February 6, 2010

FRIDAY

We had to wake up super early to get to the Vatican Museum by 8:00. We had to skip breakfast, so I was very cranky, but I got some coffee and got better. The Vatican was so beautiful I nearly cried looking at some of the artwork. It was very packed though, and a few times was engulfed by huge tour groups. I really liked the map room and obviously the Sistine Chapel, but it was so crowded there that it was a little more difficult to enjoy. It is weird having such personal moments looking at art while surrounded by tons of people.

Afterwards, everyone was really tired and cranky and we walked back to the convent. Emily and I got falafel and had a mini picnic on the floor of our room.

The class met to draw and we went to the Gesu church. It is huge and ostentatious. Donald gave a brief lesson on how to start a drawing and I think it is really going to help me.

We ate dinner at the convent, then went out for drinks, but had a pretty early night.

SATURDAY

I wanted to sleep in, but woke up at nine because the nuns were being loud. I read for a while and finished my book. emily woke up later. It took us a while to get out, but we walked a way to get some really good sandwiches, which they call "pizza bianca" (pizza without sauce). I also got an Italian-English dictionary so I can maybe learn some Italian. I think the next language I was tto learn is German though. I want to know at least 5 languages by the time I die ( I guess I'll be traveling a lot). It was raining outside, so we didn't really wander too much, but we did get the best coffee of my life. Seriously. I wish I had an espresso machine, because it was just amazing.

We took some naps and stuff, I wrote some postcards. Julian and Martin went out to the deli (the best place on earth) for dinner and brought back parmesan, mozzarella, smoked salmon, prosciutto, bread, olive oil, and sausage, and arugula. We had a smorgas board in our room. All of it was only 6 euro a person and we didn't even finish it all.

I never want to leave...