GL 350 Wk 6

This week was awesome and has stuck out for me a little more than the other ones have so far.  This week we visitet St. Peter's and the Sistine Chapel.  We climbed the 550 steps to the top of the dome of St. Peter's and it was worth each step once we reached the very top.  The view was breathtaking.  It felt as if we could see forever.  Being at the top of the dome was a reward in itself for the long treck up the spiraled steps. After traveling up the dome we had class inside Vatican City and lunch at Alice's... Which is now my favorite pizza in Rome!

Inside St. Peter's I saw my favorite work of art so far on this trip.  My Sophomore year at Walsh, I took an Art History class.  I found this class to be pretty interesting and  I'll never forget learning about La Pieta.  I thought that statue was the prettiest and most moving statues I have ever seen.  The details were amazing.  When I was able to see the statue in real life just feet away from me it was really touching.  I couldn't believe I was so close to such a beautiful masterpiece by Michelangelo. "No block of marble but it does not hide the concept living in the artist's mind-pursuing it inside that form, he'll guide his hand to shape what reason has defined." - Michelangelo, "The Smiles of Rome"

 

Inside the Sistine Chapel was unique as well.  It was amazing to see how big The Judgement was when you were standing so close and not just looking at it from a picture. I couldn't believe we were actually there.  This is also how I felt when we were underneath St. Peter's, where we toured to see his remains. The journey from the beginning to the last stop where his remains were seemed like a long one because of the anticipation of what I knew we were going to see.  I felt as if I was somewhere very sacred and special while I was down there.  When we arrived at the room where St. Peter was, it was very humbling and a little bit intimidating.  It was not what I expected, but it was very amazing none the less.  I think that this was an experience that not very many individuals get to experience and I feel very lucky to have been able to do so. 

 

Mr. Ripley...

My feelings have changed for Tom Ripley, the main character of this book, from the beginning to about the middle where I am now.  In the beginnning of the novel I felt that Mr. Ripley was merely confused as to where he would end up and what would truly make him happy.  I could relate to that, but as the chapters progressed I noticed that Tom was not at all what he seemed and was frankly kind of weird.  I am enjoying this book and it reminds me of a longer episode of Criminal Minds.  I feel as though traveling around with him as I read is interesting as well because I was in a number of the places he has been such as Naples, Rome, and Paris.