Today turned out to be quite the interesting adventure. After missing the tram and hustling my way into the Centro Storico area to try and catch the program tour of baroque art this morning, I asked the doorman where they were headed and he pointed me in the direction of Castel Sant'Angelo, or Hadrian's mausoleum, across the Tiber river. I hastily bought myself a ticket and asked if ACCENT was still inside, and the man at the counter looked at me like I was crazy. Let's be real, I was running on 5 hours of sleep and no coffee so even if there realistically was no way I was finding a group inside of an ancient castle, I tried my luck since he said they'd probably be upstairs. There was no group of college students in sight (or many other people, for that matter) so I descended back to the bottom to make my way back up and actually appreciate the craftsmanship that went into this structure. I ended up spending a good two hours admiring the crumbling walls and the exhibit of the old marble and engravings inside. I made my way up to see one of the statues of the angel (which is not the original, nor the second, third, fourth, or fifth I believe... If I remember correctly, one was destroyed during war, a bronze one was melted down into cannon balls, another was struck by lightning, and a few more unfortunate events led to the creation of the current marble one with bronze wings), and climbed my way to the terrazza from which I enjoyed breathtaking views of the city spreading out all around. Glancing at a map that pointed out all of the big monuments, I realized that Vatican City and Basilica di San Pietro was right across the way, and so that became my next destination.

I didn't want to brave entering Vatican City alone (and sans original passport, I don't think they'd even let me in), so I gazed upon the impressive building from the edge of the gates and snapped a few photos before turning around to make my way back near the school in hopes that perhaps I could grab a bite to eat and crash the afternoon tour. I stumbled across a modern looking panino shop called Pasto where I ordered probably the best sandwich I've ever had... Salmon, grilled artichoke, fresh cheese, and rucola between just-baked bread (I was there at the same time as the bread delivery guy)... YUM. I strolled around the piazza again to see if anyone had gathered but I wasn't sure what time the afternoon one was supposed to start and so I decided to make the most of my day and acquaint myself with the area I'll probably be spending the most time in. I walked a bit alongside the Tiber and into Piazza dell'Oro where I probably looked like an idiot with my mouth hanging open as I walked around looking towards the sky because in the middle of the clusters of houses and more "modern" buildings, and this applies all around the city, are these huuuge churches and monuments that have survived centuries. It's hard to take in because everything seems to have been hit with a huge wind of claustrophobia that takes away from the open space to appreciate these buildings, but the angelic statues adorning the roof seemed to tell the tale of time. I then wandered around some of my now favorite streets Via Giulia and Via dei Banchi Vecchi that were filled with boutiques and other random little shops (and I surprisingly found out is right next to the larger street I used to walk to school... I think I'll be changing routes now!), like a basket shop with the most adorable little tuk tuk parked outside.

Once I emerged back onto the main road I decided instead of going home to spend time in an empty house I should make the most of my day and venture out a bit further, so I made my way over to Palazzo Venezia and Museo Sacrario delle Bandiere. On the way I accidentally found an outdoor market, which I later realized was the famous mercato di Campo de' Fiori. I'm amazed at how much tacky stuff these street vendors manage to sell... But that's of course not all there was, there were florists and pasta booths as well as olive oil and fruit stands. It was quite the colorful array but I think I'll need some refreshers on how to order things in class next week before I feel comfortable going into markets and haggling for cheap deals. After I made my way through the crowds and down the street I also discovered a little park where I mustered up the energy to finish the trek to Palazzo Venezia. Palazzo Venezia was actually one of the first things the taxi driver pointed out on our ride from the bus station upon first arrival in Rome, and I was immediately impressed by the gigantic white building with columns galore and towering bronze horses and men contrasting with the bright green grass in the piazza below, so seeing it up close and personal was slightly overwhelming. I walked through the gate and up the steps thinking I'd only get so far without a ticket but entrance ended up being free as the building is open to the public, so I ventured inside. The outside was a bit of a marble overload, but the museum inside housed some amazing artifacts and traveled through the revolution in Italy through WWI. Seeing actual size statue replicas from feet away was awesome, and the paintings, statues, and array of small tokens such as skewers and wartime buttons was pretty interesting even without having the mental capacity to read through all of the explanations. Stepping outside, this terrace also provided a 360 view of the city and part of it even overlooked the ancient ruins and I caught a glimpse of the colosseum (which I am excited to go see tomorrow).

The next part of my journey proved interesting because I was planning on walking home just across the river, but ended up becoming completely disoriented even with the assistance of GoogleMaps and walked through Testaccio the wrong way for quite some time (probably a mile or so...), before I  realized I needed to turned around. I almost lost hope because I don't know how to take public transportation except for the 8 Tram to and from my apartment to school and my poor little feet were crying out in despair but I finally made it home, and boy I have never been happier to flop on my bed and do absolutely nothing. I calculated my approximate routes today and it ends up that I was out for almost 7 hours on my feet covering around 8 to 9 miles just roaming around the city and exploring different sights. I'm glad I decided to be proactive and seek out things to do despite the fatigue and aching soles, and since there are always plenty of people around walking isn't a worry and I could go at my own pace to see whatever I wanted for however long I pleased. Now with some aching legs and heavy eyelids I'm ready to spend a quiet rest of the evening in to recharge for tomorrow's tour which I promise myself I won't miss!