Apparently eighth graders are immunue to jetlag... or they're like some kids who counter react to benadryl by getting more crazy and wild. You would think logging in hours of walking, plus not sleeping for a night, plus going to bed super late would make them teenaged shaped zombies, but instead the good times are a'rollin around here. We found a cool rooftop park (that is really just a pile of ruins with headless statues and weeds), and they got to burn off some energy there, but I'm sure the people who live in this building are wondering who let the herd of elephants in the place.
We started off the day with a walking tour through the heart of Rome. There is no way to truly understand and appreciate everthing here. You'll be walking down the street past an excavation and realize that the original street of ancient rome was a lot lower than it is now due to centuries of build up. At the same time there is a man levitating off the ground seemingly by magic! (clever theatrics, but still) Then you turn around and there's an egyptian obelisk...with a cross on top...in front of a fountain that all of the other fountains in the world wish they could look like. AND you have to try and take it all in while a gypsy is trying to sell you a selfie stick and someone is trying to pickpocket you.
The Pantheon was the second moment I felt chills down my back because I actually felt like I'd been transported to ancient Rome. The first moment was an old statue where people have always (and continue) to leave notes about how much they hate the government (poor statue). Rome is so layered with medieval, ancient and classical buildings that it feels a little bit like Alice falling down the rabbitt hole. Nobody for real fell though, nobody got lost, there was only mild hangriness going on and everyone did great.
We took a Poseidon team picture in front of Poseidon wrestling an octopus. (clearly the octopus represents Mock Trial)
My lesson of the day was not to listen to tourists talking about things and assuming they're true (whether it's where the good gelato is or what artwork is). I got all worked up about seeing the Pieta, when Linda and Lizzy kindly reminded me it's at St. Peter's basilica. Ah well... it was similar.
Tomorrow we're off to the Vatican and then Trastevere. Hopefully we find a socccer ball to buy along the way as we've got a couple of new parks to test out.
And...hopefully nobody tries to sell me a fake futbol. 😂
