Hello Rome! What an amazing city! I spent the entire day with my family traveling the ancient city by motorcar, visiting all of the historic sites. Everything was so beautiful and so cultured. Rome was such an ancient city and such a contrast from the architecture in the US. And I was surprised and happy to see how green the city was. There were trees everywhere and it created a beautiful atmosphere for the already breathtaking Italian capital.
Our guide took us through the city chronologically, beginning with the ancient times and our first stop, the Circus Maximus. Not much is left to show of this once great arena, but the shape and some of the land markers are still there. I felt as though I had travelled back in time to the age of the Roman Kings and Emperors.
From there we travelled to the huge Coliseum. I could not believe how much of it was still intact after all of this time and after so many had pillaged it for its stone and metal throughout the years. It really was a sight to be seen. I could just imagine the entire structure covered in marble and the stadium filled will energized people screaming and cheering for the gladiators or for the beasts. It was something else.
As we travelled throughout the rest of Rome, the same thought kept coming to me. I was just in awe of how well each building was made and the craftsmanship and care that was put into every single structure. The attention to detail was amazing! The paintings, the sculptures, the murals, the churches, the ruins, the fountains, the list goes on and on. But they all were like a time warp and they all had such detail that I could not imagine how long each project must have taken!
The most amazing and painstakingly beautiful attention to detail that I saw was by far the Vatican Basilica and the Sistine Chapel. The sculptures and paintings by Michael Angelo were breathtaking. The ceilings were painted with a 3D effect, the domes painted with such feeling and emotion, and the sculptures were so lifelike. I have never seen a more ostentatious building in my life, but boy was it a site to be seen!
By the end of the day I felt like I had learned a lot, but I still felt a little sad and discontent. Rome was such a great city and it is one of those places that you really need to spend three days there at least to truly explore the entire city. I loved Rome and would live there in a heartbeat. The city was just so pretty and historic. I really hope that some day I get the chance to come back and visit this beautiful destination again!
By the time we got back to the boat and got settled in our cabins it was dinnertime. Everyone was very tired from the hustle and bustle of moving quickly from location to location, so we took our time at dinner. I wanted to make sure I got in my cross training before the gym closed so I hustled back to the room to change. I had a pretty good workout, focusing mostly on weightlifting for the night. I made sure to work my arms, legs, and abs all in the half hour before the gym closed for the night. Below is the workout, Ciao from Rome!
1) Bicep curls-15lbs (6 sets of 12reps)
2) Tricep extentions-10lbs (6 sets of 12reps)
3) Walking lunges-40lbs in each hand (6 sets of 12-each leg)
4) Shoulder press-15lbs (6 sets of 12reps)
5) Sit ups-50 (2 sets)
6) Push ups-15 (2 sets)
7) Medicine ball squat ab twists-15lbs (2 sets of 50reps)
Courtney Dumas
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