Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Rome-ing Around



View from a window at the Vatican Museum. The weather was gorgeous today!
We found a church to ROME around in while we were waiting for the Pope to leave so we could go places. They had drawings from cute little Italian kids in the back!

What most of the streets look like in Rome.


St. Peter's Basilica where we saw the POPE!

I don't remember what this is. More pictures later.


Boy has it been a long day. I had a wonderful night's sleep, and a great breakfast (although America definitely uses a lot more sugar in everything than everywhere else, I've found). My group took the metro to Vatican City to see the Vatican Museum, where the Sistine Chapel is, and St. Peter's Basilica. We had trouble with the tickets at the metro station, and one of the machines broke, so there was so much buildup with 30 tourists. All the locals got so fed up with us. That is one thing I keep noticing: the Italian people seem to have no patience for tourists, because they deal with them all the time. I'm sure that's how I'd be if I lived in a high-traffic tourist spot. I don't blame them, but it doesn't feel good to be talked down to all the time.


We had a surprise today at St. Peter's square. It was the 80th anniversary of the something something, so the Pope came out to talk! There was a huge crowd there waiting for him, and it reminded me of General Conference. Except he rode around in that ridiculous little truck waving for like ten minutes. And then when he got up to speak he sang first. It is all so foreign to me. Um...yeah. In Europe there are so many languages spoken, that everything official is read in like ten different languages. Crazy! The statues on top of the square are all so beautiful. I really appreciate all the architecture in Rome, but the cathedrals, no matter how beautiful, don't really evoke any spiritual reverence from me. I can appreciate them as art, but strangely long for a simple church like the ones in the LDS church. The simplicity leaves room for pondering, I think. I never thought I would say I miss our plain churches, but in some ways, I do. 


We were talking about how we didn't really like the pizzeria we went to last night. My roommate Amber has a theory that it was run by the Mafia. She thinks so because our concierge referred us to them, and they seemed like a "tourist trap." I don't really believe her, but it's fun to entertain the thought, especially when it's actually feasible. 


We had time to walk around Rome today for a long time. Everywhere we went I wanted to take a picture. We saw a garden courtyard in one building we walked past, with a cool spiral staircase next to it. Naturally, we wanted to go in and take more pictures. This dude in some sort of foreign military uniform was in there, and didn't say a word to us. And then his friend came in in another uniform, and yelled at us to get out. I can now check getting kicked out of the Brazilian Embassy off my bucket list. 


I had a feeling I wouldn't like the food here, and I was right. It seems like all there is to eat in Rome is panini, pizza, and gelatto, or food from a really expensive sit-down restaurant. Well, I finally found a place near the Spanish Steps that sells amazing lasagna. I always split a meal, just so things are cheaper. I find myself hungry most of the day because we walk, but it's helping with the budget and hopefully my waistline. At the lasagna place, our waiter took 10 of us downstairs into a secluded room. He flipped around the channels on the TV and turned on MTV for us. It cracked me up! We're here to get a feel of the Italian culture, and there are so many American influences everywhere. 


Jeannette, you were right about the cargo pants that turn into capris. They ARE so European. Some dude thought I was French today! Other than that, everyone knows for a fact that we're American.


I bought postcards for everyone today, and POPE stamps at the Vatican Museum. I didn't even realize it, but they're pretty legit. Expect letters and postcards soon, but first, I NEED EVERYONE'S ADDRESS! (Including both grandparents, mom and dad.) Please comment back with your address so I can send you something cool.


I found out by reading the fine print in my phone manual that my phone doesn't work outside of the US and Canada. I'm pretty pissed off at myself that I didn't ask the cashier at WalMart, but I have a feeling that he wouldn't have know and lied to me anyway, so I guess either way I would have been screwed. I'm thinking about either buying a phone card or just waiting until we can get better internet. The hotel here in Rome only has one computer ( for like 100 guests), and the WiFi is out. We're all getting impatient to talk to our loved ones, especially met! I want to hear your voices! Just know that I am having a great time and will try to call soon. Also, once I can get internet on my computer for a long period of time, I will post pictures. I have taken a ton already. 


Love, Kellie

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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

dear kellie,
my address is as follows:
Wisteria Marie Bowman
1434 S Almar
Mesa, AZ 85204
i miss you so much. before i even saw your comment on the WIZZ plane, i was laughing.
i'm home! it's hot, and i am loving it. i made about 10 comments about the roads on the way back from the airport. it was a 20 minute ride... that equals to a comment every 2 minutes, for those who don't know math.
i can't wait to hear your f-in voice again! i miss it... more than i miss you... schenecdoche! i should know how to spell that, seeing as i am an english major... but i don't. this comment is veering off any conceivable path. so... the end
love,
wistie

Naazju said...

Hey, random question for you:

My dad collects stamps. Would there be any possible way to steal one of those awesome Italian stamps from you once you came back? And we could figure out how much I owe you for it? :D <-- Begging face!

Kellie said...

Natalia, sure!

Wistie, way to make 20 irrelevent comments. Good job on life. also iàm really lgad you appreciated the wizz. no one else did. also as well i miss your voice. no one is replacing you yet, p.s.

Jeannette said...

I TOLD YOU! I TOLD YOU! I TOLD YOU! BOOYA.

I don't know why that makes me so happy, but it does.

I'm so glad you're having a great time :) I'm so sad that your phone isn't as international as you thought.

I'm way glad to give you my address:

129 VIKING DR. APT 210
REXBURG, ID 83440

I'm not so glad you've only been gone a week.

I'm glad to say that I went offroading/mudding today and it was legit.

I'm not glad I can't tell you all the dirty details via my voice to your ear.

I's. loves. yous.

Lady-J

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