Kelsey's last day in Roma with us

April 10th - Kelsey's last day

I got up at the actual 8am.  We got ready, ate breakfast and then headed out for the day.  Our first stop of the day was our trek walking by the Roman Forum.  We did not venture in, as it costs money to do so, someday I hope to go in though, it would have been neat to see all those things up close.  We stopped by a church and stepped inside.  Morgan said there were some stairs you could walk up to get a good view, but the stairs were closed.  We walked through the courtyard and around the inside of the church, then headed back out to go to the Colosseum.  Again, we didn't step inside.  So no money spent there today.  I think Morgan will take me back Sunday so I can venture around it.  We got some pictures around the outside and then headed down by the Imperial Forum.  The Imperial forum did not have as many things as the Roman forum, but still pretty neat to see.  We saw Trajan's Column, which was right at the end of the Forum.  I really enjoyed seeing the column in person, as I have seen the cast of it in the Victoria and Albert Museum. 
While we were walking down to the Colosseum I really wished that it was still all intact, like the way it looked in Gladiator, even with Russel Crowe in his gladiator costume.  Rome would have been heaven.  Of course throughout the years not everything can stay intact, and I did survive.  Seeing the Colosseum was very neat though.  I hope to make it inside some day.
Our next stop after viewing Tajan's Column was the Trevi Fountain.  As it was during the day, it was quite crowded yet again.  Still very amazing to see.  Kelsey and I both threw in coins as Morgan took our picture, not a very good picture but well worth it.  We then headed to Piazza Navona, where part of Angels and Demons was filmed.  What part was filmed there?  I do not remember one bit.  The Piazza has three fountains, the middle fountain was surrounded though so we could not get a good view of it, oh well.  We then headed to a small food market called Campodi Fiori.  Kelsey got her much needed strawberry's, she had wanted since Greece, and Morgan and I shared a fruit cup full of pineapple, strawberry's and grapes.  It was quite delicious and a very good snack before our lunch.  After we finished our treats we headed to the Pantheon.  This is another church type place, it was beautiful inside.  The ceiling is a dome and at the very top is a big hole, it may be open, we weren't sure.  When the sun is shining though it casts a beautiful light on the wall, depending on where the light is coming from that is.  Raphael is also buried here so we got some pictures of his tomb. 
After we were done wandering around the inside of the Pantheon we headed back to the grocery store near Morgan's apartment.  We bought some food for a picnic lunch.  Morgan and I got bread and meat, as well as chips, and Kelsey got bread, cheese and Pringles.  We headed back to Morgan's apartment to fix our meals and then we headed to Tiber Island.  Tiber Island is where a hospital is located and many Italians come there during the day to enjoy the weather, when it is nice.  As it was a beautiful day, we decided to head there.  We enjoyed our very nice lunch and just laid in the sun for a while.  After some time we were ready to leave.  Before we headed back to the apartment Morgan took us to the Jewish Ghetto, which she said does not have very many Jews anymore, as they have raised the prices of living there.  We then headed to the apartment where I picked up my camera I had left and also got ready to go out again. 
When we were rested up after a delicious picnic we headed to the church, San Giovanni Laterano, where martin Luther had his epiphany.  He had it on a set of steps that he has only stood on.  To get up the flight of stairs we are to walk up on your knees and say a prayer on each step.  We didn't go up those stairs, but instead a set up side steps we could stand on.  It would have been cool to have gone up the other stairs, but it was quite crowded, and I am not sure I could have said a prayer for each step.  I would have had to of prayed for people individually.  After that we headed to a church across the street, I don't know the name, but it was magnificent.  The inside was huge and so beautiful.  I don't think I got any pictures, but it was brilliant.  When we started to head back, we had to wait a while for a bus so I bought some postcards and Kelsey got some gelato.  When a bus finally came we got on and then hopped off and walked down Villa del Corso, which is Rome's big shopping street.  At the end of the street is Piazza del Popolo.  It is a very large piazza with, of course, a fountain in the middle.  We then took a little hike up to Villa Borgese, where we had another amazing view of Rome, and the sunset; I do love sunsets.  We sat a while at the top and then headed further into the park where we sat by a fountain for a while.  Just taking in the air of Rome and enjoying Kelsey's last night with us. 
After sitting in the park and talking for a while we decided to head back to Morgan's.  On our way we grabbed some gelato, a little before supper snack and then once at Morgan's apartment we had supper.  She had bought a frozen noodle dish, which is kind of like macaroni and cheese.  It wasn't too bad.  After dinner we headed our separate ways.  Kelsey headed to bed as she had to get up early to catch her plane.  Morgan and I were on computers for a bit and then I headed to bed as well. 
It was a good last day with Kelsey.  I am really glad I got to spend the week with someone I knew and someone who also appreciates traveling and seeing new things.  I wish Kelsey a great rest of the semester and safe travels with her family in July!  Jealous she gets to do/see so much, but that is ok. 
Cheers