The Beehive

Currently I am sitting in the Beehive Hostel/Hotel and loving it so very much. This place is amazing, good bed, free internet, cheap, cool fat cat named ignmar, THE best food I have had in Italy, all while feeling like home. I am in love with this place and it is going to be hard to stay anywhere else. But alas I have one more night. To be honest since the program has ended I have not really done much. I have spent about two weeks in Rome and have really seen and expirenced the sights, there is not much more for me to see and I am dead exhausted. I kinda want to be home.....I miss you all! I am going to do a recap of what I have seen, and once I get done with going through all my photos I will upload them. That is my days Plans pertty much, relax and recap.

Last Program Day in Rome

Hey everyone. Today is the last day that I have in Rome for the Program. Yesterday was the Vatican Museums, they were exhausting and I am surprised that I was able to hold it together and make it through them completely. Just as I was warned, the sistine chapel was over packed and I have seen the images so much it was a let down. I really liked the modern art though that was before the chapel itself. No one wanted to look at it really and they all just marched through those areas so it was quiet and not crowded at all. Going through those museums it was easy for me to understand a smaller church and hope and want for a smaller church. Because there really was not a whole lot of reverence for these places but rather a packed full spectacle.

I also was able to attend mass at St. Peters which was a wonderful experience and to take communion there is awe inspiring. The mass was interesting in that it was a mix of italian and spanish novus oro and an older latin mass. I really enjoyed it.

as a bonus here is a picture that I am uploading!

In Roma

Hey everyone,
I made it to Rome and due to the fact that it is Rome there is a lot more internet connection avaible so I will be able to blog more and hopefully keep everyone updated. Today was a good day and we saw the Colosseum and the Roman Ruins! It was facinating to see the old and the even older. I am doing well and having a good time! Lots of pictures to share and stories to tell!
Love
Dale

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM

In lack of substence and actual things about my trip due to busyness and crazy readings, I wanted to wish my mom a happy birthday! She is really cool and super nice and I love her! Happy B Day Mom and I love you!

Still Alive

Hey everyone I am still alive Just got back from venice. Once again sorry for no blog posts I plan on some good computer time... I love you all!!!! best wishes! Dale

UPDATE Sorry

Today I arrived in Florence and I really like this town. It is smaller than many other espically than that of Rome. The city is small enough in that I was able to walk around it entirely in about an hour. I am so blessed to be here and it amazes every time I just stop and think that I am in Italy. Upon arriving in Firenze from the train the first thing that I noticed was the Duomo. it is so tall and amazing that It is hard to believe that it is really there. It is also interesting to point out that the entire city is almost cpletely under the Duomo. It is the largest structure as well as it is the most grand. So in Rome it was interesting to see the different Catheridals and Basilicas this was even more amazing in that it stood completely on its own and is really the center of the town. From the train station it was easy to find the Convent and get to my room. The Convent is amazing and there is air conditioning which is a godsend in this heat. There is a beautiful garden in the center of the piazatza that is taken care of by the sisters. I will definitely enjoy staying here! The day should be busy and jam packed tomorrow so I will let you know how it goes!

Florence Day 2:

I am constantly amazed by this city. Even though it is easy to see the American tourist's influence upon the city the actual character of the city shines through and there is so much culture that eminates throughout the city. Today Started with the amazing Frisole, which as a small town is amazing and has such great views of Florence. It is easy to understand why the city started here due to its views that see the entire valley on both sides. It is also amazing and like nothing other to feel the impact of a city that is older than you have ever been in. So much history has been created here and we have little concept of how much has happened here. In Frisole we went to the Fransiscan monestary and saw the amazing church that was there.

In Room

Hey everyone!!! I am waiting to get on the rain to Firenze! I am excited to start and see everyone from SU. The Gonzaga Roma group is amazing and they are all really nice and have been wonderful to me. I will miss them but it feels like I have been here for ever.

Yesterday I went to all the 4 basilicas and it was crazy to see them all. They are all so beautiful and I was in awe the entire time. My favorite was st. pauls it was so cool!!! I promise to upload pictures but it is a little had to do so I will get it later. Mitch and I also did the holy stairs which was a really moving experience. Not really much else to report because it is just mozying around Rome. Which is so much fun!

Ok well I have not the greatest internet connection so I am going to go I will post when I get into Florence.

Ciao!

Checking In

Boun jirno!

So I am in Italy and alive and well. It has been so busy lately I have not been able to post! I will hope to post every two or three days that is the goal. And good news! Mitch is going to give me his camera for my trip so there will be pictures uploaded on to my blog. Now I can stop being harassed about not taking picture or a camera! I am doing well though the apartment that I am in is wonderful! it really feels Italian an d makes it seem like we are truly not tourists. The weather is hot and as Mitch and others in the group describe it, it feels like being wrapped up in a blanket, put in to a sauna, and embraced by a very large woman. All at the same time. Well I am having a hard time getting wireless I hope it is easier in Florence. I will hunt out and find it tonight or later this afternoon and do another post,upload pictures and make phone calls! Love you all

JFK Airport

Now sitting in JFK Airport!! I really like this part of the airport, it is comfortable and classy looking. I wish more airports were like this one. It makes me realize how cool international travel is.... I feel like kind of a dork with my headset on making skype calls but they are free!!! Speaking of free this airport is awesome as well because the internet is free!!! I have finally eaten after 24 hours so now I am refreshed and ready to get on a plane to go to London.

Waiting for Plane!

Hey World!
I am just now waiting for the shuttle to take me from the hotel to Laguardia so then I can get a shuttle to JFK. Its complicated but thats what travel is isnt it!!! This is not the most fun part of the trip but I realize that it must be done! The hotel I am in is ok but has shoddy internet connection. I keep getting more anxious by the second and i cannot wait to get there! Yesterday was a bad travel day in that I was stuck in Denver for 3 hours and the flight dragged on forever! But I cannot complain cause I am on my way to such a cool place.
Much Love, Hopefully when I post again I will be in Italy!

Jun 23 5:24AM -Startings Post

The trip started like most of my trips.....chaotic and fast paced. I have resigned the fact that I am a person who does well in the last minute. Right before the trip starts. There is no doubt about it, I am an individual who incites stress upon those around me. Mainly my mother and father. This resignation has allowed me to not be stressed at all but instead to place my stress upon those around me....Sorry! Plans change at the very last minute and I was running late (approx. one hour before the plane leaves late). But once I got through the gate and was on my way I am surprisingly calm. So off I go, onward and upward towards my destination.

Anyways aside the personal note, I am on my way to New York City where I will stay a night and then leave for Roma in the morning. I am super excited and just want to be there but I also recognize that much of the journey there is part of the trip so I am enjoying the time on the plane.

O Tiny Plane

O Tiny Plane

Why Must you vibrate my tush?

Why Must you continue to push,

To make the woman vomit behind me.

There is no doubt in my mind

That I feel your engines whine

While I understand the adventure

I see no reason why

Man still ascends t the sky

In something so sketch as this lovely

Wonderful Hunk of Metal

I am sitting in a EMB 120 Brasilia Plane. Basically it is a prop plane that is so very tiny. There is I would say 25 people on it and I am amazed at how tiny it is. It also vibrates a lot and it is hard to hear. I am enjoying the thought of my mother on this plane and how she would react to all the bumps, ups and downs, and general crazyness of this plane. I can only remember one other time in which I flew on a prop plane but I really like it. There is something about the adventure that is felt. I feel much like Indy on his way to an exciting adventure. Unfortunately the others on the plane do not share my sense of adventure for there is one puking behind me and the gentleman next to me has some very odd facial expressions all showing a general disdain for this flight,

Well I probably wrote too much as it is... But as I said this blog is not going to be the most exciting piece of travel literature there is but I will do the best that I can.

ITALIA!

Oy! Welcome to my travel blog for my trip to The Capitol of the World Italy! I cannot wait to get there and I am so excited for the trip. I am going for 31 days to Florence and Rome to study Philosophy, Art, Religion, and Literature. I am receiving 5 credits for this class and I have a feeling that it is going to be worth all of the effort in preparation and getting ready.

This blog is brought to you by the letter M. Also known as my Mother or Mary because she had the idea (that I was not too receptive to at first) and she (along with Dad) pay the bills so I do what I am told. I apologize for any errors that I make and keep in mind this is a blog so I will do my best to keep you informed.

I am typing this on my brand spanking new ASUS EEE PC 900 which I love dearly and is the best laptop that can fit in 9 inches! The posts will start out long I am sure and then get shorter as time goes on because I will type less and less. I hope to keep it up and would love to do one post each day (probably not going to happen). I am not taking a camera with me to Italy (I know crazy right) because I have a general disdain for cameras and how many gosh darn pictures we take as a society. Well toodles and I wish you all the best! Enjoy reading!