2 Weeks Down

 One of our family dinners

 Roman Forum with Arch of Septimius Severus and Senate House

 Basilica of Maxentius

 Inside of Senate with Display of Chinese Soldiers

Well, having been in Rome for just over two weeks now things are starting to get a little bit easier...Riding the tram has turned out to be very efficient, even if it's packed.  The bus stop directly in front of our building also helps alot.  Yesterday I went into the Roman Forum and the Colosseum.  Pretty cool.  We also went into the Capitoline Museum which had many complete statues from antiquity.  In a week and a half we go on a fieldtrip to Naples and Pompeii.

 Roma W/ Castel Sant' Angelo

 Spot where Peter was crucified

 St. Peters

 Pyramide built Marc Anthony and Cleopatra era; supposedly 4th tallest in world

Ostiensa

 Temple of Hercules

 Mouth of Truth--my hand survived

 Skull of St. Valentine--the February 14th guy

 History Class

Roman!

Night Walk

 Timpietto

 St. Peters w/ nativity seen

 Castel Sant' Angelo

Night in Rome

Last night me and a couple of my roommates took to the town to see what was there.  It was pretty cool as we made our way through the trastevere up towards the Vatican. 

We discovered the Timpietto, a monument to St. Peter which is said to be on the spot where he was crucified upside down.  After that we made our way up to St. Peter's in Vatican City.  It was big.  Unfortunately we couldn't walk in to the piazza because it was too late. 

We also went to Castel Sant' Angelo and walked around it.  It started to rain a little bit and we were the only ones there.  It was a very cool experience.  It took about an hour to walk back home and we had early class but it was worth it.

1st Look at Rome

 1) Island in the middle of the Tiber, on the way to studio

 2) Fountain outside of our studio in the piazza delle cincque scole

 3) synagogue close to studio with Theater of Marcellus Ruins on the left

 4) Altar in Santa Maria in Portico

 5) Baroque Facade with layering of columns

 6) Roman Forum with Colloseum in background

 7) St. Peter's in the distance, 448' tall dome

8) Castel Sant'Angelo and bridge

Photos of the apartment

View from my room:

Happy Campers:    

Mike Cooking:     

Restroom options: 

Arrivederci

I made in one piece following my trips through Des Moines, Chicago, London, and now Rome.  Last night I had some Italian Pizza and stayed at a hostel.  I met up there with Brent from Iowa State and we shared a cab to the housing office this morning.

From there I walked to my apartment, which looks like it should be in House Hunters International.  I am now waiting for the rest of my roomies to show up today so I can figure out which room I'm sleeping in.  But as for now I'm probably going to pick the best one and take a nap in it.