Roman Retrospective

I write my final blog posting from the apple store in the King Of Prussia Mall in Philadelphia PA. Unfortunately I broke my computer during the last week in Rome, so I wasn't able to make my final blog posting while I was still in Rome. My three themes that I chose were The Colosseum, Advertising, and Fountains. While I was living in Rome, I learned so much about all of these things. I feel like each theme meant something completely different to me at the beginning of the trip compared to at the end. For instance, walking around the Colosseum was just part of my average day. I had grown accustomed to the ancient structure being a backdrop to my new home. The history that surrounds you in Rome is something that I am going to miss back here in the states. Everyday you get to learn something knew and different. Often times, things you may discover can be up to 3000 years old. Knowing this fact, gave me a distinct curiosity, about everything I was around. Immediately when I flew into Philadelphia, I was aware of American advertisements that are plastered all over the airport. It was weird being able to read what they had to say. Hearing random people walking by me speaking English was also a strange feeling for me. After grabbing a drink at a water fountain in the airport, I was immediately reminded of how much I am going to miss the Roman drinking fountains. All and all, my experience in Rome was amazing, and it lived up to every expectation I could have ever imagined. I am going to miss my time in Europe, but as true as my coin in the Trevi, i'll be back!

Final Thoughts on European Advertising

For the most part, the advertisements I've seen in Europe have been pretty much like that of the United States. They are located in a lot of the same places, and they try and sell a lot of the same things. However, there is a big difference in content. The censorship in American advertising is very strict compared to Ads I've seen throughout Europe. For example, when I was in Zurich, there were advertisements to help stop the spead of aids that had people in very promiscuous positions. They were so shocking to us that we actually stopped in the middle of the street and took pictures of them. The people around us looked at us like we were from a different planet. Immediately thought to myself that you would never see that in the States. I think one of the major themes that I have discovered while traveling though Italy, and the rest of Europe, is the overal lax mentality of most Europeans about things Americans make a big deal out of. I think a lot of the time things become a big deal in American because we make them a big deal. It is almost as if the problems we have wouldn't even be an issue if people didn't make a big deal out of them in the first place. Another example of this, is advertisements seen on Italian television. You'd never guess how sexy a woman can be when trying to sell you a chocolate bar. I do realize we use sex appeal in the States to sell things, but in Europe the advertisements are much more riskue. My final thoughts on advertisements in Europe are concluded with different ideas of sex, and how society takes them in. Those are the biggest differences I've seen between the US and Europe. I'll miss the ads i've been around over the past two months. They were definitely entertaining!

Final Thoughts on Roman Fountains

One of the major things that I am going to miss about Rome is the public fountains. In a city where everything is extremely expensive, the Roman fountains have provided a convienent method of free hyrdration. There are fountains located all over the city, and no matter where you are, you aren't far from a fresh drink. Before coming to Rome, I was under the impression that the water would be unsanitary, and you would have to buy bottled water. This pre impression couldn't have been any further from the truth. The water that I have been drinking since coming to Rome, has been the purest water i've ever drank in my life. I love that there are no chemicals added to the water that comes from the fountains. The water back home in State College doesn't even taste like water it has so many chemicals in it. Not only am I going to miss the public drinking fountains, I am also going to miss the numerous decorative fountains located all over Rome. Many of them have been in place for hundreds of years. It is impossible to escape history in this city. Visitors, and residence of Rome are reminded every day when they take a drink, that their thirst is quenched by aqueducts built thousands of years ago. This fact fascinates me when I considering the places i've lived in the States weren't even founded 300 years ago, let alone their water systems. I'll think of Rome everytime I drink tap water back home, you can be sure of it.

images courtesy of (www.ancientsculpturegallery.com)

Final thoughts on the Colosseum

As I wrap up my last week in Rome, I want to reflect on my experiences while viewing the Colosseum. One of my major reasons for studying abroad in Rome, was because I have always been fascinated by the ancient wonder. Ever since learnign about it in grade school I've always been in awe of the Colosseum. While I have been living in Rome, I've visited the structure many times, and everytime I see the Colosseum, it still fascinates me. To think this was built over 2000 years ago, with none of the technology we have to day absolutely boggles my mind. I've observed many little things at the site that I didn't know about before coming here. For instance, above every arched entrance, there are Roman numerals that say what section your walking under. I wasn't sure how the seating was assigned before I came here, and so far this is the best evidence that I've found that proves people were assigned to different sections. I was aware that people were located according to class, and that they had to sit in specific areas. Before coming to the site however, I wasn't sure if each section was divided into smaller sub sections. The Roman numerals above the entrances prove that there were in fact smaller sub sections. This is just one example of the many interesting things I've taken in at the Colosseum site. The stadium was so far ahead of it's time that it bewilders me. I'd give anything to go back in time, and take in the atmosphere surrounding a sold out battle. When I walk around the present day area where the colosseum sits, I can imagine some of what took place, but I'll never really know for sure what it was like. When I board the plane to go home on Friday, the first thing I'll look for if we get close to the city, is my favorite structure in Rome. The coin tossed over my shoulder at the Trevi ensures another visit, and you can bet the Colosseum will be on my itinerary.
Image courtesy of (http://www.topmasala.com/images/wonders/colosseum.jpg)

Lets go to Aqua Piper!

During my time in Rome there has been a distinct change in seasons. When we first got here, many mornings we needed sweatshirts, and the nights also got very cool. Over the past couple of weeks the temperature has been rising up into the 90s every day, it is safe to say summer has arrived. It seems that every tram and bus I see now has advertisements for Rome's best water park called Aqua Piper. When I first started seeing the advertisements, I had no interest in visiting the water park. Now that the weather has heated up, I see it becoming a real possibility. The crystal clear pools, and winding slides, on the ads make it very hard for me not to yearn for a day in the water. We have a free day on Thursday so a group of us might make the trip to the water park. I'll be sure to post details if this happens. Its so hot!

Walk through Piazza Del Popolo, Espagna, and Republica

On monday June 23rd, we went on one of the walks that we created last week. My group decided to do Nicole's walk that took us to three piazzas. We started our walk at Piazza Del Popolo, which is a 15 minute tram ride, and a 20 minute walk from my apartment. I wasn't sure how long it would take me to get there so I left my apartment an hour early. I was glad that our first stop on the walk was far from my apartment, however because it gave me the opportunity to explore parts of the city that I hadn't been to before. Instead of walking down Corso, I decided to take back alleys to the piazza. By the time I had gotten to our starting point I had already been walking for 30 minutes. I passed by numerous coffee shops, and churches that I had never seen before. I tried to stay in the shade as much as I could, because even though it was stlll early morning, it was already getting hot. I had already visited the first two piazzas on our walk, but this was the first time that I had been to them in the morning. The Piazza Del Espagna looked very strange to me at 9:45 AM trenched in sun with nobody sitting on the stairs. I got a whole new aspect of this tourist hot spot. After walking down the stairs we continued to the Piazza Del Republica. This was the first time that I had visited this particular spot. I had already heard a great deal about this spot in the city because when President Bush visited Rome, this was where the Italians held their anti Bush rally. I had no interest in seeing that, so when everyone was going to this particular piazza, I opted out. I was really glad I got the chance to see this piazza because one of my themes is fountains, and the fountain in the center of this piazza is very large and beautiful. The fountain is comprised of many shoots of water all spilling towards the center. I wish I could post pictures of this fountain, but unfortunately my camera broke, and I have no way to upload photos anymore. Anyways, it was a beautiful morning and a very pretty walk. It was a great way to start my last week in Rome.

Viewing Roma St. Peter's Style

The other day I walked to the top of St. Peters, and could see the whole city. It was the best view from above that anyone could ask for because the Vatican looks out into the heart of Rome. I easily spotted the some of the sites I had vsited such as the Pantheon, The Jewish Synagogue, and the Victor Emannuel "wedding cake" building. However, I was very surprised at how hard it was to see the Colosseum. It was a good thing I knew exactly where it was located, or I doubt I would have been able to see it. The outer wall was the only part of the structure that you could see. I was hopeing the find a spot in Rome that overlooked the city, where you could find a good view of the Colosseum, but unfortunately, I havn't been able to find such a place. Regardless, I am very glad that I took the time to walk up the 400 plus steps to the cupola at St. Peters. You can see for miles, with rolling hills as the backdrop for the city. It only costs 5 euros, and I'd definitely be up for doing it again.
Image courtesy of (chicainery.blogspot.com/images/rome7.jpg)

Walking tour; Fountain Descriptions

The first fountain during my walk is a fountain designed by Bernini. The fountain is called Fontana Dei Quattro Fiumi. There is a large Egyptian Obelisk located in the center of the fountain. There also two smaller fountains located on either side of the Fontana Dei Quattro Fiumi.  The Piazzo Navona is an oval shape, the other two fountains are located at both ends of the oval.  The second fountain on the walk is located at the Pantheon, in the center of Piazza Della  Rotunda. This fountain was originally designed to be placed in Piazza Navona. The marble fountain is a sculpture of four ugly masks spitting water in four opposite directions. When you look at the fountain from far away, the faces do not look as goofy as they actually are. A close look at this fountain is very interesting, and actually quite comical. The third fountain that you will pass on the walk is called the Fontanelle Del Facchino. This is one Rome's historic talking statues. The water comes out of a barrel held by a porter. It was created in the 16th century. This fountain is a great place to grab a cool drink, during the hot summer months. The water always comes out cool and fresh! The last stop on my fountain walk brings you to the Trevi Fountain, which was completed in 1762. This fountain is considered to be Rome's most famous, and it is also one of the largest. The fountain itself is actually bigger than the Piazza is sits in. The two central figures are Neptune, one of them is mastering a sea horse, while the other is taking control of a more peaceful animal. The fountain symbolizes the two moods of the sea. It is well known myth, that if you toss a coin into the fountain over your shoulder, you will return to Rome at some point in your life. (Facts from Eyewitness Travel Guide, and www.garden-fountains.com)

A walk to four major fountains in Central Rome.

This walk will be taking you to four major fountains in Central Rome. You will see Fontana Dei Quattro Fiumi, The Pantheon Fountain, Fontanella Del Facchino, and the Trevi Fountain. Starting off at the center of Piazza Navona, next to Fontana Dei Quattro Fiumi, head down Corsia Agonale. With you back to Piazza Navona, make a left on Corso Del Rinascimento, then make an immediate right onto San Giovani d'Arco. Continue on this street until you come to Via Rosetta, make a right onto that street. You have now arrived at the Pantheon Fountain located in the center of Piazza Della Rotonda. Head straight on Piazza Della Minerva, and when you go by the Santa Maria sopra Minerva make a left on Via Del Pie Di Marmo. This street will lead you into a small parking lot in an area called Piazza Del Collegio Romano. Continue straight through the parking lot, and head down the small alley directly in front of you called Via Lata. Near the end of the alley before you reach Via Del Corso, notice the Fontanella Del Facchino on your left. This is a great place to stop for a nice cool drink. Make a left on Via Del Corso and walk until you come to Via Delle Muratte. Make a right onto this street and follow it until  you come to the Trevi Fountain. 

Directions from Piazza Navona to the Trevi Fountain

The Romans are coming!

In Tivoli, we were waiting for the bus for over an hour. Finally we heard drums in the distance, and a heard of Roman soldiers and gladiators came marching down the street. Everyone was all decked out in costume. It was the strangest thing I've encountered. That is all

Centrale Montemartini museum

Another place that I want to visit before I leave Rome is the Centrale Montemartini museum. The building where the museum is in used to be an industrial power plant. It was actually Rome's first power plant, so the history isn't just in the art work on display there. There would be a ton of cool things to look at. The museum houses Roman statues and artifacts belonging to the Capitoline Museums. (eyewitness guide) I think it would be very cool to see Roman statues in an industrial setting. The contrast of a rugged power plant and white statues would be very interesting. (Image from www.wikipedia.com)

To the top of Rome

One of the things that I have yet to do is go to the top of St. Peter's. I've been meaning to do it ever since we visited the Vatican a couple weeks ago, but for some reason I have been putting it off. During one of my runs through the city, I ended up at the top Janiculum Hill. The view from up there was incredible. You could see the entire city. The amount of domes I saw was astonishing. I had no idea there were that many churches in Rome, it seems like every single blog has a cathedral. I imagine the view from the top of St. Peters will be even more picturesque because you will be able to see the whole city without trees getting in your way. I will definitely be making the trek to the Vatican before I leave for the best view in the city.

The Blue Colosseum

Last night after getting off the train from Tivoli, we took the metro the Circus Maximus stop. When I come up from the Roman underground, I looked up at the sky and I noticed that there was a neon blue glow in the direction of the Colosseum. Courtney and I, although we were exhausted from our trip, decided to walk to the colosseum and check it out. The first thing that we noticed were the plentiful booms of fireworks in the distance. There were also numerous brides getting pictures taken around the ancient stadium. When we got close enough, we realized that the exterior of the colosseum was lit up like normal. From the interior however, there were huge blue lights shining on the inside of the colosseum. It made the old structure seem very creepy. We had no idea why they did this, and everyone we asked either didn't know of couldn't speak English. Anyways, it was cool to see the colosseum in this glow. Yet again, my pictures were full of orbs. Very cool!

Tivoli Advertisement

While I was in Tivoli, I noticed numerous advertisements for concerts in the Villa Adriana. I never put two and two together, and figured out that the posters meant Hadrian's Villa. While I was walking through Hadrian's Villa I noticed a stage set up in front of a large ruin. It then all made sense. The advertisements that I had seen throughout the city were for this venue. Right outside of Hadrian's Villa I saw a poster for a concert featuring a band named Paterno. Being the Penn Stater that I am I had to take a picture of this. Joe Pa would be proud!

Sunset in Tivoli

When we got back to the train station in Tivoli at the top of the mountain. The sun was setting in the valley. You could seriously watch the sun fall. It went from being a complete circle to nothing in about 2 minutes. It was so beautiful. After the amazing day I had just had at Hadrian's Villa it seemed fitting to end with an gorgeous sunset. The trip to Tivoli might be the only time that I get out of Rome while in Italy. My mental image of Italy before getting here was exactly what I saw in Tivoli, rolling hills, and long valleys. I'm so glad I decided to visit Hadrian's Villa. From the beginning of the day until the end, my friend and I had no set plan. We just went with the flow on everything, and things couldn't have worked out perfectly. If you ever travel to Rome you have to visit this Tivoli, and surrounding ancient villas. It was an inspiring day.

A trip to Hadrian's Villa

Hadrian's Villa was by far the most amazing ruins that I've seen since i've been in Europe. I thought it was very cool how you could crawl through the ancient remains. In Rome, all of the ruins are so touristy that you can't really explore for yourself. One of the coolest parts of the Villa was the Maritime Theater. This was Emperor Hadrian's very own get away inside of the Villa. It was surrounded by a moat filled with fresh water, and a tall outer wall that gave even more privacy. Hadrians lair was comprised of bedrooms, a library, and numerous bathes. Hadrian loved poetry, art, and philosophy.It is thought that this is where he would go to relax and create art. The only way to get across the moat was by two draw bridges. Towards the end of Hadrian's rein as emperor of Rome, he spent much of his time at the Villa. Saying "It was more peaceful than any place he had visited in Europe or in Rome" Many of the remains are still present, and it is very easy to formulate in your head what use to be located on this site. When you walk through the Forum in central Rome, it is not easy to get an idea of what use to be located there. Hadrian's Villa on the other hand is not like that at all. The area is surrounded by mountains and rolling hills. It was seriously one of the most beautiful places I had ever been in my life. I could have spent hours there just looking at the scenery. I can see why Hadrian chose this particular spot to build his summer retreat. Many of the pools in the villa can still be seen. During the hay day of the site, waterfalls flowed from pool to pool in the 300 acre complex. The water was constantly circulated so that it was clean and fresh. The sound that this water would have made, must have been extremely relaxing. Towards the north end of the site was an area called the Canopus, which is still filled with water today. The far end of the structure use to house a shrine dedicated to the emperor Hadrian. From the top of the building a thin sheer of water use to flow over the ledge creating a sheet of water between the shrine and the outer pool. The sound that this water would have made would have been heard hundreds of feet away from the site. There are replicas of the statues that use to be placed along the pool. This entire area used to be covered by a roof. It is not completely understood how this was accomplished. Architects have recreated two different ways this part of the villa use to be. In the picture below you can see the recreation of columns at the end of the pool. Further down the side, statues could have held up the roof. Either way, it would have been an extraordinary site to see. In the far ground of the picture is where the water would have spilled into the pool. 

There was also a system of underground tunnels and canals that connected each building. In the heat of the day Hadrian and his people could get around the entire estate without ever walking outside. 

There was a heating system that incorporated the sun, and fires located under the pools, which heated the water. There was a system of pipes that would allow hot or cold water to be added into the plumbing depending on the temperature that day. In ancient times, it was a modern day system of heated pools. Architects and scientists from all over the world marvel at this magnificent site. There are still many aspects of the site that we don't completely understand, and are unable to recreate. All of the models of Hadrians Villa are just ideas of what it used to be like. We cannot be sure how each structure was actually used. 

On the opposite side of the site is the Piazza d'Oro, otherwise known as the golden square. This part of the villa housed an enormous garden,  with pools and fountains. The picture above is what remains. It is thought that the structure in the far end of the picture was covered completely by a roof although architects still aren't sure how that would  have been possible. The picture of the tunnel a little bit above, runs completely under the golden square, connecting the buildings on either side. There were canals in the tunnel that would have channeled water to the other side, with many drop offs. The water would have echoed through the tunnels making it sound like a babbling creek. There were numerous windows in the tunnel leading up to the gardens so the splashes from the water would have been heard throughout the square. To put this in perspective, the golden square would have been like a high class spa, with soothing sounds of trickling water. Hundreds of statues were uncovered in this part of the villa, so no doubt it would have been one of the most gorgeous sites in the entire complex. 

(Information from; Eyewitness Travel Guide, www.wikipedia.com)

Drinking Fountain in Tivoli

There weren't many drinking fountains in Tivoli like there were in Rome. There was however, one really cool one that I came across. There was an eagle on the top of it made out of different kinds of stones. There were two spouts that poured into two large bowls near the ground. The fountain looked extremely worn in an area of the town that was very well kept. I later found out from a local that the fountain had been there for many years. It had actually survived World War II. Much of the city had been destroyed in World War II, so it was a miracle that this structure is still intact. After filling up my water bottle with cool fresh water, I headed off to Hadrian's Villa. 

Visiting Boy's Town

On Friday, we had the opportunity to visit Boy's Town in the outskirts of Rome. The trip was very interesting and a lot different than what I expected. I pictured the site to more of an orphanage, but it was actually a lot like a summer camp. The entire place was very well kept, and it seemed like a great place to live if you were a kid with no place to go. I thought the art center was the most interesting thing there because the art work was so beautiful.  There was a large amount of pottery that was painted with extreme precision. Most of the pieces looked like they could sold in pottery stores in the state. They were that good!Most of the pieces were made by kids that were under 15 years old. The boys come from all over the world. Most of them currently come from the middle east, which makes sense with all of the turmoil going on over there. Most of the boys who live in Boy's Town are Muslim. There was a Catholic Church located in the town, but the children were not forced to practice any specific religion. We had a chance to meet the current mayor of the town, and ask him questions. He was just your average kid. For some reason I thought the kids were going to be overly mature, because of what I had learned about their government. This really wasn't the case, the kids joked around and seemed to be just like I was when I was their age. Before we went to the site, we discussed how we thought the government ideology would hinder a young kids childhood. I really didn't see that to be the case at all.  Overall, Boy's Town seemed like a very welcoming and safe place for the children to stay. I am very glad I had the opportunity to visit such a unique environment. 

Boys Town Rome

Boy's Town is a small village on the outskirts of Rome that houses children that completely govern themselves. There are two structures in the city, Garden City is for the younger children, while the Industrial City is for older children. They have their own government, financial system, and judicial affairs. The system was entirely implemented by the boys themselves. The boys created their own currency called the Scudo. It can be used to buy little things in the bazaar, or it can be deposited in the citizens' bank. Boys town was founded by Monsignor J.P. Carroll-Abbing he was quoted in saying "I dreamed of a future Boys’ Town, a community where the innate rights and duties and the God-given mission of each child in society would be respected and fostered." (http://www.citrag.it/index_en.htm) This Friday I am going to visit Boy's Town for the first time. It will be very interesting to see the schools, dormitories, and markets located there. I'll later be posting pictures and a place of interest that I found intriguing at the site.

Modern Looking Fountain

Today as I was walking to the train station, I spotted a very cool fountain unlike any of the others I’ve seen in Rome. The fountain spills water into three bowls located on top of a unique drop spout. The water cascades down the curves steel into a shallow bath below. The top three bowls are used by pigeons to bath, which was why the square was flooded with them. The fountain is located before the bridge over the Tiber called Ponto Testaccio. It is located in the far southern portion of Trastevere, an area that I am currently exploring. Every day, I try to run in different parts of the city because I’ve found it is a great way to explore. So far I’ve run to the Circus Maximus, the Vatican at sunset, souther Trastevere, and the Janiculum Hill.

Terme De Nettuno (Ostio Antica Baths)

One of the coolest parts of the Ostia Antica ruins, were the baths. 2000 years ago the bathes were equipped with hot water, and an adequate drainage system. I thought it was very interesting how the area where the mosaics are located also was a type of gymnasium. The actual playing field for fighters was later than used for body hygiene after the duel. Beneath the mosaic flooring there is a huge crawl space that held fires that were used to heat the water. Slaves were forced to keep the fires going, in extremely harsh conditions. The work would have been extremely poor, and dirty. They actually worked in the canals where the water was drained after it was used. As you can see by the pictures, the baths aren’t much different than showers of today. It kind of resembles a locker room. It is remarkable that Ancient Rome had running hot water, when that wasn’t even a luxury in the mid 1800s. When you look at Ancient Rome in that light, it is mind boggling that they were able to do the things they did.

The Disney of Europe, Amsterdam

On the weekend of May 30th I visited Amsterdam in the Netherlands. I thought the city was absolutely beautiful. The style of the buildings always looked like something out of Disney World. The red light district was definitely an interesting sight, with hundreds of prostitutes behind windows lining the streets. It was almost as if they were in prison. I felt like I was committing a crime just being there, even though prostitution is legal in Amsterdam. The laws in Amsterdam are very lax, and you would think the city would be complete chaos. That really wasn’t the case, the people seemed very tame, and they were definitely the friendliest bunch I’ve met while traveling through Europe. I definitely want to visit the Netherlands again and get outside of the city. The Netherlands is known as the flower capital of the world, and the flower market was unlike any I’ve ever seen. Located along one of the many canals, the flower market was a burst of color in an already vibrant architectural city. My favorite aspect of Amsterdam was definitely the architecture. Almost all of the buildings had intricate brickwork with exaggerated rooftops that made them look like castles. Even though I was on there for a weekend, I could definitely see myself living in this city. The city had a homey feeling unlike Rome. Almost everyone spoke English, which gave me a much needed taste of the States. There was a wide array of food, and everything we tried was incredible. I really can’t think of anything negative to say about Amsterdam. I can’t wait to visit again someday!

A Day at the Mediterranean Sea

After visiting Ostio Antico, I decided to travel out to the Mediterranean Sea and lay on the beach. It was a convenient trip because Ostio Antico is located half way down the metro line to the closest beach from Rome. I was unsure of what I was going to encounter, I didn’t know if the beach would be clean, dirty, crowded or vacant. We arrived at the beach a mere 20 minutes after boarding the metro, not knowing where to go we hopped on a bus immediately after we got off. It was the best thing we could have done because the bus took us a mile down the road to a beach that was less crowded. I was very impressed with the condition of the beach. We paid seven euros to enter the beach, and rent chairs. I thought it was a bit pricey at first but after I saw the facilities I had no reason to complain. The bathrooms were extremely clean, and there was a convenient beachside café that served drinks, paninis, and pizza. The sand was darker than the sand back home, and the sun made it so hot that it was nearly unbearable to stand on. Luckily there were wooden plank pathways all through the sand that were much cooler on the bottoms of your feet. There weren’t any waves, but the water was relatively clean considering how close to Rome we were. I definitely plan to go back to the beach again before I leave, only next time I can’t forget sun block!

Massive Colosseum Crowds

The Roman Colosseum held in access of 55,000 spectators. Some scholars believe that number may be low, and in the hay day of colosseum spectacles, it had capacity crowds of over 80,000. The structure has 80 arched entrances which allowed the massive crowds to fill the colosseum fully from empty in around 10 minutes. (Eyewitness Travel) Each entrance has a Roman numerals located above the archway which helped spectators find their seats. The numbers can still be seen today. Entrance to the colosseum was free to the citizens of Rome, but seating was most definitely assigned according to class. The upper ring of the colosseum was for standing room section located for peasants, while the emperor sat on a large terrace called the podium. The fact that the colosseum could be filled and evacuated in ten minutes blows my mind. Beaver Stadium at Penn State, holds 110,000 people and if everyone stays until the end of the game, it takes at least 30 minutes to get out of the stadium. The ancient Romans built with an extreme precision, that is un parallel to the modern buildings of today. The colosseum is a testament to the brilliant architects of the ancient Roman empire who’s buildings still boggle historians to this date.

Arriving in Paris Tour De Eiffel

This afternoon I left for Paris. The airline we chose to fly on (RyanAir), only flies out of the Ciampino airport, so it was kind of a hassle getting there. We had to take a cab, and the side of the city the airport was located on was congested with traffic all afternoon. Of course, we got stuck right in the middle of it, and it took us over an hour to get to the airport. On top of that, I was unaware that once we got to Paris we’d be an hour away from the city, so what I thought would be about three hours of travel turned into five. Regardless, the plane was on time, it was easy getting a bus into the city, and we pulled into our hostel at around 11.00 PM.Our hostel was located near Pigalle place. After arriving we figured out very quickly that we were located in the sex district. The last five minutes of our ride to our hostel took us by countless strip bars, and sex shops. It was really a site to see. I knew right away that the area we were staying in was going to be interesting. The first tourist site we passed was the Moulin Rouge. Although, it was located in the heart of all the flashing sex signs, it was not hard to spot. The letters were written in bright red lighting, and on top of the building was a huge windmill that spun a full 360 degrees. Everyone on our bus immediately began snapping pictures, and before I knew it we were at our hostel, a mere block away. 

I realized rather quickly that we were not very close to the Eiffel Tower. Fortunately, the metro was still running, so we quickly figured out which stop we needed and we headed to the heart of the city. We didn’t get to the Eiffel Tower until about midnight. As we loomed closer, the tower kept getting larger and larger. The lighting on the tower is very bright, and it made it glow a golden hue. The tower didn’t even look real when you got up close to it.

I didn’t realize that there was a light show every night at the Eiffel Tower. Hundreds of flashing lights cover the tower from the base to the top. There are three shows per night starting on the hour at 11:00 PM – 1:00 AM. The first two shows happen when the tower is still lit, the last show however begins after the main lights are turned off. This was my favorite of them all, it was incredible looking up at the 986 foot tower in complete blackness with hundreds of white flashes. It was almost mesmerizing standing close to the tower peering all the way up to the top. I couldn’t get a good picture of the actual lighting effect. The light show is really something you have to see in person to understand what it’s like. Luckily, I’ll have it in my mind for years to come.

Advertisement in Paris

Located throughout the city were numerous posters with Barrack Obama's picture on it. The poster read, Comment Il Change L'Amerique. I thought this was really interesting considering the overall French opinion of the United States. The fact that they display billboards around the city that have our presidential candidates located on them really showed me what I world power we are. Everyone that I have spoken to abroad has a very good understanding of our next election. It seems that every foreigner has an opinion about who would be the best candidate to be our next president.  I've always known that America has had a huge influence on the world, and now that I am studying abroad I am seeing it first hand. 

Hadrian's Villa

In a small group of students including Toni Conti, Carley Bria, Cole Kitchen, and Courtney Marshall, along with the help of Mike Tumolo, we mapped out the route to get to Hadrian’s Villa.

Go to the Termini train station in Rome. Enter the upper part of the station and locate ticket machines. Search for the train to Tivoli. Once you get to Tivoli Station, locate local bus number 4 which you can take to Hadrian’s Villa. These directions can also be found in the Eyewitness Guide of Rome on page 269.

One of the most striking and best preserved parts of the Villa is the pool and an artificial grotto which were named Canopus Serapeum (the Emperor’s dining table). The Maritime Theater is a circular building within Ionic marble peristyle. This was a private retreat for the Emperor. A circular moat encloses an island where the theater is located. Finally, be sure to visit the Small and Great Thermae (baths) which are well preserved areas for public and private bathing. The small ones were used more privately for the emperors while the larger baths were used for visitors to the Villa. Check out this website for a number of virtual walk throughs of the Villa:

http://www.italyguides.it/us/roma/hadrian_s_villa/hadrian_s_villa.htm

The following are Sculptures of Hadrian and his lover Antinous. Hadrian is the older looking sculpture and Antinous is the other. There were many sculptures found on site of Antinous. I find the story of Antinous' death to be very interesting because I have yet to find out what exactly happened to him. "In October 130, according to Hadrian, "Antinous was drowned in Nilus." This is the only contemporaneous statement made — significantly by the one person in a position to "testify" at an inquaestio whose word was above reproach — and the sentence structure and meaning are very precise, whether translated from Latin or Greek. Speculation that Antinous drowned by accident, committed suicide or was "sacrificed" by Hadrian appeared later, and may have had a political agenda. It is not known whether his death was the result of accident, suicide, murder, or religious sacrifice. The speculation concerning suicide includes the possibility that Antinous sacrificed himself in an attempt to improve Hadrian's health. It seems very improbable that Hadrian would have consented to the death of his companion, given the depth of his grief following the loss, so if Antinous was murdered or committed suicide, Hadrian was taken by surprise." 

Images and quoted story courtesy of (www.Wikipedia.com)