Tuesday June 12, First Day in Rome

We arrived safely in Rome, and met our fantastic tour director Giordano.  Giordano has lived in Rome his entire life and is able to give us great insider tips.  He has promised to teach us the ins and outs of Italian hand gestures (the other language Italians use to punctuate an expression and give it a shading that words may not be able to express :-))).  He has a great sense of humor and is a wonderful addition to our tour.  We started the day at the Spanish steps, made a stop at the Trevi Fountain, and saw Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers in the Piazza Navona on our way to the Pantheon.  Piazza Navona is a beautiful square that was built around A.D. 80. It is the area where the movie "Roman Holiday" with Audrey Hepburn was filmed.  Then we "finally" were able to enjoy some organic gelato at Il Gelato di San Crispino.  Personally, I think the Sorbetto al limone was the best.  After gelato, we had multiple options for a quick lunch near Campo dei Fiore.    Students ordered pizza, paninis, and many really liked the rice-mozzarella-meatballs that Giordano had recommended. After lunch we explored the Colosseum with our guide, Francesca.  Francesca shared her passion for ancient Rome at the Forum, as well.  After the Forum we climbed even more steps but were rewarded with a spectacular view of Rome from what the Romans call "the wedding cake", or the Vittoriano.  We exited Capitoline Hill, designed by Michelangelo in 1538,  via Michelangelo's dramatic steps and boarded our bus for dinner.  We were offered a nice selection at dinner starting with antipasto, then a filled pasta, then another plate with chicken, and ended with tiramisu.  After dinner we settled into our hotel.  The hotel has a central location and is convenient for accessing the major attractions in Rome.  The weather looks like it will continue to be warm and sunny; it is around 80 degrees.  It is so good to be back in Italy!