Day Four: Rome

The Rome updates will be belated as I didn’t have time or consistent WiFi to make them on that half of the trip, but I still want to make them for posterity.

Our first day in Rome was pretty exhausting, partly because at 3am with a ride to the airport, which was in disarray after IT systems issues. We made it through in time for the flight but everything seemed a mess. Almost everyone slept in this flight, though the sleeping may not have been comfortable. We landed in Rome around 10am and hit the ground speed-walking. Luckily we got to stop soon for lunch and a little shopping at Campo di Fiori market. I can’t speak for every dish but our fried pizza was delicious.

Then we walked the cobblestones, pausing in some squares and at a church featuring a Caravaggio painting where outside we met our exchange friend Benedetta! We’d been planning this meet up for months. She came with us, stopping at the Pantheon, where those who wanted to were able to get tickets to go in, and a few rushed over to see the cat sanctuary near some Roman ruins and caught a quick hug with another exchange friend, Athina! Then we trekked to the very crowded Trevi Fountain, Benny headed off with her friend, and we walked to the Spanish Steps with a fun supermarket stop on the way. At several points we filled up using the many free and drinkable fountains around Rome. We ended the night with a drive to our rustic Villa to go to bed!