Well my semester abroad has come to an end. The last four and a half months have been eventful that is for sure. I have savored Roman life, seen all the sites, learned to navigate the often confusing city, and have truly made Rome my home away from home. Besides the Eternal City, I have seen a lot of the rest of Italy, from scaling il Duomo in Florence, to masquerading in Venice, to relaxing on the beaches of the Amalfi coast, every place I have gone to has been amazing in its own way. Outside Italy, I have had the chance to see Paris and London, and had a sweet taste of the Rhineland. Europe has been all I could have asked for, yet I have probably seen about 1%. I will have to return very soon.

My experience in Rome has also exceeded cultural encounters and tourist attractions. Rome has gone through some historic events in 2005 all of which I had the opportunity to witness firsthand. The kidnapping of Giuliana Sgrena, the tragic death of hostage negotiator Calipari, the passing of Pope John Paul II, the subsequent conclave, and the election of Benedict XVI, and the decline of the majority Berlusconi government; all of this has occurred since January. I have been exposed to history in a way that I never could have imagined, but that is just the way things are in Rome. You can’t escape it. Around every corner whispers the heroes, legends, villains, triumphs, and tragedies of the past. Some were cemented in time thousands of years ago, others just last week.

The current events in Rome are simply examples of the times we live. Things change today at amazing speeds. As information exchanges quicker than the blink of an eye and transportation becomes more affordable, the world is transforming itself, in many places, faster than ever. From global markets, global networks, global alliances, and a global war on terror, single events shape the entire planet like never before. A global perspective is very necessary to understand these changes. So my final suggestion to my readers is to go out and get this worldly view, even if it’s only one other country and fraction of a continent like I have been able to do. The world is an amazing place. See as much of it as you can firsthand.

Ciao da Roma, la citta belissima,

DON FILIPPO

It's finals week; I am busy studying and handing in term papers. There are so many things going on all at once. Last week was a blur with my brother, sister-in-law and her parents here. Thursday night was especially fun as Paola, the lady that owns the apartment they rented, cooked for us. She brought her friend Laura, her son Federigo and his fiancé Amara with her to help. They made delicious fritto misto, gnocchi, pasta amartriciana, carciofi, and pollo patate al forno. We washed it all down with three bottles of their homemade wine. I was the most stuffed I had ever been in my life. I couldn't even sleep on my stomach that night. In addition to eating so well, we all had a great time talking in our broken Italian and broken English. I wish I would have met them sooner.

On Friday we all took the train to Florence and enjoyed the art and history of the Renaissance and the food and wine of Tuscany. We were all pretty exhausted on the ride home, but I was happy to hear my brother say it was one of the best vacations of his life. Saturday they flew back home and I got back to school work.

Important events continue to occur in Italy. I am stunned at all that has happened since I got here. Right now the Berlusconi government seems to be falling apart. There are even calls for the Prime Minister's resignation. Meanwhile 115 Cardinals are busy deciding who will be the new Pope. Conclave began yesterday and the first signs of smoke are starting to billow from the Sistine Chapel. I'll keep you posted on developments in both.

I am looking forward to getting my finals done. My last few days here will be great without the burden of school work. This Friday I hope to fly to Palermo and spend some time gazing at the Mediterranean from a Sicilian Beach. I need some time to contemplate this amazing study abroad experience as its end quickly approaches.

It is 6 pm and I think a new Pope has been elected. White smoke is coming from the Sistine Chapel. More on this later, I have to go to St. Peter's.

The sun is back out in Rome and I have been showing my family around the city. I hoped to share with them all the best things about Rome like Gelati at Giolitti near Piazza Colonna, the Trevi Fountain at night and the view from Villa Borghese over Piazza del Popolo. I think I have been successful so far. Tomorrow we are doing a day trip to Florence.

Some of the biggest news in Italy is the wave of soccer violence. Italians are wild about their "calcio." As play has begun for the Serie A championship, the last few matches have shown the extremes of their obsession. Sometimes the game gets applied to much broader issues. At a recent game here in Rome, between Lazio and Livorno, the opposing fans clashed. You would have thought it was something from 1920s Italy. Some Livorno fans carried hammer and sickle signs and chanted communist slogans while the Lazio fans were displaying neo-nazi signs and swastikas. The regions that each team hails from have traditionally been on opposite sides of the political spectrum. Both sides hurled objects at each other and taunted the police. I also read reports that Livorno fans trashed the San Pietro train station. There was violence in other places besides Rome. Matches in Palermo, Udine, Cava dei Tirreni and Perugia all reported conflict between the opposing sides. More recently, a flare was hurled at a goal keeper in a game between Inter-Milan and AC Milan. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has said that something must be done.

The violence has really increased all of a sudden. Perhaps it is the intensity of the championship season. An even more troubling reason may be the results of the regional elections held the first week of April. The parties of the center-left coalition "massacred" the center-right coalition which is currently in power. These are the words of Francesco Storace, the right-wing candidate for Governor of Lazio. He predicted before the election that if he lost, which he did, the right would lose their majority come the national parliamentary elections. Right wing supporters must feel threatened by this possibility. The competition for power between the extreme right and extreme left has been very violent in Italy in the past. Hopefully these soccer matches do not foreshadow the future.

Rome has been rainy, cold, and crowded for the last few days. I am feeling a little run down just at the time I need the most energy for finals and term papers. My study abroad is quickly coming to an end. I feel pressured to continue to try to get all I can out of Europe while making sure my GPA escapes unscathed.

Friday was the funeral of Pope John Paul II. We were warned to stay away from St. Peter’s because of the heightened security and gigantic crowd; but people wished to view the funeral in mass so large TVs were set up in numerous Piazzas. We walked to Santa Maria Maggiore first where people packed the square glued to the screen. We then boarded the metro to get to the Circus Maximus where the largest crowd besides that at St. Peter’s had developed. We were not surprised to see what resembled a colorful military encampment in the basin. Flags from all over the world were waved in representation of the global turn out. I wondered how many people in the US had woken up at 4 am eastern to see the funeral. We took a seat on one of the hills where we could see the screen. The service was moving. I had never seen anything like it before. The enormous crowd was fixed on the simple casket that sat in front of St. Peter’s as clergy performed the funerary rituals. A wind blew, flapping the flags in the wind. It eerily turned the pages of the gospels that had been placed on the casket. As the funeral came to an end clouds had covered the city. By 6pm rain had begun to fall and it has continued ever since.

Guests arrived this weekend too, my brother Anthony, his wife, and her parents and later two friends/fellow study abroad students who live in Sevilla in Spain. I was extremely excited to see my brother and other familiar faces. You never realize how much you love your family and being around them until they are far away. I was also enthusiastic about showing off Rome. Being a tour guide can be a lot of fun. Despite the storms, we visited some well-known sites and I helped them figure out the frustrating Roman public transportation. We had great dinners in Trastevere two of the evenings. By last night I was exhausted and now I have a full week ahead of me. All I really know is that Rome needs the sun to come out again.

Rome really feels like the center of the planet this week. With 2 million people expected including 200 dignitaries/heads of state and news services from all over the world already here, it seems like everyone has this city on their mind. It is impossible to avoid the excitement and crowds. Even in the far east of Rome where I live, the Termini train station near my apartment is open all night emptying people into the city.

The true immensity of the amount of mourners is only evident near the Vatican though. On Tuesday evening around 11pm I joined the line to pay final respects to Pope John Paul II. The beginning of the line was at the Tiber River near Castel San Angelo. I had no idea what the next twelve hours would have in store for me. Packed body to body, weaving down the streets of the Vatican, tens (hundreds????) of thousands of people stood in the line. I felt like a herd of cattle in some massive, slow moving cattle drive. Between 11 and 2 we moved although slowly down Borgo Pio. Then the line came to a grinding halt.

Between 2 and 5 am we moved 10 feet. The night had also begun to get colder and legs started to cramp. Groups tried to sit down but there was no room. Trash and empty bottles sometimes ankle deep littered the ground and the port-a-potties were awful. People in line began to fall and medics had to push through the crowd to get to them. In the homes lining the streets people opened their window crossing themselves and saying "Madre Mia" as the size of the crowd staggered them. Some people began to sing, others to chant "Giovanni Paolo." Thunderous applause would sound every time we took a step forward. At one point, we passed a RAI building where they had set up TVs to let us see the inside of the Basilica. This thrilled us as it reminded us there was an end to this line.

I tried to bond with the people around me. They were from all different countries but Italy and Poland were most highly represented. School groups, families, friends, nuns, and priests, we all stood together trying to persevere and keep our heads up through the night. Our pilgrimage had become a test of endurance.

At 5 am the line began to move forward ever so slightly. About once every 5 minutes we took 5 steps forward. As the sun began to rise we had made our way down Via Corridori and were prepared to turn onto Via Concilazione when we were met with a wall of police officers. They had their arms stretched out and were yelling "piana, piana" "calm down." They were only letting a small portion of the crowd through every 10 minutes. When it was our time we moved quickly turning onto Concilazione, thrilled to be able to actually move again but we were greeted with another massive line spanning all the way to the mist enshrouded St. Peters. The Basilica became like a heavenly object for us, our paradise at the end of our ordeal.

The line to St. Peters moved slowly. We reached the center of the Piazza at around 9:00 am as the mist cleared around the Basilica. In this open area we were able to grasp how massive the crowd was, how the line stretched beyond our field of vision. We weaved our way from the obelisk, which was covered in memorial objects for the Pope, to the steps, then walked up through the center doors of the Basilica. I had made it. The walk through the Basilica was very solemn. John Paul II lay in state peacefully, surrounded by archbishops, cardinals, and Swiss guards.

Why had so many stood so long in difficult conditions to see one man? The most common answer was that they believed John Paul II would do it for them. He had traveled all over the world often sick and in pain. During each of his 150 visits to 116 countries he shared his belief that every individual on the planet has enormous value and that he genuinely cared about every human being. He did not seal himself up in the Vatican, he came to the world and now the world had to come to him.

More than any other contemporary, the Pope showed what it means to be a leader. His leadership was not displayed through aggressive statements or acts but through peaceful addresses and inspiration. In a world where the ability to influence is often based on how many people could be killed by a nation's weapons of mass destruction, the Pope's ability to influence came through how many people he could inspire.

Besides the doctrine he taught are the universal virtues that he stressed. When people think of John Paul II, the characteristics of compassion, courage, forgiveness, peace, and hope should come to mind, characteristics that should be far more evident in the world today. As a wave of religious and political turmoil has gripped many nations these are the characteristics that should be encouraged. Throughout his life the Pope stood unwaveringly for them in society. While living by them, he undertook the most impressive of humanitarian missions and showed that humanitarian motives are things that people should hold in the highest regard. Most importantly Pope John Paul II helped people have faith that love truly has the greatest power in the world. With love, no obstacle is insurmountable, no problem is impossible. For these reasons Karol Jozef Wojtyla, John Paul II, can truly be called The Great.

Last Thursday, around 6:00, Rome was hit by a terrific rainstorm. The sky darkened and a deluge engulfed the city that lasted for over an hour. The day had been beautiful and the rain really seemed to come out of nowhere. I worked on some class work at school while waiting for the storm to stop. Thursdays are the end of the school week for me and I was in a hurry to get my weekend started. After the rain ended I made my way to the school residence on the opposite side of the Tiber from where I live to participate in a poker tournament some other students had arranged. I got in the game and was doing pretty well for myself. We had narrowed the field from 16 to 4 when someone came into the room to say that CNN was reporting that Pope John Paul II was receiving his last rites. We all knew that il Papa, as the Romans call him, was very sick but this announcement came as a shock. We put on the TV to see broadcasts from St. Peter's square just up the road and decided to go to the Piazza to see what was going on in person. A crowd was forming as we arrived, but police had blocked off the Piazza. Several news agencies, speaking numerous languages were interviewing people concerning the breaking story. It did not look good. Septic shock from a urinary track infection had given the Pope a high fever and caused his blood pressure to decline. He asked not to be transported to the hospital and to remain in the Papal Apartment. We held vigil with the others who had come to show their support. Many people began to pray. We gazed up at the lights that illuminated the windows of the Pope's quarters knowing he was suffering greatly. We wondered if this was truly the end of one of the greatest papacies in history.

Friday came and Pope John Paul's condition continued to worsen. Piazza San Pietro had been opened and an enormous crowd had gathered. I was supposed to attend political rallies for the up coming regional elections, but these were all canceled out of respect. At school or at my apartment I followed the reports from the Vatican. The streets of Rome seemed somber. The city it seemed had already begun to mourn the charismatic and beloved Papa, a man the Romans are sure cannot be equaled by his successor. Pope John Paul was always reaching out to people especially the youth regardless of where they came from. And although considerably weakened on Saturday night he was able to comment on the predominately young crowd that he was told was outside his residence. He said about the crowd to the people at his bedside: "I have searched for you. Now you have come and I thank you."

By Saturday the Pope's fever was rising, his blood pressure continued to decline, and he began to slip in and out of consciousness. Members of the College of Cardinals began to come to Rome to pay their final respects. I walked home after doing some work at school and noticed that the city had become colder than it had been in weeks. I reached my apartment and turned on the TV which interspersed live reports with footage of Pope John Paul, young and energetic, exhibiting the qualities that had made his Papacy so great. Piazza San Pietro was at capacity with people patient and praying. Around 9:30 Pope John Paul II passed away. After the announcement the city of Rome filled with bells ringing. Rome and the World had lost an incredible person.

It was just Holy Week in Rome and the city welcomed numerous pilgrims. Rome is really the place to be for this time of year. The weather was really good and the recent influx of tourists was obvious. Also all over the city were advertisements for una Buona Pasqua or Happy Easter. Some stores such as the Castroni up the street from my school even had a display with Easter eggs and other candy.

The busiest part of the city for the week was by far the Vatican where the line to get into St. Peter's seemed forever lengthening. Even more people than usual from all over the world were there to celebrate the holy time for Christians. Heading toward the weekend events really picked up. A Stations of the Cross began at the Coliseum on Good Friday. Of course on Easter Sunday, the Pope was present for mass at St. Peter's where numerous flowers decorated the Basilica steps and even more people crowded the square for a glimpse of the Pontiff.

Other than Easter, things have really begun to slow down as far as seeing sites and interesting happenings. This is probably because I do not have much time. I am busy with classes and school work. I am learning a lot in my classes but I can't help but wish sometimes that the "study" had been left out of my study abroad.

One interesting little trip last week was with my history class and Professor Argentieri. We visited the National Liberation Museum fittingly on Good Friday. The museum is located in a Palazzo that served as the German Army's interrogation center/torture chamber during the occupation of Rome by the Nazi's in 1943/1944. This was perhaps Rome's darkest hour in the 20th century. After Italy signed the armistice with the Allies in 1943, the Nazi's were ruthless in their persecution of any Italians they deemed to be a threat. They even issued a guarantee that for every single German soldier killed by the resistance in Rome, 10 Italians would be executed. The evidence of their ruthlessness comes to life in the items and empty cells in the museum. From blood stained shirts to the messages scrawled in the walls by people awaiting torture and execution, the building is quite a chilling place. Many of the messages left behind by the prisoners end with the dates of their incarceration. The ever present exit date is March 24, 1944.

This is the date where the Nazi guarantee came into full effect. Following a resistance bomb that killed 33 on Via Roselli, the Nazi's rounded up 335 prisoners. Transported them to the Ardeantine Caves and executed them. They beat their promise of 10 to 1 by 5.

One question I couldn't help but ask myself during my visit to the Museum of Liberation is how human beings could treat each other this way? Wasn't there any way to stop the senselessness? Even worse how can these types of things continue today? Just a few years ago war crimes were being committed in Kosovo. Middle Eastern regimes continue to brutalize their people. Africa continues to be home to a side-show of bloodthirsty dictators, warlords, and murder. In Darfour in the Sudan massacres continue as I write this. The questions remain, how can humans do this to one another and can these atrocities be prevented? I am left with more questions than answers in this paragraph it seems. Reply with any thoughts.

Laura and I enjoyed the last two days around Sorrento shopping on Corso Italia, eating at nice restaurants, and enjoying the beautiful weather. We had great seafood at La Fenice and amazing service at a little side street trattoria near Piazza Tasso. I loved relaxing with a café at Café Ercolano while we waited for the bus or sitting near the marina and watching the sea. Everywhere Laura got to indulge herself in tiramisu. It was real sweet living: great food, good weather, and shopping for Laura, not really for me.

By the time Sunday came we were ready to head north again. We decided to stop at Pompeii then catch the train from Naples to Rome. We loaded all our stuff which had increased quite a bit thanks to 5 bottles of wine Laura had bought and put it on our backs. Needless to say, it was nice to get a seat on the train to Pompeii. We passed around Vesuvius through multiple small towns like Castellammare di Stabbia where my mom's father's family came from nearly 100 years ago. We reached Pompeii station and made our way to the ruins which are expansive. There is really a whole city to walk through complete with homes, theaters, courthouses, markets, and of course the infamous brothel, whose street happened to be closed while we were there. Sorry no ancient vice for us. I liked imagining what the city was like before the eruption and how the people must have felt when they saw Vesuvius ready to blow. The campaign slogans you see written in red paint on many of the walls give testament to an election that perhaps never occurred. The theater echoes with performances that unfortunately could not continue. The houses still contain belongings left frozen in time.

From Pompeii we got back on the Circumvesuviana line to Naples. We went on an unfruitful mission to find the so called best pizza in Naples at Da Michele and had to settle for McDonalds. After our fast food dinner and unfortunately no tiramisu for dessert, we bordered our train to Rome.

Laura and I spent our last night together in Rome over Pasta Lenticchi and red wine. I was the chef. We went to bed early as we had to catch an early train to Fiumicino so she could catch her flight. I waited so long for her to come and now she was going back. It was not a nice feeling.

We said goodbye at security at Fiumicino and for the first time in a while I felt like I couldn't wait to get back home. I just told myself I had to let that feeling pass. I wasn't going to spend the next month in a hurry to get home. I was still in a nice position here in Europe, even though back in that position alone.

We had trouble finding our hotel in Sorrento, Casale Antonietta, probably because of the traffic and the dark. We drove past the street it was on maybe five times before calling the hotel owner to ask if he could meet us somewhere we both knew and lead us from there. Luckily he was happy to do so. He led us up the elusive street we had just recently passed. It was so narrow that Rob almost couldn’t help but have the passenger side mirror scrape a wall. Don’t worry. We got the rental insurance. We finally pulled into the driveway and were greeted by a big German shepherd, our guard dog for our stay. My room with Laura was a little stand-alone bungalow called Eolo. By this time it was late and time to rest up for the day ahead.

We woke up fairly early to see what our bed and breakfast yard looked like in the daylight. We stepped out to see lemon trees all over and the first spring flowers beginning to bloom. We were also up very high, but trees obscured our view of the Bay of Naples except in a few spots. We walked around the property. The German shepherd lounged in the sun. He looked pretty nice but I wasn’t so sure about getting very close. I picked one of the lemons and tasted it. It was good but I don’t like eating lemons like oranges. I gave up on it after a few bites. Beside the shepherd, there were several other animals: smaller dogs, chickens, and a horse. I liked the place a lot. Laura had picked a good one from all the way in Pittsburgh.

After exploring the Casale Antonietta we hopped a bus into Sorrento and went to the marina. There we caught a ferry to the well-known island, Capri. The ferry over was beautiful as we looked at the cliff-lined coast along the way. Capri was also very nice but we felt like we were held back by the ferry schedule. We should have went earlier because there is a lot to see but if we tried to see it all we would be stuck on the island over night. We settled for enjoying a big lunch near Piazza Umberto, admiring the view from Marina Grande, and having a gelato. Someday we will go back for the Blue Grotto and Villa Jovis.

The next day we decided to see drive the Amalfi Coast. Unfortunately we would have to take the bus as Rob and his friends had driven the coast the day before in the car. It’s quite a white-knuckle adventure driving the Amalfi Coast. The road snakes along the cliffs with amazing views of the sea. In many spots it’s difficult for two cars to pass with out slowing down a great deal let alone big buses. Also the bus drivers can’t see around corners so they simply beep to warn on coming traffic to slow down. By the time we had reached Positano we were both dazzled by the sun drenched, aquamarine, cliff-side view and a little carsick.

Positano is one of the most famous Amalfi Coast towns. It’s built right into the cliffs and thus has more steps than roads. Laura and I walked down tons of steps on the way to the beach past restaurants and trendy stores, all preparing for the coming high season. We stopped periodically to see the view and also at a deli to get some food for lunch. Finally we reached the shore. Although the beach at Positano is grey and rocky its location at the base of the cliffs framed by jagged peaks makes it picturesque and unique. We lay on the beach for a while and ate some of the deli food. The weather was cool and there was not a cloud in the sky. As I listened to the surf with Laura next to me I realized the magic of the ancient Amalfi Coast. We are just the most recent travelers who over millennia have been captivated by the Mediterranean at Positano. It is an atmosphere that makes many people never want to leave. I definitely didn’t want to leave, especially because the tons of steps we had recently walked down, we were going to have to walk back up!

The average American doesn’t get the chance to spend 5 months in Europe that often. I was not about to spend all my time in class so I took two weeks for spring break. Rob, his two friends Mike and Rob, and Laura and I rented a car and headed into the Mezzogiorno as Southern Italy is called. It was a little cramped having five people in a Nissan Micra but we managed. We sped down the Autostrada and before we knew it were exiting into Naples.

Naples is Italy’s gritty southern metropolis. Neapolitans are famous for both their backwardness and hospitality. We got to experience both. If driving in Rome is simply an adventure, driving in Naples is for real thrill seekers. The streets need to be repaved, everyone double parks, some lanes lead to nowhere, one-way streets are not marked, and the streets are so crowded you would think every citizen of the city has a car and a moped. To makes matters worse our map was not that great. We took a risk and turned onto a side street, which quickly narrowed to an impassable alley. In attempting to turn a corner we scraped a parked car whose driver promptly stepped out and began shaking his head and mumbling in Italian. Luckily his car was not damaged and he pulled up. We got around the corner and parked in the first spot we found. As we walked away from the car Rob was immediately approached by an old man who demanded 2 Euro to watch the car for us. We paid. Naples was not looking good so far.

We walked down the major street Corso Umberto I but unfortunately could not find anywhere to eat. Everywhere seemed to be closed until later in the evening. We couldn’t leave without getting some real Neapolitan pizza. Naples is Italy’s pizza capital. The city even has special regulations that pizzerias must comply with to get the stamp of approval as “real pizza”. We were beginning to give up hope and contemplating going to McDonalds when we saw a sign pointing us to Ristorante Re Ferdinando. We walked in and were met with a hostess who told us they too were closed. We walked out dejected only to be caught from behind by the same hostess who apparently had second thoughts. Naples is strange.

The food was great. We all had antipasta from the buffet and then I had a Pizza al Diavolo all to myself. The Devil pizza, as it translates, is topped with ham and pepperoncino. Beyond the great food, the staff was extremely friendly. The restaurant was obviously a family affair. The wife was the hostess and the husband the cook. Their daughter just hung out, a future waitress I am sure. An older lady probably the grandmother also wandered in at one point. The “famiglia ristoranta” asked us about where we were from and what we were doing in Naples.

After eating we got cappuccino and found our way back to the car. Luckily it was still there. I guess the old man had done his job. Naples is a great city despite its problems but Italian politicians and law enforcement really need to find a better way to improve the status quo. Chaos and corruption shouldn’t keep people away from the good things that Naples has just beneath the surface.

I felt good to be back in Rome after my trip to Germany and Paris. It already feels like home. Even better I was happy to see my girlfriend, Laura, who came here on her Spring break from University of Pittsburgh, one of my favorite people from my Pennsylvania home. I couldn’t wait to show her everything I could in Rome. Also the weather is really getting beautiful here now. In the middle of the day you never need a jacket and the sun is always shining it seems.

We took advantage of the good weather, traveling all over the city. We went to St. Peter’s, somewhere I had not been yet. Piazza San Pietro is the most beautiful Piazza in Rome, well technically it’s in the Vatican, but you know what I mean. A huge colonnade surrounds it. Two massive fountains stand opposite each other inside. Numerous saintly statues sitting high on the colonnade perpetually stare down at the crowd. And of course there is the Basilica dominating the one side with its enormous Dome. Inside is an artistic heaven on earth, especially with the heavenly masterful work of Michelangelo, La Pieta, kept in a chapel on the right side. Crypts of the popes are located all over, their faces carved in the richest marbles. The tremendous Baldacchino over the altar is also a sight to see. But perhaps the greatest sight is at the top of the dome. We climbed all the way to the top to see perhaps the best view of Rome. We left St. Peters but later returned for the Pope’s Sunday blessing. Unfortunately it was given by a substitute as John Paul II, il Papa as the Italians call him continues to recover from an illness. I believe he is doing much better now as Holy Week approaches.

After San Pietro, I took Laura to many of the other sights in Rome I had already been to. It was great to go back to the Coliseum, Forum, and shopping on del Corso. We also got a free tour of the Pantheon and Santa Maria della Sopra Minerva courtesy of Professor Dabell and art history class. Rob also had some friends visiting and we had a great dinner altogether in Trastevere. On our last night in Rome before heading on the southern Italian trip we planned, just Laura and I went out to Colle Oppio. It is a restaurant/lounge overlooking the Coliseum on a hill of the same name. It’s a great place for night views of the Roman ruins, and great dinners and drinks.

Having someone from home to share Rome with was great. It is a fantastic city that everyone must see. Having Laura around also made me miss everyone from home especially my family though, and I knew it would be very tough when she had to go. But I will be home soon and I can’t wait to see everyone again. Right now I can’t help but just continue to indulge in my great experience here, however a little homesick.

My last full day in Paris was cold and snowy. Cold Scandinavian air was mixing with warm African fronts to bring about rain, snow, slush, and overall miserable weather. I took refuge in three of Paris’ best museums: The Rodin, the Invalides, and, of course, the Louvre.

The Rodin museum is in an old 18th century estate with a huge house and ornate gardens. It contains many of Rodin’s most famous sculptures in a variety of different mediums especially black bronze. “John the Baptist” greets you right as you enter with his dignified bearded face. “The Man with the Broken Nose” is interesting with his far away gaze. The numerous sculptors of Psyche, muses, sculptors, and lovers continue to impress as the intricate detail of the artist expresses the most powerful of emotions, inspirations, and ideas. Rodin’s unparalleled skill instilled humanity in bronze and stone.

The best works of the museum are perhaps outside though. The “Gates of Hell” are near the entry in constant torment. The famous “Thinker” sits high among some spruce trees, locked in his eternal thought. The “Burgers of Calais” walk in still life on a small lawn. I especially liked the story of this sculpture. I will allow this inscription from the Standford copy of the statue to relate it:

“In 1884 the French city of Calais commissioned Auguste Rodin to create a memorial honoring heroes of the 100 Years War. He depicted the six burgers or citizens who in 1347 volunteered to leave the defeated city barefoot, tied by rope at the neck, and offer their own lives and the keys to Calais to King Edward III of England. The burgers fortitude, determination and devotion to their community preserved Calais from being pillaged at the end of a devastating siege. The burgers are shown at the moment of their departure from the city.

For Rodin this episode was an opportunity to celebrate the idea that heroic deeds may be performed by ordinary people. He did not follow tradition by idealizing the figures, rather he was uncompromising in his depiction of emaciated hostages and represented them as distinct individuals. Their faltering steps, despairing gestures and anguished expressions eloquently express the inner turmoil of each man struggling in his conscience between fear of dying and devotion to the cause.

This installation of independent casts was suggested by the sculptor’s wish to have the figures set among the paving stones of Calais town square, that the citizens of today might learn from the example of their heroic ancestors” (Stanford University Inscription).

From the Rodin museum I walked through the falling snow to the nearby Invalides. This building was once a hospital for wounded French soldiers. It is highly fortified and architecturally impressive, especially its golden dome. Louis the 14th even wanted his hospitals to be works of art. Today the Invalides contains a military museum, the museum to the French Resistance in WWII, and the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte, which is the real draw. Napoleon’s tomb is everything you would expect an emperor’s tomb to be. It pays special attention to the European obsession with the Roman Empire. Napoleon’s remains are kept in an enormous sarcophagus that in the Roman style is either made of porphyry or some other purplish stone. An inscription even says, “Napoleon, Emperor of Rome.”

By the time I was done with the Invalides it was beginning to get dark but at least the weather was improving. The snow had stopped. I got dinner then went to the Louvre, which is open late on Wednesday evenings. The Louvre is the greatest museum I have ever been in, from inside out. The enormous Palace is a wonder of architecture. The I.M. Pei Pyrimid entrance is amazing. The art collection is probably the greatest on the planet. Futility comes to mind when trying to describe this massive collection. Painting, sculptures, carvings, sketches, objects, ancient, recent, and all encompassing are the words I can use. I walked through as much as possible. I think maybe I saw a quarter of the works in 3 hours. That gives you an idea of the size of the complex. It makes me ask, why would anyone need a house so big, especially with Versailles nearby? My favorite room was definitely where the big Peter Paul Reubens’ are located. I love the big paintings, with tons of figures, and lots of action.

I went to bed exhausted that last night in Paris. The City of Light had taken a lot of energy to see. In the morning I caught a plane back to Rome. I had big plans for the week ahead. My girlfriend Laura was coming and I was ready to show off my new home sweet Rome! Paris was great but I have a soft spot for the Eternal City.

This semester is going way too fast. It's incredibly tough to keep up with Rome, classes, travel, and keeping in touch with everyone. Be aware if you're thinking of studying abroad. It can be exhausting. So I am a little behind with my entries. I have been traveling and seeing so much from the Rhineland to Paris in one trip; then back to Rome to head south to Naples, Pompeii and the fantastic Amalfi Coast for another.

But first things first: the City of Light. I arrived in Paris by train into the Gare du Nord on a Monday afternoon. I made my way into the Montmartre district so named for the high hill that looks over the city. The district lies along the Blvd. Rouchechart near the scandalous Pigalle district and Place de Clichy, but is also home to the religious Basilica de Sacra Coeur. Sacra Coeur was my first stop in Paris. Inside, the very white basilica is beautifully decorated with religious art. Unfortunately it cannot compare to the amazing view from the high Montmartre where the basilica is located. It was a clear day and I could see for miles. Blue skies as far as the eye could see and all of Paris south of Montmartre spread before me. The steps were crowded with tourists and typically bohemian residents of the Montmartre enjoying the clear weather and spectacular view.

After checking into the Avenir Hotel on Blvd Rouchechart I decided to take a walk near the Siene and get a feel for using the extensive Paris Metro and figuring out where the sights are located. As night fell, it began to get very cold. Using the metro was easy as I quickly went from my hotel to the Trocadero, Eiffel Tower, Champ du Mars, Ecole Militare, and Invalides, admiring all during my walk. The Eiffel Tower is an amazing work of engineering and is especially impressive lit up. On the hour the massive structure twinkles for around 10 minutes in addition to its dusk until 2am constant illumination. The lay out of Paris and architecture are also very appealing. There are wild Boulevards, large Placés, and massive lawns. The buildings are different but have a unique Parisian style. By the end of my walk it was way below freezing and it looked as if snow was in store the next day.

I awoke to a dusting of snow the next morning. After having breakfast delivered to my room (a perk of the Avenir) I again boarded the Metro, this time headed for Isle St. Louis where Notre Dame is located. The façade of Notre Dame and the huge rose windows were most impressive. Its location on an island in the Siene is also picturesque and pleasant. From Notre Dame I moved down the Siene to the Museum Orsay. One thing about Paris is that it is difficult to not stop every few blocks and take pictures. The whole city is a postcard.

The Museum Orsay has one of the largest collections of Impressionist artwork. I became acquainted with the masterpieces of Monet, Cezanne, Degas, Renoir, and Lautrec. Pardon to any of the masters I left out; there were just so many. These paintings depict the world in a whole different way with vibrant colors, quick brush strokes, and heavy coats of paint. They are a strong contrast to the Renaissance art of Italy. The sculptures at the Museum Orsay were also great. Particularly the Rodins convinced me to go to his museum the next day.

After the Museum Orsay I prepare myself to scale the Eiffel Tower. It is a lot bigger than I thought. The steps seemed never ending. Pisa's Tower was cake and Cologne's Cathederal was not much worse but Eiffel was pretty tough, but I am way too young for elevators. The climb was worth it. The view was spectacular, even better than Sacra Coeur. I had also timed it just right. The sun was shining its setting rays into the Siene.

Just recently, Italian Journalist Giuliana Sgrena was released by her captors in Iraq. After her release, she and a hostage negotiator were fired upon by US troops for failing to stop at a road block. The negotiator was killed and Ms. Sgrena was wounded. This unfortunate accident has given birth to the terrible conspiracy theory that US troops were deliberately targeting Ms. Sgrena because she writes for a leftist paper.

In light of these facts there is something concerning Italian or even world politics in general about which I wish to comment. In the political science and history class I take here, in the books I read about Italian government, even in the current newspapers and periodicals the struggle between ideology and pragmatism is constantly addressed.

The American and British political and social systems have been dominated by a pragmatic approach: an insistence on consequences, utility and practicality as vital components of truth. This is not to say that ideology has not played an important role in these two nations; but not to the degree it has played in the vast majority of other European nations and the rest of the world in the last 250 years. Europeans have seen their histories determined if not plagued by ideological movements and conflicts. In Italy for instance, a so-called silent civil war corresponding with the Cold War raged between the conflicting ideologies of neo-fascists and communists. It is called "i anni di piombo" or the years of lead and was filled with bombings and political assassinations. Before coming here I failed to see how strongly the ideologies of the Cold War had affected other nations like Italy, Greece, and Chile, besides the dominant powers of the US and USSR. Ideology was seemingly at the heart of the majority of 20th century conflicts.

Unfortunately ideological battles have not ended with the Cold War. They continue concerning issues of globalization and international trade, and are at the heart of the conflicts in the Middle East. The recent war in Iraq has become the fulcrum of ideological battle as the Cold War once was.

Through my recent studies I have come to believe that ideology can be dangerous. Some may argue that pragmatism is too wishy-washy, that it lacks real convictions or an ethical framework, but in ideological approaches I see only inflexibility that will ultimately lead to conflict. Pragmatism develops a plan that addresses problems as they arise where as being ideological imposes a plan while disregarding the problems the plan will eventually cause.

So where am I going with all this? Did I just feel like submitting my next political science term paper to my blog today or do I actually have a point I am trying to make? What I really wish to say in this blog is that since the events of the terrible September 11 Attacks, the United States and the rest of the world have become far more ideological than they were just a few years before. Our ideologies have clearly and heatedly pitted Americans against each other as evident in the recent Bush/Kerry election. They have pitted The US against former allies especially in Europe. They have also given stronger voices to ideological and divisive forces like Michael Moore, Bill O'Reilly, and Ann Coulter in the US. Too often the education offered in American and European Universities is one of ideology rather than giving students the framework to be pragmatic. This change in the politics of the US is so clearly observed by Europeans perhaps because it reminds them of their own politics and the politics of everywhere else in the world. I did not as easily observe this change or put it into context until I looked at my country from outside its borders.

I hope this entry helps people who read it from the US and anywhere else realize the polarization that has occurred in our world. The blame for its occurrence should not be placed on any individual or group but perhaps on the violence, fear, and even the forced resolve that accompany the issue of terrorism. What people can do now to mend the divide is to shun ideology and pragmatically approach decisions. Ideology in the 20th century egged on genocide, gave excuses to terrorists, and cost countless lives. This young century although already plagued by violence and discord still gives us the chance to make things different.

I have just returned from my first trip outside of Italy this semester. I visited Western Germany and Paris. My destinations in Germany included Dusseldorf and Cologne. I have family living near Dusseldorf in the city of Neuss. This part of Germany was everything I imagined it to be. All my travel books called it one of the most industrially developed, affluent parts of all of Europe. It is clean and efficient and proud of its German culture. From the fantastic public transportation system to the picturesque parks and the proud Alstadts (city halls), everything about the region stresses streamlined German engineering and the enjoyable Rhineland mentality.

Beyond experiencing the Rhineland, I also enjoyed Germany because of my opportunity to see my great Uncle who I hadn’t seen in years. We got better acquainted with things like my family history, how Europe differs from the US, and where I hope to be in the future. He worked as an architect who traveled extensively and lived in three different countries. Though he has aged and slowed down quite a bit, he still has his innumerable experiences and quick mind which always make for great conversation and interesting insights on life in general.

As for the sites I saw in Germany, I visted the Alstadts, the ritzy Ko shopping area of Dusseldorf, and the amazing Dom Cathedral in Cologne, perhaps the greatest example of the High Gothic. Climbing the 800 plus steps to the top was very tiring but every bit worth the effort. I got to see the amazing view of all of Cologne, while puffy white clouds moved in the endless blue sky above the Rhine River.

Besides seeing these sites, it was great to relax after my week of finals by going to BierGartens and savoring the traditional Dusseldorf Alt Beer or the Cologne Kolscz with German sausage and potatoes. When I cared for dessert fare I could always sit in a local café overlooking the Platz with a coffee and eating black forest cherry cake. Inside the cafe, the German old ladies would be enjoying their afternoon chat while the people in the Platz hurried about their daily business.

From the Neuss Hauptbahnhof, I caught a train through Brussels en-rout to Paris. I gazed out the window at the Belgian and then French countryside passing by, while wondering what Paris would be like and how my first experience traveling completely alone would be. My experiences in The City of Light would surpass expectations but I’ll save that for another entry.