Tourist Sites

ROME!!!!
I went along on all of the scheduled activities, but it left me with no time to shop or look around on my own in Rome.

We were provided with maps to clubs and places to dine.

On saturday, a bunch of us went to Rome's Hard Rock Cafe for some much needed reminders of home. I ate a cheese burger, bahama mama, and Island mai tai for desert. I bought a T-shirt to commemorate the event. Why have I never been here before?! Loved it!! Check for the pic on my photo site. On the way home, those who didn't go clubbing got a special treat--a free Gelato from one of the Best places as noted by a program director and a great candy shop!

I had an opportunity to throw a coin over my shoulder and make a wish at the Trevi fountain. It was gorgeous!

Also visited St. Peter's basilica, the Pantheon, and the colosseum.

Sunday was a mandatory day for ID students. We went to the Vatican museums, Sistine Chapel, & Villa borghese (17th century, laid out for the nephew of Pope paul V.

This was a great excursion but I really wish I would have had more time to visit local shops.

P.S. there is a pic of Vartuhi, a cafe owner (next to our hotel), and I . This man was so sweet to us!

This morning was our trip to Pisa. As it turned out, we had a slightly smaller group (just the interior design students), as the others had gotten back pretty late and were strewn across the apartment along with the Absinthe, wine, and failed batch of Spag.

We caught the 8:29am train to Pisa. From the station in Pisa, its pretty much just a straight walk to the main attraction. Tickets to the cathedral and baptistery were paid for by the program, so it was up to us if we wanted to climb the Leaning Tower. It's 15 Euro.
We all got tickets for 1:20pm. Five minutes before you go up, you must check your bag b/c it's such a narrow stairwell. The spiral staircase around LToP is dim lit, with a window here and there (on the left side). On the fifth floor you can go out and walk all the way around, then its back up for some more.
On the very top, there is a smaller, more narrow stairwell that leads to the tipi top. The experience takes about a half hour. (I got plenty of picts!)

I ate lunch with my roommate and we walked around looking at gifts. At 2:30 we met at the fountain and walked back to the train station. We arrived back in Florence at 4:30.

Tomorrow is biking in Chianti!