The Escapades of Emily : My final "free" day in Rome

This morning was a slightly (<-- me being optimistic) un-enjoyable experience, which STINKS because we went to the Vatican! Let me set the stage though so you don't think I'm a crazy, unappreciative, "punk", as my dad would say. So today was our very last day in Rome and we had the option to go with our tour guide to the Vatican. Everyone in the group did this and the teachers didn't come so it was just the students and the guide Denise. The only preface we had going into this was it'll cost 16€ and afterwards Denise will leave and you can do whatever you want. I'm going to explain the following sequence of events in bullet points to stop myself from rambling/boring you:

- get to Vatican line, Denise says this is shortest she has ever seen

- wait TWO HOURS in line. I ate my cliff bar breakfast and talked in line. Not bad at all

- get inside Vatican, Denise talks for around 20-30 minutes about the ceiling in the Sistine Chaple while we stand directly in the sun. After standing for two hours in the sun waiting to get in. We are no where near the chapel.

I'd like to take this time to point out that lecturing has got to be my least favorite part of this trip. With a group of 30 constantly amidst crowds of hundreds or more, it's difficult to catch what the teacher is saying. On top of that, they always reference people I'm not familiar with, long time lines of events, and multiple pieces of artwork I have never heard of, making it very hard to keep up. If you miss the beginning of a sentence you have no hope of ever figuring out what they are talking about. (Grant it if I had actually read any of the assigned reading material it may not be as confusing.. But I think minute details such as that are irrelevant in this situation)

Back to Vatican experience:

- packed like sardines inside the Vatican museum

- no food or drink allowed inside

- two hours later still inside museum

- 2 hours in line+30 minute lecture+2 hours in museum walk through = hungry, grumpy, tired Emily

- all the pieces of artwork are wonderful and cool but they slowly start to blend together (art people don't hate me)

- The Sistine chapel was nice. My neck hurt from looking up for a long time. No taking was allowed. Or pictures. Or food. Or drinks.

- probably reaching hour 5 now. I've had a cliff bar and haven't sat down since the bus we took to the Vatican at 9:30

- St. Peter's is giant. That was pretty.

Moral of my long list is I was very unprepared for the extremely long Vatican visit and had I been told more, I would have been better prepared, both mentally and physically, to have an overall better experience.

HIGHLIGHT OF VATICAN: MAP HALLWAY. SO FREAKING COOL. WASN'T ALLOWED TO STOP AND LOOK AT THEM FORCED TO KEEP WALKING WITH GROUP

These are hand painted... How did they know all this?! So insane!!

When we finat broke free we found the closest non-expensive restiraunt and ate food FINALLY! (I actually snuck in some cliff bars that I remembered toward the end, but I think the story is a little more dramatic if I leave that part out). Typically our rule of thumb was if a margarita pizza (cheese pizza) was more than 6€ the restiraunt was on the pricier end. Away from the terminal, the main underground train station, we found a margarita pizza for 3€, while close to it they can be up to 16-18€. Around 4 we left to see a few more sites, got gelato, and headed home to do anything but use our feet. People here keep trying to sell selfie sticks and trinkets along side of the road, but if someone opened a nice non-creepy foot massage station they would make millions!!! I know I would pay. Every day.

For some reason we keep ordering French fries with every single meal.

Coconut and mixed berry gelato

Taylor was with a group of other girls and had a super creepy experience this afternoon. Spark notes version;

-they were hanging out by a fountain and a man kept staring at them

- another man asked Taylor to follow him inside the pantheon, super far from the group, to take a pic of him

- Taylor being the blunt confrontational person she is, said "uh no" snapped the pic from outside, still close to the group, and handed it back

- later the creepy staring man and the picture guy were seen talking/exchanging looks or something (and staring guy had been moving when they moved and halfway stalking them)

Side note - this is an extremely populated area

- the girls go hangout with 3 police people for a while and the guys go away

- they leave and see weird camera guy following them

- Taylor turns around and goes "excuse me can I help you???" While taking a picture of his face with her phone

- he is taken aback mumbles something and then leaves them alone

Semi regret writing all that because now Mom will freak out but I wasn't with them and nothing bad happened so don't freak out. BUT it's good cause it reminded everyone to be smart and on the look out for weird things!!

I am safe, in bed, showered, full, and my stomach hurts from laughing all night. Overall I think today was a good day ❤️

Now off to Florence!!