"Must-Do" Madness

There are a million and one hard things about accepting that Rome isn't home forever: ditching the cobblestone paths and gorgeous panoramic views for America's classic concrete pavement, not being able to board a three-hour train to any of a dozen thousand-year old cities with exceptional carbohydrate offerings, and leaving my apartment-mates and "Mama Sus" who have become like family, to name just a few.  Sara and I try to avoid thinking about leaving too much lest we tear up, but it is true that the time has come for us to get in our list of "must-dos" on our expansive mental to-do lists.  We started the trip with 1,000,001 and, as it is crunch time and we have taken a few lazy days here and there, we have to prioritize the most crucial and let the useless novelties and the extraneous museums and tourist sites fall by the wayside.  Luckily, we were able to check some important priorities off the list as you'll read on to see.

Scaling St. Peter's and Viewing Vatican City

I have something to confess.  I may or may not have spent two months in Rome without going inside the Vatican.  I know, it's pretty terrible.  Still, I knew I would not leave the city without traversing the papal city (actually, its own state) quite thoroughly.  So that was at the top of the agenda for this week.  Sara and I browsed St. Peter's on Monday and then scaled the dome to the very top where you can overlook the historic city--obelisks, Tiber, Castel Sant'Angelo and all.  When our luggage tag was snatched away by the wind atop the dome, we panicked a bit.  The guys at the baggage desk were just about to rip us off by charging us thirty euros for the plastic tag and I had my hand in wallet ready to pay, but Sara knew better and argued us out of that issue!

Luckily, Wednesday's field study for Rome as a Living Museum, consisted of a trip to the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel.  Apparently, the museums garner around 15,000 visitors a day, more than the Roman Forum and the Colosseum combined!  Props to the Pope for knowing how to turn a dime (or should I say centesimo?).  The Belvedere garden is one of the coolest features of the Vatican with incredibly famous statues like the Apollo del Belvedere, which was unearthed from Nero's Domus Aurea in the 1500s.  The gallery of maps was also a personal favorite with enough gold detailing on the ceilings to satisfy every cast member of Real Housewives for life.  The Sistine Chapel contains some of the most beautiful and intricate painted scenes, but I have to say it wasn't exactly what I was expecting.  Aside from the painting, there is little ornamentation in the sacred space where popes come to be inaugurated.  Still, it was awesome to see one of the world's most famous wonders!

Inside St. Peter's

Sara and I at the top of St. Peter's

At the top of the list for most breathtaking views
of Rome!

The Laocoon in the Belvedere Courtyard

The pinecone courtyard in the Vatican Museums

The gallery of maps

Vino Della Casa...Alla Scuola?

House wine...at school?  This can't be real life.  But it is.  And it's deliciously crisp and fruity, with a tinge of a citrus aroma.  (Okay, maybe I'm not quite at sommelier status yet, but you've got to give a girl props for trying).  This past Wednesday, IES hosted a white wine tasting after class: 4 glasses, a cheese plate, crackers, some pizza slices...pretty much all a girl can ask for after a long day of class! Sasha, a woman with a master's degree in "food culture" (what I need to pursue post-college...) and Matteo, a sommelier who spoke not a word of English, gave us the 4-1-1 on wine production, variety and tasting of course!  We judged color, aroma, alcohol content, flavor and the correct food pairings for each glass.  I have to admit, I don't really know the difference between "straw yellow" and "amber" or what that indicates perse, but the wine was sweet, the company was sweeter and it was a nice way to kick back and relax after running from field study to field study. And now I may have a thing or two to contribute to conversation with any wine-os i encounter in my future.

Preparing for our vino!

Swirling the wine to see its "legs"

Olive Oil from Sabina's Soil

Friday, I took a little daytrip to the Sabina region of Italy where the finest extra-virgin olive oil is produced!  We were first led on a tour of the olive groves, where we raked our own olives off of the trees, then gathered them to be harvested.  We learned that the olives used to produce olive oil are different from the ones we typically eat before a meal.  I actually found this out the hard way when I sampled one of the former variety: so bitter!  We then proceeded to visit the efficient little factory where the olives are ground up, the water is separated from the oil, and the oil is packaged in large airtight vaults to ensure maximum freshness before being shipped away.  Still, the best part of the trip had to be the lunch at the owner's villa/bed and breakfast: warm bruschetta coated in the delightful olive oil, freshly grilled eggplant, peppers and zucchini, farfalle al dente coated in creamy tomato sauce, chicken cacciatore and homemade tiramisu for dessert.  No complaints, but when have I ever complained about food here.  I've decided I either need to take over Tom Sietsema's position as the Washington Post food critic or become the female version of Rick Steves.  I was glad to have this opportunity to educate myself about one of Italy's most important culinary offerings and enjoy a place so different from Rome, yet just 30 minutes away.

Villa at Sabina

So gorgeous and sunny!

Hard at work raking those olives!

Not a bad hilltop view!

Pranzo...fantastico!

The eventful week was not a bad way to chip away at my master to-do list.  Unfortunately, the hustle and bustle must have taken a toll on me as I haven't been feeling great this weekend.  But, thinking positive, it has been a good excuse to drink excessive amounts of chamomile tea or have Megan prepare it for me with extra honey (Thanks Megs!), catch up on sleep and a few readings here and there, and listen to Sara Bareilles on repeat (my feeble attempts to sing along next to my a cappella star roommate are a little embarassing, but it's always fun to give it a shot).

Hope to update you all soon!

Ciao,

Alexi