Venimus, Vidimus, Vicimus!

The last day in Rome was one to take in slowly, explore some back streets and shop. Hopping on bus #64 from the Termini Station, we rode through the streets with the Romans on their way to work. At our stop we poured out of the bus with the mad rush and began our day. Along the way we visited the Pantheon, home of a Catholic Church but once a mighty temple dedicated to the Roman gods. It features a large dome and oculus to let in the sunlight. The weather finally warmed up and allowed us to soak in some sun, eat a gelato and people watch. Walking the streets to the Column of Trajan, we wanted to take in as much as possible on our last day without rushing too much and missing the rhythm of the city.
Finally, we walked one last time past the Colosseum and rode back to the hotel in order to freshen up before dinner on the town.
Wake up call at 4:00am and our flight out at 7:30am from Rome. Enjoy the last pictures of the trip!

Note to parents: If all things proceed smoothly, we will be landing in Boston sometime around 1:25 pm on Saturday. Given the bus schedule out of Concord Trailways in Portland, we will not be in Bangor until 10:30 pm. If you wish to pick up your kids in Portland you may. Our kids will be calling you when we are in Boston to let you know our status.

Sistine Chapel and the Vatican.

The picture you see above was taken at the Piazza Navarro, a place with fountains, cafe's and usually tourists. However, the weather has been colder and windier than normal and they must have been scared off. Not our tough Mainers though! We had dinner at a restaurant that the kids picked and enjoyed some excellent ice creme, if you can believe it.
The long day ended with the Nokomis students saying goodbye to one of our fellow traveling schools and the friends they made.
Below I have included some pictures from the pizza making of last night.

This morning began with a bus ride into the country of the Vatican. Within Rome lies the Vatican, a principality with Pope Benedict XVI as it's leader. Traveling through the art found throughout the halls of the Vatican, we made our way to a very crowded Sistine Chapel and spent time looking at the beautiful frescoes made by Michelangelo. After which we ventured into St. Peter's Basilica.
Following this, your intrepid chaperones indulged the kids with some time shopping. Some new leather jackets, scarves, and outfits later we walked our way back to the hotel for dinner.
Tomorrow, out last day in Rome, we visit the Pantheon and Trajan's Column and probably do some more shopping along the way. Enjoy the pictures below of our day today.

              

Viva Roma!

Gladiators, Ancient Roman politics, pizza making, the Trevi Fountain and late night cab rides were all part of the first full day in Rome. The morning began with a short bus ride to the Flavian Amphitheater (otherwise known as the Colosseum). Walking around the 2,000 year old building and being in the same spot where millions cheered the death of hundreds of thousands showed the students both the depravity of the Roman Empire and its architectural grandeur. Moving through the forum, where Roman politicians such as Caesar, Cicero, and Emperors like Nero and Constantine spoke gave students an idea of the reality of place they had only read about.

After lunch at the City Hall of Rome overlooking the forum and parts of the city, we traveled to the Palatine Hill, with its gardens and former homes of the wealthy of the city. There we wandered among the pines, green grass and rose bushes to visit the Arch of Titus which celebrates the Roman sack of Jerusalem after the Jewish Revolt in 68AD.

Ok, maybe these scenes are not historically accurate, but who can resist pictures with Legionaries who in the seconds before the pictures you see were busy smoking cigarettes and annoying the crowds. It all makes for good fun and good stories.

After returning to the hotel for a brief break, we proceeded to a local resturant to make our own pizzas and enjoy some tiramisu. Then onto a night ride through Rome and to visit the Trevi Fountain and

the Spanish Steps. We threw our coins into the fountain and wished to return to Rome, walked through

the cold streets to the Spanish Steps and took some fast and furious cabs home to the hotel. All in all a great day to remember.

Tomorrow, the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel and
St. Peter's Basillica. Ciao!

Capri Sun

Capri

Not to rub it in, but the sixty five degree weather and sun made today the best one yet. Crossing the Bay of Naples on the hydrofoil from Sorrento in the sun and wind started an exciting day off right. Although we were running late and literally running for the ferry, the twenty minute ride to the resort island of Capri where fashion designers, moguls and actors have homes was a fun one. The long walk up the twisting path up the mountain side to the Villa Jovis, home to Emperor Tiberius gave the kids a chance to bask in the sun and peer into the gardens, through the gates of villas and experience Mediterranean life in the slow lane. Stopping into a local market, we bought fresh bread, sliced meats and cheeses, fresh fruits and drinks for a picnic on the mountain top.  

After visiting Capri we took the hydrofoil              

 to the Port of Naples for the ride to Rome.  

 Three hours later we began the second part

 of our adventure when we checked into our

 hotel in the heart of the eternal city. Dinner

 out and a happy birthday sung in Latin to

 one of the kids from a group touring with us.

 Tomorrow we will visit the Colosseum, 

Forum, and other sites of interest. 


The pictures to the side and below were taken in the harbor of Sorrento before we left for Capri and while we were waiting in the central piazza at Capri as well as after lunch at the Villa Jovis.

Pompeii, Amalfi Coastal Tour

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"The Gang" at the theatre in Pompeii

The day began as a mix of rain and drizzle and ended exactly as we hoped it would, warm and sunny. Starting out today on the road along the Amalfi Coast. The clouds departed and the sun started to come out along the drive and the amazing panoramic views appeared. As a UNESCO World Hertiage site, this coastal road has some of the most amazing scenery found in the world and also steep drops along the sides of the road that your intrepid blogger found hard to look at. Your kids should have great pictures of the coast to share with you when they return. About half way through the drive we stopped to visit a cave and a site called the "Emerald Grotto" It is actually a cave that you access via an elevator and then take a boat onto the interior lake. The water shimmers with a emerald blue light due to sunlight coming through the sea wall. Onto Amalfi after this, the kids were given a lesson in Romanesque and Gothic Cathedral styles. Then we visited a cathedral dedicated to St. Andrew.

After walking the streets of Amalfi and enjoying some gelato's and panini's we headed to Pompeii. Buried in 79 AD, this was the part of today's trip that I was looking forward to the most. (No winding roads or huge drop-offs on the side of the road). We toured the site for about three hours and weaved in and out of the streets, homes and shops that were captured in time when the city was covered in sixty feet of ash. The many pictures below are testimony to how interesting the trip was. As one of the kids said to Ms. Mullis; "No offense Ms. Mullis,  but no matter how hard you teach this, but being here is worth more than any class." Enough said,. Enjoy the pictures.

Tomorrow, onto the Island of Capri and then to Roma!

Ciao.

PS..keep your fingers crossed, I may get my luggage tomorrow!

Ms. Mullis speaks.

Hi Parents and Friends,
  Thought you might want to hear some inside scoops about your kiddos' adventures.  Gelato gets high marks, toilet seats do not. Dinners are an adventure with choices to fit all tastes. Amalfi Coast was a thrill ride, and Pompeii, in the words of one student, "makes history come alive, things that you just can't learn from a book." Students continue to bond and have their favorite experiences which they will be eager to share with you.  And who knew that dogs reside in Pompeii full time.   But Mr. Hanish has many pictures to share with you so my time is up.  Until next time... Valete   Ciao!  Mrs. Mullis

Dance the Tarentella and explore Cumae.

Jillyan learning her moves.

This post will start with the end of the day first and dance us backwards through the events of Sunday. This evening we were able to take advantage of an opportunity to have the kids learn and perform an Italian folk dance called the Tarantella. Click to learn here about it. The dance was originally created to cure bites of the spider known as the tarantula or more interestingly to cure women of "hysteria" if they danced it for twenty-four hours straight. Not so sure about its effectiveness for either of those problems, but the kids had fun. They spent about an hour and a half of practice, laughing and having fun with four dancers in their theatre. I have uploaded some pictures of the kids below. Jana and Svea also got a chance to try out some songs before our lesson, and that picture of their duet is included as well.

Before the dancing class, we spent the early afternoon at the Cave of the Sybil at Cumae. Click here to learn about Cumae The Sybil was a type of oracle who could see the future and features prominently in the Aeneid. Her caves and ruins were toured extensively by the kids and they were very impressed with the cave system and rock excavation done by the Romans. Included are some pictures of the caves, ruins and the kids.

This photo of Cody and Tyler shows the Bay of Naples and off in the distance the island of Capri. We will be visiting Capri on Tuesday.

This shot of Sarrah, Kayla and Jillyann shows the ruins in the lower right corner and the Bay of Naples in the background.

Lunch was in Naples at a pizzeria. Naples is the birthplace of the pizza and the thin crust and light sauce with mozzarella and the pies were excellent.











Before lunch in Naples, which made the kids feel fortunate to live in a place were cleanliness and recycling are practiced by the people, we visited the National Archaeological Museum. The museum holds the mosaics, frescoes and sculptures there are famous for having been discovered at Pompeii. Many of these works of art were known to the students due to their Latin classes. Below you can see some of the works the students saw today.

The "gang" on the steps of the museum.

Tomorrow we are off to Almalfi and Pompeii, so keep your fingers crossed that the good weather and mild temperatures hold out. Ciao!

PS..Parents and friends, please post up with comments so we can read them!