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Day 7 - Sculptures and Soccer5/3/2018 We started the day off just how I would have wanted it, on the subway. Yes, I really love public transportation. It may have something to do with the fact that I'm 20 years old and still can't drive. This commute was different to yesterday's in the fact that we noticed people wearing a lot more red and gold. This was because today was the day AS Roma was to face Liverpool in the UEFA Champions League Semifinal in Rome. A couple of us had tentative plans to go to the stadium to try to get some tickets to this once in a lifetime opportunity. Until then, it was time to dive into Rome's history, starting off with the Spanish Steps located in the aptly named Piazza de Spagna. I began to grow quite fond of the numerous Piazzas Rome had to offer. The communal town square locations brought the city together and gave the people a nice open atmosphere to congregate in, similar to the Forum in Rome. Climbing the Spanish steps and making our way around the gardens, expertly avoiding a film set as well, we eventually descended back into the Piazza del Popolo, with this Piazza featuring a giant obelisk courtesy of Egypt. It shocked me to discover that there were more obelisks currently in Rome than there were in Egypt. It was also interesting to know that the Piazza del Popolo literally translated into the People's Square, further stressing to me how important squares like this are to big cities. Breaking for lunch gave us a little more time to explore the area and do some window shopping because there was no way I was about to drop $400 on a Gucci belt as that was the only type of stores around us. Regardless, it was nice to see modern day globalization meld so harmoniously with the history of Rome. Walking back to the hotel for a short rest, it was back on a bus for us as we headed to the Villa Borghese. The gardens around the villa in itself were remarkable, stretching to acres with walking lanes cutting through them. After a quick presentation on the Villa, we headed inside ot view the priceless artwork it housed. I thought the work I saw in the musuem in Naples was incredible but I did not expect what was in store for me in the Borghese gallery. This place displayed numerous intricate sculptures and paintings depicting tales and stories. From artists such as Bernini, Raphael and, arguably my favorite, Caravaggio, the work on show was of a caliber I had never expected. Bernini showed me how his legacy didn't stop with his fountains as I saw numerous sculptures he carved especially the one of David depicting him in the throwing motion to throw his rock at Goliath. The baroque style of art had really impressed me. The emotion and attention to detail in the baroque work moved me and told a story. This was also on display with the numerous works of Caravaggio. The dark backgrounds, singular light source, realistic models and emotion in the Caravaggio paintings commanded my attention. There were numerous other priceless works of arts on display, enough for me to go on about for days. Concluding our visit to the Borghese Palace, we were off to the Baths of Caracalla. Getting here was bittersweet because I wanted to explore the famous bathhouses but some of us were to peel off to try and grab tickets to the Roma game at the stadium. After hearing the presentation on the bathhouses, a few of us grabbed a bus to Roma stadium. The atmosphere was absolutely incredible. Fans streamed in in never ending horde cheering and screaming. Fireworks were lit and complicated Roma chants were being bellowed. There was so much happening around us it took a while to take it all in. We tried hard to find to find someone to scalp tickets for the six of us, but with the hype of the game, prices were upward of 200 euros which was too rich for our blood. We decided to take a bus (see how much we love public transport?) to a pub that was infamous for soccer traditions. Little did we know this was an Irish pub with a strong Liverpool fan base. Considering the situation, we concluded it was alright switch allegiances for the unique experience of an English bar. And it delivered. It was almost like the hype of the stadium was concentrated into this bar. After some cheering, screaming and admittedly a few pints later, Liverpool came out victorious and so, in hindsight, it was a smart idea to come to the pub. After the game, we took the metro back to the hotel for some much needed rest after a long day in preparation for the Vatican the next day.
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