We had classes again this morning. Italian is getting better because I feel more comfortable, but I still need to improve my speaking and review some of the tenses. My art history class was cancelled at 11:30 because we had a field trip in the afternoon, so I took the time to relax a little before going to lunch.

At 3:00, I met up with some of the other students from my class and we caught the train to the Piazza del Popolo. We met our professor outside the Church of St. Maria Del Popolo and he explained some of the places we would see on our trip.

The church was the first place we stopped. It was simple for an Italian Renaissance building, but was by no means simple for our standards. There were paintings and carvings everywhere. The building was designed by Raphael, and the sculptures were done by Bernini and Lorenzetti. Two Caravaggio paintings also hang in one of the chapels, "Crucifixion of St. Peter" and "Conversion of St. Paul," both of which I studied in my last art history class. It was so amazing to see them both in person!

Our professor then led us on a walk through the backstreets of Rome, including Via Margutta, an 1100-year-old street that has been featured in many movies and housed famous artists for years. It is now made up of galleries and antique shops, but it is a very quiet street, with the relaxed atmosphere of Italian life. It was in great contrast to the Piazza di Spagna, our next stop on the trip. Once a meeting place for artists and models, it is now a noisy, crowded meeting place for students and tourists. Our professor showed us some of the shops in the area before taking us by the Tomb of the Emperor Augustus and then out for gelato.

After the tour, we went back to the hotel and then met up with some friends to celebrate Matt's birthday. We went to an ice bar, which is literally a bar made of ice. Even the cups are ice! When you go inside, they give you a cape and you enter into what looks like a scene from Star Wars. There are wool-covered benches on the walls and an igloo with seats inside as well. The first drink was free, but after that we stuck to shots because they were fairly inexpensive. We must have stayed for two hours and by the time we left we were freezing! It is only about 24 degrees Fahrenheit inside.

Getting home was a bit chaotic. The alcohol sets in really fast once you step out into the heat. Add to that the fact that bus schedule was different because of the late hour and that the only one who knew how to get us home left while some of us were in the bathroom and you pretty much have our night. We ended up taking a bus and then a taxi, but we finally made it home safely around 2:30.