More from Sperlonga

We have had an unbelievable week in beautiful Sperlonga.  Aquafit at the pool, afternoons at the beach, lots of studying, all culminating in our final exam today.  We spent the rest of the afternoon on a boat excursion along the Mediterranean coast where we swam into a cave.  We promised not to be sad until the airport tomorrow but as the goodbyes get closer, we are feeling both incredibly lucky to have had this amazing experience and sad that it is almost over.

More pictures from Mr. G's camera in Sperlonga

Water Aerobics with G Baby

We have just started the last stretch of our journey in the small beach town of Sperlonga. Even though everyone is a little bit sad that this incredible experience is coming to a close we have been making the most of our time here! Everyone was more than excited to hit the beach after how busy the past weeks have been. But what we didn’t know was how much fun we could have in the hotel pool after we had finished with our classes. Lucky for us Mr. Graansma is a certified water aerobics instructor. Not wanting to pass on such a wonderful opportunity, some of the students have been gathering in the pool after class to participate in Georgia Hardy’s first “complementary” aquafit. Even the other teachers couldn’t help but get involved. We had to find some way to work off all the gelato we’ve consumed over the course of our stay in Italy. WORK IT LADIES!

Dinner and Poolside in Beautiful Sperlonga!

The Vatican

Today we visited the Vatican, which isn’t actually part of Italy but a separate state. Our tour guide was able to tell us many interesting facts throughout the day. First thing first though, we all made sure to cover up because within many of the areas of the Vatican City you have to ensure that your shoulders and knees are covered. Even though it was hot we all managed!

                                  Our tour started with the layout of the city being described to us. We then went out into a courtyard where our guide explained the different paintings within the Sistine Chapel. After seeing some of the many statues, paintings and tapestries in the museum we went into the Sistine Chapel. The ceiling was painted by Michelangelo and the walls by other renaissance artists like Sandro Botticelli. The technique they used is call ed“Al Fresco”.  It was breathtaking; the paintings seemed almost three dimensional. It’s hard to believe that Michelangelo did some of his paintings freehand! Of all the pictures I’ve seen, none do this place justice. We had to keep our amazement to ourselves until we got out because of a no talking rule.

                                  We then walked to Saint Peter’s Basilica, which bears the namesake of the saint buried there. It is also the resting place of the popes. It is the biggest church in the world, covering many square feet. There are many beautiful statues and decorations inside. At least we were allowed to take pictures there! At the end of the tour I don’t think any of us could say that we disliked it. The Vatican is such a beautiful place, and was well worth seeing.