigger.

Palatine Hill and Roman Forum: a lot of ruins. Still pretty cool to see.

Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel: I hate people who use flash photography in museums. It ruins the colors. Oh! And this one mother fucker touched a 500 year old tapestry! WTF! The oils on your hands will ruin it! Anyway, the museum has a great collection of Greek statues and a decent Egypt collection. Rafael frescoes! Sistine Chapel was amazing. Except for the part where people don't know how to keep quiet.

Galleria Borghese: Love love LOVE the Bernini sculptures! They are sexy! Also alot of Caravaggio pieces. The frescoes on the ceilings are amazing!

On our last day of class (presentation night), our profs invited us to their place and they made us dinner. If only every presentation was like that: food and booze and very informal. Drinking with your professors = good times.

Found a bar on the way home (ok direction of home, but we didn't exactly wanted to go home). Got an Italian ice tea...it's just like a long island, but it has disarono instead. A lot more sweeter than a long island.
Found the RANDOMEST bar afterwards. It's this tiny, tiny room (about the same size as a bedroom), completely packed with people dancing, playing popular hip hop songs. Naturally, we had to get in. I was basically squished between everyone. Still got my dance on hahaha!

The second part of class continues in 2 weeks when we get back to San Diego.

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Rome Day 20

11:23 AM July 29, 2011

Sorry I haven't blogged.

Anyway, last wednesday we got to sleep in :) Best part? I got to hang out with Yolanda and Sebastian for lunch. We had Chinese food and it was amazing and CHEAP!

Also, it started to rain. No, not rain, pour. And we were sitting outside. Good thing the patio umbrella kept us dry. Barely.

However, the city looks so pretty when it rains. The streets are empty and the colors change.

Later in the afternoon, the class took a field trip to the architecture office of IAN+. It's a prominent architecture office in Italy but they are also struggling to get major projects. According to italian law, civic/government funded buildings have to go through competitions. Even if you win the competition it could still take a while before the project actually starts. I guess no practicing in Italy then hahaha.

Rome Day 19

1:55 AM July 27, 2011

Today was the last day of the class walking around Rome and seeing our sites. We had a breakfast, which is basically a pastry and coffee (from what I've noticed, it's the typical italian breakfast). I had some sort of brioche with nutella inside (YUM) and a manachella (espresso with chocolate and cream)[super YUM].

After class, decided to hit the stores to check out the sales going on ending at the end of the month. I went to Zara and got 2 dresses...in sale! SCORE!

After dinner, we went to watch a symphony perform at the courtyard of Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza. Amazing!


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Rome Day 18

12:30 AM July 26, 2011

Got back from Milan yesterday. Flight was at 7 and airport was 1 hour away so I was up starting 3 AM

For those who think I'm just running around Italy and not studying, let me say that that is not true.

What school work am I exactly doing in Rome? It's rather difficult to explain exactly what I'm studying. We are studying the baroque and it affects the urban fabric and how it affects the contemporary urban fabric. Specifically, I am studying Chiesa Sant'Andrea al Quirinale by Bernini and how the void becomes a voluminous space that is carved out from the poché. Can I explain that to you? Not really, not yet anyway.
Basically, we are analyzing and diagramming our assigned buildings. From this analysis, we create a 3D object that is a representation of the diagram.

See! School work!

Anyway, yesterday I spent all day working on my project, not knowing exactly what I was doing (happens all the time). I finally got to present my building. Got feedback from our professors and they guided me to the direction I wanted to take for my project. Now that I know what it's about, I just need to figure out how to do it. I need to redo some stuff but I think I'll be ok.


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Rome Day 11

I finally saw Harry Potter 7.2!!! Took us an entire week to find it in English! Ahhh!!! Sooo goood!!! I laughed, I cried (lots), I sighed, I LOLed.
What am I going to do now?!! (wait for it to come out on blu-ray and have a marathon, I guess)
I mean, the next book series I'm waiting for won't come out until end of 2012 and there are only 2 movies!!!

We got out of the movie theaters and it started raining complete with lighting (no thunder). It wasn't raining hard, which was good because I didn't have an umbrella. It felt nice while it was raining because it cooled down the city...now it just feels humid.

Also, dried lavender works to keep the bugs away! Hooray!!! Now, to get rid of mosquitos....


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Rome: Day 10

12:08 AM July 19,2011

No blog yesterday...I was just tired. I made coq au vin for dinner last night. I was just really craving chicken and potatoes and carrots hahahaha

I'm presenting my research building tomorrow: Chiesa di Sant'Andrea al Quirinale
I've been trying to get inside for 2 days and everytime I go it's closed :/ good thing I found that virtual tour online and I wrote about this building in undergrad hahaha yay art history major!
It's an informal presentation, but I just wanted to have everything I need to say organized.

Oh! I did go to the Trevi Fountain yesterday and did the obligatory over-the-shoulder-coin-toss wish. Let's hope it comes true :) I only threw €0.50 though...maybe I should go back and spend more on my wish ;) then maybe it'll come true faster!

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Rome: Day 8

1:38 AM July 17,2011

Good news everyone! We moved to our new place in Rome. By new, I mean upstairs. It's definitely much nicer--CROSS VENTILATION, open kitchen/living/dining, more bathrooms, better views, INTERNET. It's still noisy from the traffic downstairs but, whatever.

Downside: since Italy (from what I've seen) does not use mesh around their windows, bugs can just get in. Because the ventilation is great in our room, we wanted to keep the windows open. BIG MISTAKE. Moths were draw to the light in the room, then to the light of our laptops. I'm still a little paranoid right now that there are moths all over me.

But no matter, I refuse for bugs to ruin this upgrade haha! Tomorrow I will be hanging lavender and mint and rosemary all over the windows, attaching lavender to the fans and making a little lavender spray to deter all these bugs. If that doesn't work, I will bug spray the shit out of those moths.

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Rome: Day 5

12:33 AM July 14, 2011

Sorry I didn't get to post yesterday, internet was down in the entire building the entire day :/ We currently have internet but is only available in the common area and it's super weak. I've got 2 bars on my wi-fi.

I'm slightly confused, my last post was Day 4, so this should be Day 6 but I counted and I've only been here for 5 days.

Yesterday's theme for the class was "Cultural Periphery." We visited the northern part of Rome where we visited famous modern structures: Nervi's Palazzetto dello Sport (little basketball stadium), Renzo Piano's Parco della Musica and Zaha Hadid's MAXXI museum. Later on that night, we went back to the MAXXI to watch an architecture presentation [though we weren't really paying attention because it was in Italian].

Had a GREAT time at a local bar next to the MAXXI--just some hole-in-the-wall that is frequented by locals. We met 2 older gentlemen at the bar while drinking Bush beer...strong shit! 10.8% alcohol level...but is a really good beer. Had fun with the puns on George Bush with the locals. Had 2 and I was gone! Good times :]

Today class theme was based on the southern part of the city that is called EUR (Universal Exhibition in Rome) which was started by the Fascist period with Mussolini and ended around the 1970s. I guess the theme was how to re-image Rome (especially after WWII) in which old Roman symbols of power was reclaimed and rebranded into a different meaning.

Housing news: we are going to be moved to the top floor, I guess. I just hope that that is better than this.

Rome: Day 4

First day of class! Walked EVERYWHERE. Today's topic: Ancient Edges. We started at the Vatican, then made our way to San Pietro in Montero (part of the Spanish Royal Acadamy) and saw Bramante's Tempietto, Santa Maria in Trastevere, Santa Maria in Cosmodin, walked UP the Aventine Hill and saw  Basilica di Santa Sabina and Piranesi's peep hole (sounds dirty hahahaha)   that frames the dome of the Vatican.

In the middle of this craziness, we had lunch at this small place in Trastevere [something or another Clood]. I had spaghetti vongole (clam spaghetti ...and no, not clam sauce, actual clams in my spaghetti). It was AMAZING. It's not heavy at all. It's basically clams [still in the shell], sauteed with garlic in olive oil and spaghetti noodles. Funny story about how I found about this dish...I learned of this dish from watching "Pasta," a Korean drama about a Chef and this girl who wants to be a chef working in an Italian restaurant in Seoul.

Housing news: the management have seemed to have fixed the broken shower, given us more fans and changed the router for the internet. Internet works a little bit better.

Rome: Day 3

My poor feet. My feet hurt soo bad. Walking on cobblestone streets is a killer.

Went to church at the Vatican today--St Peter's Basilica to be exact. I don't even know how to begin to describe the grandeur of St Peter's Square, let alone the basilica itself. It's really overwhelming; I didn't know in which direction to look (obviously it's designed focus is on the altar, but you know what I mean :)).
The mass was in Latin with the readings in French and Spanish and the homily in Italian. That was pretty cool, I've never gone to a Latin mass before.
It was pretty hot in there (no fans hahaha) then it got really hot when we left. Everyone was hot and tired because we all woke up early for mass.

Anyway, I had the brilliant idea (LOL) to hose ourselves with water like children. It was hot enough and Ely, Chelsea and I got in bathing suits, turned on the hose and cooled off. Successfully made myself even darker :/ hahaha

Too much sun = nap time! Passed out before our professors came to visit.

Housing update: profs agree that we are paying way too much for this place. They said this the first time the housing company placed their students here and they will talk to them to negotiate a solution.

Around sunset we decided to embark on an adventure. We got on the first public transportation we saw and see where it would take us. One tram, one bus,one confusing metro ride later, we ended up at Piazza di Spagna. A lot of people around the lower steps, not alot of people brave up the top of the steps. We did :)
Walked to San Carlo Quattre Fontane and San Andrea al Quirinale, famous baroque churches by Borromini and Bernini. We ended up at Piazza Quirinale and we were desperate to go home...even contemplated getting a cab, but you can't hail a cab in Rome, you need to go to a taxi stop. Finally got onto a bus and a tram and that got us home :)

School tomorrow.


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Rome: Day 2

Friday, 1:07 AM

Good news everyone! The kitchens stoves work!!! A few of us stayed home, made dinner and now having a movie night. I refuse to eat out ALL the time...that's way to expensive to do so for 4 weeks.

Finally got to go to the supermarket. It's called Oviesse (I think). It's just a short from our place. The place reminded me of Marks and Spencers...sells clothes on the ground floor and groceries down stairs. I like grocery shopping in Europe--you don't buy too much (no preservatives) and I feel like I'm a local (sort of).

Walked around Trastevere today. Got to see Santa Maria in Trastevere. I don't know how I would describe it... Walked around the narrow streets and I really felt like I'm in Rome.

GELATO. Crema Catalana flavor. I die. That's all I have to say about that.

We were going to the coliseum, but we started getting hungry so we stopped at this place called Bar Bella next to the river. €10 for 3 courses (bruschetta, pizza, dessert and a drink). I got the olive pate bruschetta, mushroom pizza and panna cotta for dessert. The pizza was bigger 2x the size of my face! Panna cotta was yuumm! It was raspberry :D

Too much sun. Past out while watching Torchwood (finished it when I woke up).

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Rome Day 1

Rome, 2:42 AM

Arrived in Rome today ( I guess, yesterday at noon).
Flew Alitalia from San Diego to LAX, LAX to Rome non-stop. Never doing that again. Although flying non-stop is more convenient, I did not know what to do for 13 hours. Service wasn't horrible, but it wasn't great. Food was pretty bad, but I ate it because I was starving.

I'm staying at Trastevere. It's one of Rome's oldest neighborhoods, dating from the Etruscan times. It's a pretty quiet neighborhood, especially away from the main streets. It's pretty and charming: cobblestone streets, narrow lanes, vines growing on sides of buildings...it's not heavily trafficked by tourists.

The place we are staying at is an old medieval building that was owned by the Pamphiljs. Many of the people studying abroad with me don't like it because it's old and "falling apart." I like it because it's old. I've never stayed in a place like this before. It's an old residence with medieval walls and a cloister/garden in the middle. We have a large common room, kitchen, 2.5 baths, and the rooms are pretty large.

Our room opens up to the upper part of the garden next to the walls and terrace. Our room open up to the street and to the Tiber River.

HOWEVER, there are problems. The main entrance, next to the church is only open from 8am-9pm and the back entrance is a little scary. It's a little dark and narrow. We are supposed to share our rooms between 3-4 people (Ely and I are not sharing). 2.5 bathrooms for 12 people is not enough. And the shower head fell off (thank goodness for bucket and dipper method--I'm good). And the internet kinda sucks. So, for the price we paid for, this SUCKS! We thought we were saving money by staying at the dorms and not getting a short-term apartment. Were we wrong, very wrong. For the same price or a little bit more, we could have much nicer accommodations.
Meh. It's like an adventure!

We went out by the Tiber River banks. There is some summer event going on where people placed restaurants, bars, stores on the river banks for night time fun. Had Spaghetti carbonara. Sooo goood!!! Could never get my carbonara to be like that: coats pasta perfectly without being too heavy. It was love.

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