Bailey: Friday Sept 13 (dun dun DUNNN) / Saturday Sept 14 (Lazy pants)

Dear Pookus Maximus,

     I think our freakishly accurate bond is acting up again, cause I've been reaching the sanity breaking point, too. You know how you can just tell when you're about to lose it? Yeah, it happened in class two days ago. I was thinking too hard. I WAS THINKING TOO HARD. And dear god I had to start planning my grocery list to tone it down, haha, lordy Europe changes people. I think I've found my focus though, all this thinking has led me to the big topic I think I might pursue, you know if I don't drive myself cray cray. More on this over fb chat.
     I LOVE your project idea, it's fabulous. I love the pictures of it, too, haha Ima need a copy of 'Eva.' You're so artsy, stawp. I propose a new project idea for the future: Bailey Eating Things. Think about it, it could be big. And yeah, no problem, let me know what you'd like me to do cause that's no ish on the book front. I gotchu homie. But Ima really need you to think about my proposal.
     Let's see, my life this week has been a blur of class and homework. I have so much reading to do and all of the Europeans are hella smart and I'm not used to not being the smartest person around. I don't appreciate this. So I've been in the library so often the librarians know me by name (hollaa) and I have a usual spot. Some things never change. My favorite classes are European Nationalism and Art History; my Dickens class is strange, the teacher just throws her ideas on us without letting us discuss too much, but I love the readings. We're reading "Dombey and Son" now, supa long but supa coo'. Okay, I feel like I've bored you enough with my studies. ONTO THE FUN.

     Okay, so for Art History we met at the cat sanctuary. I repeat, CAT SANCTUARY. Rome has CAT SANCTUARIES. Due to the excessive cat population several places in Rome have been designated to house the numerous kitties, and it's AWESOME. The ruins they frolic about in are old temples, aka the Largo di Torre Argentina, which is an old square. Filled with CATS. There are four temples that were there (thank you attractive guy in my class who had to give a presentation), Temples A-D. Temple D happens to be under the road, so that's happened.

 A, B, and C respectively. They were Victory Temples, which were built by supa rich generals and the likes to "thank" the gods (i.e. show off their wealth acquired through conquest and glorify their egos) for helping them militarily speaking. They're made of TUFA (which is quickly becoming my new daddy long legs). Tufa is a volcanic stone that's fire and water proof, so a lot of the foundations of buildings were made a this stuff. But since it's super uggles (read: 'ugly') they covered it with plaster, which I think you can see in these photos. If not, trust me. The Romans also used this stone called travertine, which apparently adds thousands of dollars to your house value if you live in Arizona (thank you, Cat). But the travertine is everywhere in Rome because it's perdy. And (in true, daddy long legs fashion) it's a limestone. I think. You know I was very focused on the cats during this lecture.
     I hate this stupid photo system. Anyway, we didn't spend too much time here, but according to super attractive guy Temple B had an alter where sacrifices (animal, durr) were performed. And yeah, CATS.

     So after this brief presentation we moved to this pretty little over look on top of the Capitoline hill. Brief info sesh- Rome's made of seven hills, and the fountain we were at last time was between the Palatine and Aventine hills, get yo geog skillz a-goin' bro. The Capitoline hill is where the current Senatorial house is, and this pretty little spot.

     Class went on, notes were taken, I loved it, went home exhausted, tried to adventure to find a Mexican restaurant, got lost, it didn't exist, got a cannoli, c'est la vie. Wait that may have been two different days. Dang, it's all just a blur of class and pastries.

      

     Went out last night, had a bouncer carry me like a princess, helped carry a grown man home, woke up, ate the breakfast of champs, and started my adventure to THE COLOSSEUM, aka the whole reason I needed to come to Rome. Okay, it's not, but it certainly influenced my decision (thank you, Henry James). Ur, okay so onslaught of pictures begins NOW!

      The underground parts of the Colosseum, I may have accidentally bypassed a rope and gone into the off limits area. "Accidentally."

That time all the arches were held together by pressure.

History.

      Then we got to go through this epic gate which our tour guide kindly unlocked. Super legit.

My kingdom.

"Graffiti"

      Then we headed towards the top and eventually went through another super intense locked gate.

     This was the Temple of Venus and Roma commissioned by Emperor Hadrian. We learned a fun fact thanks to our handy dandy tour guide (don't you just love them?) that there was a colossus of Emperor Nero over there before the temple was built. It was moved closer to the Colosseum, which is actually called the Flavian Amphitheatre in honor of the emperors who built it, and that's how the Colosseum got its current name. Another fun fact is that Nero's face got changed to Ares's face (lawlz). 

I can't get over how awesome I am.

     After our tour Cat and I excitedly checked out the museum inside the Colosseum.

     That time all sculptures were actually painted and looked super gawdy. I believe people like to conveniently forget about those awful, awful times.

     

     This fella is just fabulous.

If you look closely, you'll find a Roman Troll.

     

     I took one last longing, dramatic, wistful gaze towards my beloved bunch of bricks (lawlz, not just bricks), and walked home with Jenaynay, and then we realized we were locked out. That was a nice half hour of awareness.

I've already decided I'm going back.

   Our lovely door head, who needs a name quite desperately. And the church on our via, which I need to do more detective work on. All I's knows is it's purdy.

     Today (I may have taken a break, it's a Saturday), if fortune smiles down upon us, we head to the Vatican. Ima be wearing my long skirts and lookin' like a lady. I'm already two cups of coffee wired and am prepping myself for some intensive homework time. I declare, we must skype soon, friend. I have ideas I need to run by you, and plans, oh the plans. Tell your mama I said heller, I miss my Cole family. Lick Casey's face for me, and OH MY GOD I was telling Cat about Babs losing her leg and she lost it! Hahaha I swear, I still can't wrap my head around that incident. Lawlz, #smuglyfe. 

I got a little lazy.

     Okay, Ima start on my homework and see where the day takes me. BOOBS OUT.