Today was our first day in Roma! We are staying on Via Ippolito Nievo, a street in the Trastevere neighborhood in Rome. We are in an apartment that houses international students; we are all sharing rooms and have no working air conditioner, but that doesn't matter to me really. I'm here to see stuff, not stay in this apartment the whole trip. The neighborhood is where a lot Italians live; there is a coffee shop down the street where a lot of the residents in this area get their caffe latte's and brioche for breakfast. I noticed no one sits to drink their coffee; they drink at the bar, eat their croissant, and then hit the street. There aren't any touristy type shops and we are a little farther away from the more historic parts of Rome. I like to think it's a good way to be immersed in the culture a little better than if I was staying in a hotel next the Spanish Steps.
Today we went to the Food and Agriculture Organization; this is a branch of the United Nations that basically seeks to resolve world-wide agricultural issues, world hunger, and other issues related to food sources and distribution. The building is massive, and the roof overlooks all of Rome. It was a little crazy trying to catch the tram and buses to get there, but overall it was really interesting.
Later we had a tour of the Coliseum and the Roman Forum with a professor; I would venture to say he was just as nice to look at as the beautiful buildings that surrounded us. The Coliseum was not as big as I expected; however you couldn't help but feel amazed that something so old had survived the test of time. Having the tour was interesting because we learned a lot of information that helped tie in a lot of historical perspective to this structure. The Forum was also interesting, you could see the layers of the city that had been built over it and that had to be excavated away to uncover everything. There is also a temple/house where the marble columns had been scored from people tying steel cables around them and trying to pull it down so they could build something else, without realizing what really was underneath.
Later we ate at an underground ristoraunte where I had pasta and then had gelato. I chose chocolate. It was the best choice I made all day.
The double doors in my room that lead to a balcony
The Tiber River
View from the FAO Building
The clock in the piazza where Accent University is located; this clock
was built to signify the importance of this piazza because historically,
this was a street that was used frequently to get to St. Peters and the Pope's residence.
On top of the FAO building
The Coliseum
Turquoise door at the Forum
Dinner!
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