Yesterday's long walk

Yesterday was (almost) definitely my favorite day here in Rome so far. The schedule said it would be a "loooooong walk day," but it definitely didn't feel like much of a trek at all. We started the day walking through the Jewish ghetto, a little section of Rome with its own distinctive feeling and smell. On the other side sits the Teatro Marcello, an old theater that has been converted into molto ritzy apartments. The stage area has also apparently been turned into a courtyard-type setup. Lisa told us that only ambassadors and those sorts of important people live there. Our next stop was a little church called San Nicola in carcere (which means "in prison" - if I remember correctly, it was called this because of the role of the church in converting nearby convicts, although someone joked that it meant "Santa Clause in chains"). As soon as I walked through the door, I was overcome with the scent of candles and aging paper. It reminded me very strongly of going to mass in California when I was younger, and I immediately thought of my Nana. I wish so much that she could come to this city and see some of the things I have seen here. As we milled through the small church, a woman approached Lisa and offered us a tour of the basement, where you can see the remains of the three ancient pagan temples that make up the foundation of S. Nicola in carcere. It was like an art history playground down there - the entire basement was a winding pathway lined with tombs, columns or relics cemented into the walls. After the church, our "groupo," as we like to call ourselves, went to Bocca della Verita, the statue most famously known for its role in the movie "Roman Holiday." According to legend, you're supposed to stick your hand in the mouth of the statue and answer a question; if you tell the truth, you emerge without a scratch, but if you lie, your hand is swiftly chopped off. I'll leave it to you guys to ponder whether or not I type one-handed now :). The best part of the whole day came next after a little hike up Aventino Hill to the Garden of Oranges, where I was again hit with the smell of Riverside (which, although it was wonderful, still wasn't the best part). At the edge of the garden is one of the most phenomenal sights I have ever seen - a sprawling view of the western half of the city, including Trastevere, the Tiber, St. Peter's, and Capitoline Hill. It honestly took my breath away. I really wish my family and friends could have been there to see it too and I can't wait until my Dad comes to visit in a couple weeks. Next, Lisa brought us to a spot on Aventino Hill where she had a little surprise in store for us. One by one, we peered through this keyhole that revealed a pathway along a line of ivy covered walls. The circular opening at the end of the pathway perfectly framed St. Peter's in the distance. I stole this picture from Veneta who did the Daily Diary for Long Walk Day (which you guys can read every day on the main blog page at http:// honorsinrome2007winter.blogspot.com!).



You can't see St. Peter's in the picture because of the glare, but you can imagine what a great surprise it was. We ended the day at the Testaccio market, a covered marketplace that reminded me a little of Granville Market in Vancouver, BC. At Testaccio, there are various vendors who sell fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, pastries, etc. This place had some of the best donut holes I've ever tasted, hands down.

It's hard for me to explain how I felt on Long Walk Day. Every phrase I try comes out sounding trite or cliche. All I can really say is that I love being here and I'm trying to find any way I can to share it with everyone I love back home.



[Side note: for anyone who hasn't seen it already, I have a link to my creative writing assignments on my blog. So far there's only two creative writing pieces I've done, and I feel kinda silly about them, but they might be kinda fun for anyone who wants to read.]