Veterans

So, I would like to inform you that I am something of a veteran.

Yes, I spoke correctly. I, and some of my girl friends over here in Florence, believe that our survival is worthy of such a title; we have walked over 100 miles in various Italian cities. listened to countless hours of art historical information, and forgone taking bathroom breaks in the name of learning more about one painting or another. In other words, we feel that we are veterans of what we fondly call “Helen Trips.” If the bathroom reference did not tip you off, let me remind you that the SACI art history professor is named Helen. Yes, I see the light bulb going off in your head now.

After this past weekend, I feel like more of a veteran than ever; I traveled to Rome with Helen and group of 12 other students. Because we were familiar with Helen’s way of organizing trips, We were all prepared for entirely too much walking, listening to dissertations for EVERY SINGLE church in the city, and using every bathroom break given us- whether or not we really had to use the bathroom. Luckily we were going to be spending two nights in Rome; a day trip, which is usually the norm for “Helen Trips,” would NOT have been possible even with Helen as a tour guide.

On the first evening of trekking, Helen went easy on the schedule and only took us to the Pantheon, a few churches, the Trevi Fountain, and Bernini’s Four River’s Fountain. Two and half hours and nearly five places. . . not bad!

When the next morning dawned bright and early, I was surprisingly energetic. I was not even taxed from the evening before! I figured it was just because we had not really covered much ground. Besides which, after a mere two and a half hours of “Helen Touring,” I had the privilege of seeing my good friend Karen. I enjoyed some pizzas at a restaurant in Piazza Navona with her family and some other friends. Who wouldn’t be refreshed after an evening like that? (As a side note, Karen has been taking classes and training in Rome for the past two months so that she can spend two years in a small village in the Congo. Karen leaves for the Congo in one week. What a blessing to see her “across the big pond” before she officially leaves!)

We started this next day off with a nice visit to the Colosseum, the Forum and the Vatican Museum. We lunched for half an hour, and we off again at break-neck spread to cover ground in Saint Peter’s and make our way up to Santa Maria della Vittoria to see one of my most favorite Bernini scultptures, The Ecstacy of Saint Theresa.

The end of the second day was much appreciated: my feet were sore, and I was tired, but I felt nothing compared to a couple gals who came on the trip. Prior to beginning the adventure, I though we were all prepared for a weekend with Helen; apparently these girls were not. These girls, apparently, had only been on one other “Helen Trip.” In English, this means that these girls, by the end of the day, looked like flowers that had just withstood a terrors of an unexpected spring blizzard. In fact, the next day, these gals opted for a self-made trip!

We wrapped up the trip with a visit to several art galleries, and a few more churches, and took a speedy train back to Florence that night.

I would like to amend my earlier statement: I am not actually a veteran. I was a veteran long before this trip! I feel that this weekend actually turned me into a PRACTICED veteran. . . with ten churches, a couple hundred works of art, and two entire cities under my belt (the Vatican is technically not apart of Rome. . . it is it’s own country to be even more precise), I would definitely say that I added some “practice” to my status!

Three weeks until I return home! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, everyone! I love you all and I give thanks for you every day!

Love,

Brandi