September 6, 2024
Day 5: Portals and Entrances
September 3, 2024
Panna Cotta: Vasudha, Cate, Skylar
Cate: As is turning out to be typical here, our morning started with an unreliable bus ride: the 87 route, while on time, stopped randomly halfway through its projected course and the driver popped out for a cigarette break! With that, we walked the remaining 15 minutes to meet the class at the University of Washington Rome Center, stopping for the now requisite cappuccinos. Rome reminds me a bit of the original folk tales: often unreliable, clever, but undeniably tied together by a fabric of strong values and community.
Our itinerary: touring the Capitoline Museum on top of Capitoline Hill. This government museum was founded in 1471 and designed by Michelangelo. It houses many ancient Roman busts and artwork and some Renaissance pieces. Most notably, the museum also contains some statues you likely recognize: that of Marco Aurelius, the bronze she-wolf, and Constantine. I thought it was especially fascinating to get meta about the museum, and consider that we were interpreting works that were in turn interpretations of history, other (older) art pieces, verbal tales, or similar. There aren’t entrances or exits to history; places like Rome truly make it feel continuous.
After a quick pop-in visit to the neighboring church, which houses an ornate depiction of Baby Jesus to which many send letters and wishes, we were surprised (to say the least) by the sky suddenly opening up and pouring! The air became cool, dark clouds rolled behind our hilltop view of the city, and things quieted suddenly. Then it rained. The streets completely emptied (with the exception of street vendors who appeared to magically pull umbrellas and ponchos out of thin air), and we speed-walked in the deluge. The city smelled and felt fresh; the whole experience felt like being the only one in a suddenly paused world.
I broke off from the group to grab a much-needed salad for lunch — there’s only so much time you can eat pasta –, and ended up taking respite in the UWRC to eat. My lunchtime companions were employees of the Swiss School of Business, which has a permanent Rome branch in the same offices as UW. They were from all over (Seattle, Colombia, France, etc.), and I enjoyed hearing about their respective entrances to the world of Rome. Study abroad is a set period of time: you may feel as though you must see and do it all before your exit. I’m inclined to think that it’s the slower moments, like taking a leisurely lunch break with strangers, that can tell you more about a culture.
In that same vein, our tired crew spent the remainder of the afternoon in the dorms relaxing, doing yoga, making (delish) pasta, and processing Rome. We’re feeling rejuvenated and ready for more adventures tomorrow. Until soon!
Sky: I could not contain my excitement when I read that today’s theme was “Portals and Entrances”. What a perfect topic for the city of Rome!
When exploring the rich culture of Roman architecture, I found that some of the most remarkable features were their intricate and meaningful entryways. Churches seem to hold some of the most detailed of all! From beautiful staircases to monumental statues, the city of Rome will allure you into their vast churches and leave you astounded.
As we approached the Capitoline museum today, I was awed by the enchanting statues marking the entrance of one of Rome’s beautiful churches. These entrances have taught me to always be adventurous and see where it could take you. It took me to one of my favorite points on the trip!
What I didn’t expect to come from this trip however, was the lesson “not to judge a book by its cover.” Before today’s exploration of the Basilica of Santa Maria in Aracoeli, I remember remarking on the monotonous exterior of this building a couple of days prior. It is simply a brick building with a simple cross above the entryway, and it also just so happens to be next to one of the most beautiful buildings I think I have seen yet. I would not have chosen to enter that building if it weren’t for the group trip. But man, am I happy I did! The interior held the most marvelous design I have seen in my entire life. Detailed statues, astonishing paintings, gold ornaments, and rich history. There were no words to describe the beauty found in this room. Guess you will have to just go yourself! Overall, today taught me to follow your curiosity, and never judge a book by its cover!
Vasudha: Today, I started my day by getting a coffee from the store I’ve been visiting for the past couple days. Usually, I give the worker my order, a caffe latte. I learned to add the cafe on after I got a cup of warm milk my first day. Today, however, the worker just nodded at me, and sent me to the register. He remembered my order!
After my coffee, I took the bus to the Rome center, and we all headed to the Capitoline museum. I felt like the museum really connected to today’s theme of portals and entrances. Museums all have open entrances to every room, making every artwork feel connected to each other and the museum itself.
After the museum, we got stuck in a rainstorm! We decided to still walk, despite the thunder and lightning. We were all soaked by the time we reached the Trevi Fountain, but the rain was really refreshing, and gave us all a preview of our future in Seattle!
The evening was spent relaxing in the dorm, resting and getting ready for a full day of fun on our free day tomorrow!
