Summer Vacation Part C

June 11: Travel and Beach Day

We checked out of our hotel in Rome and began our drive to the east side of the country. It was about a four-hour bus ride and we actually went pretty far North. We arrived in Rimini, which is a sweet beach town.

We were assigned to specific section on the beach and they had awesome chairs! Naturally, we basked in the sun and got our tan on. There were many people that came around trying to sell us bracelets and little things like that. But there were also ladies coming around wanting to give you a “massaggie” or a massage. My dad sounded interested and the lady would not leave him alone and even hit him and told him to get it now! It was hilarious! So we went and got some lunch and when we came back she was right there ready!

Lyndon played volleyball with some of the other girls, my mom went on a run, and I was probably the most productive and slept the entire time! Overall, a very successful day at the beach and we were off to the city/state of San Marino.

June 12: San Marino

This city is like the Vatican City, in that they are their own country inside of Italy. We drove to the top of the mountain to where the center of the city is located and we were given another tour.  From our hotel it was nice and warm, but as soon as we got there it was freezing cold and windy! But it was beautiful!

There are 3 towers on the mountain and we were able to go inside the second one! They made it a museum of old army tools and then you could also explore around the tower!

This was also our first game day! We rode to the field where we played the San Marino Hornets. I played for team “stripes.” We were able to watch the other American team play first. I played second base and I cannot even explain how excited I was! Its my favorite position and I haven’t been there in two years!! We ended up losing 2-0. But I had an awesome hit, but it went straight to the left-fielder. And also had some great plays in the field.

 During the game, my parents chatted with the coach from the other team and learned that in the Italian league they are allowed to have 30% of their players from America. And they sure did. They had several division 1 players – one led the nation in home runs this last year, one was a pitcher, another a catcher, and a star shortstop. So I thought we played pretty well for never playing together and all from lower divisions!

June 13: Bus Ride to Parma, Bologna Game

After breakfast we loaded up the bus and took a 3 hour bus ride to Bologna.

We checked into our hotel, ate, and then got back on the bus for another hour drive to our game against the Bologna Blue Girls. 

Our team played first, and we won 6-5. I had one single and was also walked once, and had no errors, again at second base. The Bologna team had one girl from Venezuela who was an awesome player.

Hit a single :)

Summer Vacation Part B

June 9: Rome
We left Venice to meet up with the AIST group. It was impossible to miss 40 girls traveling together all in blue shirts, so we found them quite easily. After everyone got their luggage and some euros we made our way to Vatican City. It is its own independent state in Italy and is where the Pope lives. We had a tour guide and she took us through part of the Vatican museum. It is so impressive and I swear it never ends! You could just peak into a room and it would be filled with hundreds of statues!

This tour continued onto the Sistine Chapel. This is where Michelangelo painted the ceiling and the last judgement scene. You aren't supposed to take pictures, but my sneaky husband was able to snap a few shots without being yelled at.

This shows the final judgement on the right side

We then walked through St. Peters. This is the largest Christian church on the earth right now and words can not even explain the size and how phenomenal it is! Everything is made of marble or gold and it is gorgeous! Michelangelo sculpted the Pieta (Mary holding Christ) and that is stored here. 

Those baby angels are bigger in size than me! Just to give you an idea 

The Pieta

 Outside their are the Swiss guards and we were able to find the statue where the wind blows west (this is on Angels and Demons).

 We were then dropped of at Piazza del Popolo (People's Square). This is what traveler's to Rome would first see and it was often a place for executions.

 We then walked to the Spanish Steps, and enjoyed people watching! We were waiting for someone to fall into the fountain, one person got pretty close and it looked painful!

We then walked back to the bus, and drove to our hotel. We checked in, ate dinner, and called it a night!

June 10: Rome
We drove into Rome and picked up another tour guide. This is the Circus Maximus and is where they would hold chariot races fitting over 150,000 spectators.

Next stop = Colosseum. This was finished in 80 AD and could fit 50,000 people. We weren't able to go inside but we learned a lot. It was used for all sorts of entertainment. We learned that their used to be a silk covering over the top. Spectators were given tickets and their are appropriate gates where they would have to enter to find their seats. It is held together with iron rods and when the middle ages came and they needed more iron they just took it from here, or when they were building part of St. Peters they just took some of the marble.

This is why Rome is known as the eternal city. There are parts of each building that are thousands of years old! They just took what they needed at that time. Some pictures of the different levels of Rome.

The Arch of Constantine. This is still in contact because Constantine is the one who declared that all of Rome be Christians.

We walked to the Pantheon which was a temple to all the gods. But when Christianity was declared, those were taken out and replaced by saints. This is famous for its dome. It makes the building a perfect circle and it is made out of marble! It is all original and was preserved because it was used as a church. There is an oculus (or hole) in the middle of the ceiling which allows rain and other weather to enter the church, but don't worry the Romans are smart and figured out a drainage system 2000 years ago for that! The tombs of Raphael and Queen Margherita are buried here. Referenced on the movie Angels and Demons.

We walked to the Piazza Navona and say the fountain of Four Rivers (the major rivers on every continent at that time). This is also on Angels and Demons.

We ate lunch in the square and then had some free time to explore the city. We found our way to the Trevi Fountain! Its legend if you toss a coin into the fountain you are ensured to return to Rome, so of course we did that!! But this fountain is incredible and so big! There are details on every inch!

We continued walking and found many obelisks, churches, and a park where we all took a little nap and people watched!

Then it was time to return back to the bus and hotel to eat some dinner and watch the Euro cup! Our last night in Rome! What an incredible city!