We started off our day by going to the Galleria dell Accademia, which is where the statue of David awaits. I don't recall taking any pictures or if we were allowed to, but I did get some post cards of David before I left. The statue was a very good size and EVERYTHING was up close and personal. By looking at the pose of David, I believe that the artist (Michelangelo) wanted to make the statue iconic or inspirational. After viewing David, we moved to the next part of the museum, which had heads of females and males. They also had a video of why there were tiny black holes in the statues. I believe its purpose was to make sure that the statues did not crack or break in any kind of way. The other two rooms showed the catholic type art. The museum was pretty simple and to the point, but had a lot inside that impacted on people. After I went to the gift shop and bought me and my family some post cards, a new sketch book with Leonardo Da Vinci on the front, and a book on Michelangelo which is in Italian. Our next meeting spot was the Piazza Della Signoria. Here, we just waited until our next appointment. While we waited we took photos of the statues and grabbed some gelato for a quick second. From there we went to the Galleria degli Uffizi...which was a pretty...big...museum. We walked around for awhile, then we got turned around and had to go back to the other side in order to find a certain painting. We finally found the painting, Birth of Venus (1485), which was done by Sandro Botticelli. At a certain part of the museum, when you looked out the window located was the Arno River. After touring the museum, we had a free afternoon. We did some exploring and that's when we went to the tattoo shop, got a tattoo, and then later on that night it was off to our last dinner in Florence.

Happy Fourth of July!! We departed from the hotel at 12:45 and then took the train to Florence. Well before the train left the station some gypsies wanted to give us some trouble. Well, it wasn't happening!! Fro anybody who doesn't know, don't trust anybody who doesn't have a uniform on and they look sketchy. Anyway, we arrived in Florence, it took a good while to get there, but when we did arrive we checked in to our hotel after they checked our passports. After settling in everybody visited the Santa Maria Del Fiore (The Duomo) and Duomo Baptistery. It was a quick walk through, but I tried and soaked it all in. The top of the baptistery was so gold, as If they used gold leaf for everything. There was plenty of repition throughout the ceiling, doors, and floors. At one point we were amped up to walk up the Duomo...but we were too tired to walk up anything, so we went back to the room to get ourselves together and to cool out. Professor Snipes told us if you see the top of the Duomo you should know where you are at or close to the hotel.    

First, we went to visit St. Peter's Basilica, which is St. Peter's Basilica is a Late Renaissance church located within Vatican
City. Designed principally by Michelangelo, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, and Donato Bramante. When we first arrived we had to go through metal detectors and then cruise on to enter. Every single piece of work was very detailed. When we entered the Basilica it was a little overwhelming and a lot to take in and try to analyze almost everything inside. The emotions looked very realistic, I'm guessing the artists intensions were to create a sense of emotion that the viewers could relate to.

After we toured the Basilica we were on our way to the Vatican Museum & Sistine Chapel. Unfortunately I do not have any pictures of the inside of the chapel, but I did take a picture of the sign leading to the chapel which shows proof that I was there. If anybody was able snap a quick picture inside, hopefully I can get a copy :-). So, we went into the Vatican Museum, and we all split up. First we went to see the Egyptian era, which had the carvings in the stone that were hung up on the wall. In the next room was displayed the mummy it self, the person wrapped up and they still had there fingernails and toenails attached. Of course I loved the eyes on the tombs. The next room they had pendants and cat statues. Egyptians worshiped cats and they were a sense of grace and poise and cats were also mummified just like humans were. Next, (forgive me for not having the names of certain areas) we went to a room that was filled with all these head of people with different and certain expressions. Some expressions were serious and others were more tranquil. It was a pretty long walk, so we turned back around shortly to head outside. We walked around, it was pretty toasty out there. From what I can remember, Em and I went into the cistine chapel, which is the official residence of the Pope in the Vatican City. There was a lot of people in there and everybody was looking up of course. Of there was a "don't touch" rule, but Emily and I touched a little piece of the side when we left to say that we went to the Sistine chapel and we touch a corner of it. It was smaller than I imagined, with so much detailed work. I wish we could've examined the work up close and personal, but all you could was try and squint your eyes and capture everything you possibly could. We saw the iconic image of the hand of god giving life to Adam, which was done by Michelangelo. After we toured the museum, we got lunch across the street from the Vatican Museum, which had a pretty tasty sandwiches. I forgot the name of it, but you can't miss it, they also served gelato as well. Later on that day we took the metro to Flaminio (Piazza Del Popolo) where we visited the Church of Santa Maria Del Popolo. Until 3pm we went to the park, which is where everybody had gathered around to take some pictures and explore the park. It was still roasty and toasty, so we all walk, stop, sit, etc. What did me and the girls come across!! A fountain that you could put your feet in and cool off, so we took about 15-20 minutes to recuperate, so during that time, once again we sat, took pictures, talked, and then moseyed on to the Galleria Borghese. Here is where I sketched some of the work from the walls, Caravaggio, which was done by Michelangelo Merisi, Possagno- Antonio Canova, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini. After we toured the museum we sat outside and had a little group discussion. We then went to Piazza di Spagna (Spanish steps) and took pictures of the trevi fountain, which is were you can make a wish. We also grabbed something to eat at this place called Bar and then walked around and headed back to the hotel.

Throughout the trip there was nothing but pictures being taken of course. Here are some pictures that I will always reminisce about the wonderful time I had on this trip.

I had so much fun when we went to the beach, and I also got a tan ;-) Emily and I went on this hunt for seashells at one point and found some real interesting ones, for example I found a hermit crab shell, but there was a crab in there and I accidentally threw it at this girl because I was so scared that it would touch me...No worries because I found another shell right after that one and kept it. Later on, Me, Brandy, Emily (Bamfield), Emily, Anne, Caitlin decided to give the Venice beach a dance show, that was until the music cut off at one point, but I'm sure we showed everybody how American's get down.

Food from Chinese, McDonald's, Pasta, Pizza, and more. Every now and then i'd take a break from Italian food and try to find  some American food. I admit from time to time I missed it.

Today, we left from Florence to Venice. The scenery was beautiful and I did not have to worry about getting ran over by a bus. They have face masks, which I plan on getting and hopefully have a romantic gondala ride with some of my good friends.

So, on my first day in Rome we visited the Colosseum.  There we so many people there to take pictures, talk, etc. This amphitheater was inaugurated in 80 AD. The word "Colosseum" (according to my research) refers to the colossal gilded bronze statue of Nero.  Next, we came along the Arco di Costantino arch, which was adjacent to the Colosseum. It commemorates Constantine's victory over Maxentius. You can always bring back postcards but there's nothing like actually being there. Next we visited Altare della Partria, which is were I took a picture with a Trojan and didn't tell me there was a charge, what the world! They got me! Later in the day my group and I saw the Campidoglio, which was not too far from the statues Romulus and Remus, which was the story about two boys who was raised by a wolf and when they got older they quarreled about where the site should, instead things went downhill and Remus killed his brother Romulus. Then came the Pantheon, inside of the building was very large and a lot of people. There was so much detail in the clothes and all over as well. The tiles in the floor was unique also.