18) Travel in Europe. Again.

Rome during Holy Week is a zoo; an absolutely fantastic zoo. Today is the first chance I’ve had to compile my thoughts about my week thus far. Once again, hold on to your seats!

Nothing could compare to almost getting mowed over by a Vespa and pushing your way through swarms of people just to get to the Vatican. Of course, hearing the Pope address the crowd was such a unique chance and fighting through the Roman jungle was totally worth it. This morning, we also miraculously scored seats to hear the Pope give Holy Thursday Mass in St. Peter’s. Mass was given in Latin and I was actually surprised to find how many words I could make out. Three years of a dead language pays off, let me tell you. Some advice I can impart, based on my experiences, is that if you want a good chance of getting a look at the Pope, and a shot at a seat, stick with a nun or a baby. Seriously! Nuns and small children are always let in the gate. If you stay with them, it’s practically guaranteed. Holding a ticket, which are free, is also helpful. I’m sad to say that the only rude people I saw in line were Americans. Really? Rudeness at the biggest church in the world? Not cool. Overall, Mass was quite a special and reverent experience. I also don’t think I’ve ever actually seen anybody of that importance in the flesh. (Well, I saw President Clinton drive by in his limousine once when I was 7, but that hardly compares.) St. Peter’s Square was designed to hold mass amounts of faithful Catholics and, more recently, sight-seeing tourists. In both the reverent and eye-candy capacities, certainly delivers.

Today and yesterday were totally fantastic. Cruising ancient streets with old and new friends was simply lovely; and, incidentally, unexpected friends. I’m here in Rome with my best friend from high school and, as fortune would have it, a tour group from our illustrious place of compulsory education is here as well. After hearing the Pope’s address on Wednesday, we began to walk away from the square and then – out of thin air – I heard my name. Abbey’s dad was at the railing with my high school History teacher and other fellow students. How bizarre! We were able to grab lunch with them and briefly catch up on Wednesday, then spend all of Thursday roaming Rome. Wild!

Although the Roman roads haven’t been super kind to my feet, my excitement of seeing Europe again quite overpowers the pain. Still, we do try to use public transportation as often as possible. The Metro system is usually quite a reliable source. Usually. Wednesday afternoon, as our merry trio made our way from the Vatican to another part of the city, we herded into the coach of a Roman subway and didn’t think twice. Just before our stop, things went wrong. The train flickered, like it does in those old movies, and then coasted to a stop as the whine of engines powered off. Uh-oh. In less than five minutes the air became suffocating, which wasn’t helped by the hundreds of other Italians on the train. Claustrophobics, beware! Pressed between a pair of teenagers making out and an old man reading the newspaper, deep in the bowels of the earth – I became almost claustrophobic myself! We all stood in the train for about another ten minutes until people began to get very restless. Right before I resigned myself to the life of an underground cave-dweller, the light at the end of the tunnel appeared – literally. Coach doors pried open and we were instructed, very casually by the metro conductor, to walk along the tracks until we came to the next stop. Like a herd of West Virginia miners, we hugged along the side of the Liena A tunnel until the light of day appeared again. My prayers were answered! And, let me say, the sun has never looked as radiant as it did today in the piazza, after spending half an hour in a dank, dark, metro hole. Hobbit holes, I hear, are far more inviting.

Holy Thursday has been idyllic. After a rather manic time getting to Mass, we just walked the roads and marveled at the way Italians live. Imagine, being so romantic all the time! A very pleasant lunch courtesy of our school’s headmaster (also Abbey’s father), gelato for dessert, and tea in the Piazza Navona were just two of the many ‘Roman’ moments. Since my initial culture shock has worn off (Tuesday really wasn’t super pleasant, too much dashing around in the big city for this small town girl!), these past days have been just superb. Rome is a beautiful city, when you learn to navigate the chaos.

Tomorrow we’re going to the Keats-Shelly House, more churches, as well as Stations of the Cross at the Coliseum. Relaxing with a bubble bath and movie tonight, catching up on assignments in the morning (since schoolwork refuses to leave me alone!). By the grace of God, I’ve traveled in Europe again and hope to keep up the trend as long as I’m able. Ciao!