Day 11: Bone Chruch

So Sunday is our free day but we had the option of going to a bone Church. I decided to go because i thought it was going to be cool, and I did not want to have a bit of free time in Rome. We took to train to Rome, and the Metro to the Bone Church. We got showed where to meet and got sent off for a bit to find lunch. Taylor, Mikayla and I wandered around a bit, then we sat down at a restaurant. Turns out a lot of the others were there as well. 

The service was really good, also there was a variety of food. I got spaghetti with tomato sauce and a Spirit. I really enjoyed my spaghetti, it was something I really wanted to try in Italy!

The Bone Church actually wasn't as odd as I thought. The bone church was bones of monks and the made patterns and each room was just filled with a tone of bones. It was actually really neat. After we went to St. Clemens. This was an underground museum. I did not find it the most fun or interesting but I still looked around.

After we had the option of going back early or staying in Rome, I decided to come back early since I was super tired. On the train ride back it was hard to get comfortable since I got a sunburn from the day before at the beach. As soon as I hit the bed when I got back to my room, I was out like a light.

When I woke up it was nearly time for dinner. We were having dinner at Allan's. We had pasta, pizza, bruschetta, cheeses and sliced meats. I really enjoyed the bruschetta and the pasta! Also as a treat we got taken out for gelato as well after dinner.

After dinner Liana and I went to look around at the market. As well as going to my review restaurant to get some photos. Within a short time we were both extremely tired and went back to the hotel for bed.

My lunch

Outside the Bone Church

Outside St. Clemons

Walking the streets

Day 10: Mediterranean Sea

We got up bright and early to head to the beach for the day. We hopped on the bus and had about an hour ride until we arrived at the beach. The beach was a lot nicer than the ones back home. The workers also set up enough beds in one spot for all of us to stay as a group, which I thought was sweet.

The day went by really slow, a fair bit of people took a nap on the beach, which was not the best idea. I tanned and listened to my music for about an hour. I also worked on my journal for a little bit. For the rest of the time at the beach, I tried to find some shells. I found a lot of flat smooth rocks, that would be perfect for skipping stones. As well as being in the water. I found the water a bit cold at first but once you got fully in the water it was nice and warm. A bunch of us passed a ball around, other than getting the salt water in your mouth, it was great fun. After passing the ball around for a bit, we got informed we were leaving in 15 minutes. I got out of the water, packed up my stuff and headed to the change rooms which was where we were meeting.

When we all met up, we counted off and then headed to the bus, which we had to wait a few minutes for. When the bus arrived we ran into a little problem, the driver wanted all the sand off of us, which this was a big pain in the rear end! Thankfully we had some water to rinse off, but it was still difficult since we were just at a beach & covered in sand. When we finally got the sand off to make the driver happy, and everyone was on the bus, we headed home.

When we came back to the hotel, we had a short time until dinner. I took a little rest and got changed as well. Dinner, I did not enjoy all that much. Due to the heat from the beach, I was not feeling the best so I did not eat all that much. Dinner was mostly greasy food, we had what seemed like an endless amount of pizza, deep fried rice, cheese and olive, and what seemed like mashed potato battered then deep fried. After dinner, I got fruity gelato to cool me down. I also headed to bed when we got back to the hotel as well.

The Mediterranean Sea

 The relaxing sound of the waves crashing to the shore. The feeling of hot sand under my feet. The smell of salt water in the air. This place is the ultimate relaxation, until you get sun burnt.

The beach got a lot of people

 

Writing in the sand

Day 9: The Vatican

Today we went to the Vatican, the only country you can go in without a passport!

We took the train to Rome like always, and took the metro near the Vatican. we had sometime to grab some lunch. I got strawberry and Oreo geloto. Not the best combination but both flavors were pretty tasty. After getting geloto, I went to the convenience store just down the street. What do you know, the juice I had in Costa Rica and have been searching for was in that store! I was so happy to find the Guanabana nectar juice. I honestly love it and it tastes so good, I savored every last drop of it. After we met up with Jill and she explain to us that we will have two guides at the Vatican, a sweet heart and shows the arts or one that talks about blood and guts.

When we got to the Vatican, I went with the guide who was a sweetheart, Maggie. We went through and seen many different things from sculptures, to maps. Everything was so detailed, even the ceilings! I really enjoyed every moment in the Vatican, until the Sistine Chapel. When I walked in the Sistine Chapel, my jaw almost hit the floor. I have heard some much about the Sistine, as well as Michelangelo and specifically the most famous point of focus 'The Creation of Man'. Seeing his work in person was unbelievable. I could not contain my emotions, I began to tear up in the Sistine Chapel.

When we got back we were on our on for dinner and for the rest of the night. I got sauce and cheese, one of my favourites so far! After I went out and got strawberry geloto!

For the rest of the night, it was quite relaxing. Walking the busy street of the market area and enjoying the view as well. Also as a late snack, I got strawberry & banana gelato!

My gelato I got before the Vatican

My Juice I found!

Panorama of St. Peter's Basilica

Day 8: Swimming in a Volcano!

Today was a enjoyable day. We boarded the bus early to go visit an site of an old theater. It was a 15 minute drive up a mountain, and then a 5 minute walk up hill. The site itself wasn't too impressive but the view was pretty amazing. We spent about 20 minutes going over the history of the theater we were sitting on and then got showed an arch and water wells.

After we left to go to the town of Nemi, the town of strawberries. I thought this little town was really beautiful. The air was filled with the smell of strawberries. Everywhere you went there was some sort of food that was strawberry related. While in Nemi, I got a strawberry tart, which the berries were so much sweeter than the ones we get back home. The strawberries from Nemi may be small but they have a big flavor. The town is also perched on top of a hill, so you can look out over many other villas. I would love to live in this town just because of my love of strawberries is that strong; Also the town is that stunningly beautiful.

We stopped a little restaurant on the side of the road for lunch. We had bread, bruschetta, porchetta, meats, grilled vegetables, and pasta. There was so much pasta, but I was in love with it, I wanted pasta so badly.

After leaving from lunch, we were heading to a lake to go swim for an hour or two. The bus ride was a bit freaky, you could see a huge drop beside the road. The lake was actually an inactive volcano crater. When we arrived we took about 20 minutes trying to find a non-private beach; In the end we all ended up chipping in 2 euro to be on a private beach with chairs and umbrellas. The water was quite nice and the area we were in wasn't too crowded either. I went swimming for a little bit and watched the chicken fights. I also took a few photos and tanned for 30 minutes, then it was time to leave.

When we got back to Frascati, I took a little nap. When I woke up, I went shopping for a little bit and got some geloto and came back to the hotel to work on my blog.

Streets of Nemi

Strawberry tart from Nemi

The Volcano Crater

At the lake!

Day 7: Cooking at Allan's

Today was the second day of cooking and it was my turn to go with 10 others to Allan's to cook.

We had to leave at 8:15am to head to Allan's to meet up with him to go shopping. We went to the market to get fresh vegetables, meats, and pasta. When we got back to the restaurant, Hanna and I cut pasta for our snack. Allan showed us how to roll, cut, and lift up the dough. After, we got started on the lemon dessert by peeling the skin off the lemons. After we were done, we put the lemon and sugar in a food processor, after blending it with eggs, butter and lemon juice. The mixture was then heated and let to cool. When cooled it was scooped into bowls, cream and a cherry was put on top.

For our snack we had the noodles with prosciutto and egg mixed in. I did not enjoy it all that much but I still tried it.

Before everyone arrived, I help set the table. When everyone arrived, I took our meal outside which was pasta with vegetables and potato, eggplant with cheese, and lamb, garnished with potato and eggplant skins. As well as the lemon dessert Hanna and I made. The meal was really good, I loved the pasta, but the eggplant was not the best. The dessert was really sweet, but I couldn't enjoy it too much because shortly before my lip piercing fell out, and I was worried the hole would close.

After we had to clean up, wash and put away dishes, then Paul took the 11 of us out for geloto. We had the rest of the day off. Liana and I, went shopping around Frascati. We looked in a few clothing stores and got biscotti from a bakery. Later, we went for dinner at Cantina Simonetti. I got pasta in a tomato sauce and Liana got pasta in a creamy white sauce with pepper. We both enjoyed our pasta a lot, and the servers were really friendly. Our server in specific, did not speak much english but he really tried his best to communicate with us. It was a great meal over all.

After dinner, I was full and really tired so we headed back to the hotel. I took some time to upload photos and chat with people from back home then went to bed.

Lemon Dessert

Our lunch we made

My pasta

Liana's pasta

Day 6: Community Kitchen

Today was the first day of cooking but I was one of the 33 not cooking. So in the morning, I was doing more team and leadership building games. The games were concentrated on good and bad stress, but were still pretty fun. We walked up to the park and had to communicate to do the one activity.

Shortly later, we went to Allan's to have lunch that was cooked and served to us by our friends. We had chicken seasoned with rosemary, pasta and vegetables. For dessert was a strawberry creme buréleé, the dessert was delicious.

When I headed back from lunch, I showered and got changed for going to the community kitchen. I headed down to the train station with the other 21 of us volunteering and listened to music on the way to Rome. We took a bus from the train station to the community kitchen. I was a little nervous to volunteer there. I did enjoy the experience a lot though. I got to talk to some locals and here their stores and giveback to the wonderful country.

When we got back to Frascati, Liana and I went to get some supper and geloto since we haven't ate yet. For supper we grabbed pizza, I prosciutto and cheese, which I enjoyed. For geloto, I had chocolate and stracitella, which is like cookies n' cream. After we went to the grocery store and got some snacks for the night.

Community kitchen

View outside the bus window

Day 5: Collosseum

I was really excited for today. We took the train into Rome and took the metro to meet up with Jill and Molly once again. They took us to the Collosseum, which was partially under construction but did not take away from the wow factor. I thought the Collosseum was stunning, but apparently it is collossaly ugly. I did not agreed with this but I guess thats peoples opinion. After, we went to old ruins and looked at a few chruches. For some chruches they dug down and the doors to inside the church was a few feet below the surface. There was so much history in just one place.

Shortly after, we had free time to explore Rome. Taylor, Nicole, Mikayla, Olivia and I, got our maps from Josh and headed out to explore. We stopped in a few touristy shops. I got a sweater and some keychains. We wandered back near the Trevi Fountain from the other day. We also watch one of the people do spray paint art. I thought it was insane what they can do within a short time. For lunch I stopped and grabbed pizza, again. I got sauce and cheese pizza once again, but this time the sauce was a bit different, it had a little spice to it, which I enjoyed a lot. Shortly later, we headed back near the Collosseum, hopped on the metro and went back to the train station.

At the train station we still had about an hour until we had to meet up with everyone else. Taylor wanted to go get books from the book store and so did I, so us five headed there. After checking out, we headed to our meeting spot and waited patiently for the rest of the group to come, while keeping a careful eye on the board for our platform number. When everyone got there and our platform number came up, we walked quickly down to the platform and boarded the train.

While on the train, I sat and enjoyed my music. I enjoyed my music alot more than normal because I barely had listened to any since I left Canada. The train ride seemed slow and it made me really tired, so I took a quick nap on the train.

We had dinner at Allan's that night. It was a Venezuelan style meal. It consisted of rice and beans, beef with a sauce with the perfect blend of spices, cornbread, closlaw, and a fried plantain. For dessert we had a cornbread bar that had the texture of cake, and smelled like carrot cake. We also got a little cup of icing that had a bit of netmeg. I really enjoyed the meal alot, it was very good.

For the short time I had until curfew, I showered and looked around in the market.

Collosseum

Venezuelan meal

Our very yummy dessert