June 10: Villa Borghese, Campus Martius, Trevi Fountain

This was our last day in Rome, and we savored every minute! A few rose early for a morning run in the Villa Borghese gardens, just up the Via Veneto from our residence hall.

Then after breakfast (both of these cappuccini were for Ms. Cody, by the way)…

the whole group walked to the Villa Borghese galleries to view Bernini’s exquisite (and often classically inspired) sculpture. Continue reading

June 9, 2017: Forum, Palatine, Colosseum

Friday morning we took a quick Metro ride to the heart of ancient Rome.  Even the walk from the subway is picturesque: we get a close-up glimpse of Trajan’s Column as we head to Julius Caesar’s Forum and then, just down the street, the great Forum Romanum.

The sun is high and the Forum is hot, dusty and thin on shade.  But our travelers are well-prepared with sunscreen and water bottles, and we traverse the whole Via Sacra, taking in temples (the site of Juno Moneta’s temple, Magna Mater, Castor & Pollux–Horse Riding Gods!); public buildings; the site of Julius Caesar’s spontaneous cremation; and triumphal arches (Septimius Severus and Titus). Continue reading

June 8, 2017: Vatican Museum and St. Peter’s Basilica

Students gather outside I Cappuccini Guest House (as we did every morning we were in Rome) to take the Metro to the Vatican Museum.  First we count off (Vos numerate: “number yourselves!”).  The six adults count off too, shouting out their assigned Latin present active verb endings (-o! -s! -t! -mus! -tis! -nt!).  Every one of us was unfailingly attentive to the modest dress code required for churches–Williston’s Purpose, Passion, and Integrity were in full bloom!

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