Sunday Bloody Sunday

Preface: I wrote the entries on the last three days in Rome at the end of each day. Sorry I made you wait so long for an entry and that this one is such a beast in length. I'm going to try to upload pictures, but we'll see how it pans out. Thanks for all your comments so far! I hope you enjoy this one and I apologize in advance, since I wrote these at the end of the day, they may have some errors I didn't catch in them....but really we all know I cannot spell, so when in doubt, sound it out :)

After a near panic attack at the SFO airport Saturday morning (Apparently according to Canada Air, which was listed under United, flying from San Francisco to Toronto is a domestic flight i.e. NOT in the international terminal. Also FYI, flying on a Saturday in June means everyone has to check their bag and if you're flying Air Canada, you cannot check in on-line and get in the shorter line, so you'll be in line for an hour waiting to check your bag.), I am now in Rome. But as my mother said, all good trips begin with a hellish start at SFO.


But it didn't end there.


After arriving in Rome, meeting up with fellow API members, and taking a bus to Rome, my roommate Alyssa and I decided to take a walk to orient ourselves and to prevent ourselves from taking a nap an falling deeper into jet-lag. We tucked a map in our purses and were off to explore. Stopping for a treat of gelato in the heat, I realized I recognized the street we were walking down from the previous year. I was sure it wasn't dŽjˆ vu when we turned the corner to find the Pantheon (shockingly, it hadn't moved since 2006-just kidding). However this time we got to go inside it and marvel at the huge dome and marble work. Finally, with a landmark, we pulled out the map and headed to the Piazza Navona, where (this is for Bianca) the Brazilian Embassy is. We then proceeded to walk pass the street our hotel is on and just before reaching the fiume (river) Tevere, I noticed bright red on my black shoes. At first I thought it was red tape or a piece of a poster, but no. Turns out that the back of my right heel was drenched in blood. Not just deep crimson, but bright crayola crayon red splatters were all over my heel and shoe. It was so red, as if the plasma or water part of my blood had evaporated leaving only the red blood cells and all their hemoglobin-oxygen richness on my shoe. While my feet had hurt a bit walking around, I chalked it up to breaking in my flats. We quickly raced back to the hotel-me hobbling and super self-conscious about my fire brazen heels. I even rode the claustrophobic elevator up to our room and raced into the bathroom. I must say though, this is the first time I've ever used a beday (how do you spell that?), and I was glad to have it. I'll spare you the gross details on dressing my wounds. Even if I was able to get all the blood out of those shoes, I don't think I could wear them again.


The rest of the day was pleasant and in better shoes. Although Alyssa and I had said we wouldn't nap-we did. It was maybe for an hour. I justified it saying that I had lost a lot of blood and was in critical need of some R&R. Later, we had a buffet dinner with the API group at a hotel. All my favorites were there-prosciutto and melon, mozzarella and tomatoes that were cold and slightly garlicky, as well as pasta that wasn't over cooked, bruschetta and lamb. It was amazing how our moods changed after the meal-it was even more extreme than my brother, Will, is in between feeding periods. After dinner, Alyssa and two other girls we ate with walked along the Tevere admiring the smorgasbord of goods and services for sale: books, purses, palm readers, canes with an ivory Buddha on the top (which we joked I'd need at my rate with foot wear), wooden sculptures, belts of every color and glitter known to man, bars, a Texan BBQ joint and Japanese San Rio toys such as Hello Kitty. We saw the smallest car ever (it was up to my hip, probably about 4 feet long, and red). Alyssa took a picture of me next to it. Seriously, this car was built for Toby to drive (Toby is my dog, a yellow lab). Leisurely, we made our way back up to the hotel, which we land marked because it is near the Area Sacra (literally Sacred Area), Roman ruins of a temple to Argentena. And for a moment, I wished I was Lucy, my sister, and had taken Latin. And then that moment passed and I am presently in our cute little hotel room with the thinnest twin beds ever, but hey it beats an airplane seat.


Now it is finally time for sleep-it's 10 pm here-I know I'm one crazy party kid ;) . Tomorrow we'll visit "Historic Rome" via walking tour in the morning and a bus trip at night and will have the night free to explore on our own. I'll bring my camera and flood you with shots this time. I was going to take a picture of my foot, but I'll let your imagination run wild with that visual.


Ciao! Jacqueline