Tiny Traveler --- Big World: Italian Treasure Hunt and the Vatican

So most of you probably don't know this little story, so I will share. I turned 21 in November and my mother vowed to stop buying stupid insignificant things as presents and only wanted to give me something that I would cherish and remember for my entire life. Since I was leaving for Europe for 5 months, she had a hard time thinking of something that I could really use but still have and remember when I got back. She decided to give me an Italian treasure hunt.... She gave me a specific amount of money to find certain things during my time abroad, things that would remind me of her and my adventure. For sentimental and/or significant reasons, I was to buy- an umbrella, a wallet, a nice pen and stationary, original art, perfume, and something comfortable. I have spent quite a bit of time searching for these items. I didn't want to be hasty in my purchases and wanted to chose things that really meant something to me. Well I started by purchasing stationary in Rome, then bought a beautiful Murano glass pen in Venice, then some more hand painted stationary in Florence. On Thursday, I added to my collection with a wallet and some original art. The wallet is beautiful Italian leather made in Milan. The designer is Alviero Martini (I mean how much more Italian can you get) and the brand is 1a Classe. The special thing about this wallet is that the outside of the wallet is covered in a map... When I think of my mom, I think about her spontaneity and adventurous personality and all the places we have traveled. So naturally, a wallet with a map on it was perfect. For my original art, I picked my pieces for multiple reasons. I bought them from the street vendors in Piazza Navona. For the past three months, I have walked through Piazza Navona every day on my way to school. What a better place to buy my art. And the pieces also have significance. I bought a beautiful color oil painting of Piazza Navona and then 2 black and white paintings of the Tiber River and then one of the Trevi Fountain. I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I do.

Oil Painting of Piazza Navona
I have walked through here every single day on my way to school since I arrived in Rome in January.

This painting is of the Tiber River with Castel
Sant'Angelo and the Dome of St. Peters
Basilica in the background
When taking the bus from my house to
Piazza Navona to get to school, I cross the bridge
where this painting was made. So basically,
I see this view every day on my way to school.

The Trevi Fountain
This painting just stood out to me because of
the incredible line work and the details.
I'm not sure if you can see it w

My new Italian leather wallet! Not the exact map that is on mine but at least you get the idea...

So on Thursday, in addition to my purchases, I also went to the Vatican. I realized that after being in Rome for 3 months, I still had not been to the Vatican so that obviously needed to change. For those of you that have been to the Vatican, you can attest to this, it's quite large and you don't really know where you are going because its just sort of one big long path that ends at the Sistine Chapel. So therefore, I don't really have captions for the photos I took and there are a lot of them so I am just going to put them up for you to look at. I am going to make them small so more fit in a smaller space. In order to make them bigger, just click on the first image and you will see all the photos in a sort of gallery. Hope you enjoy.

Okay, so I will comment on this one...
This is actually a painting on one of the
ceilings... Pretty cool huh?

You can see all the chairs that are for the
papal service on Sundays. They have left
them set up since Easter...

And I have to comment on this one... It's an amazing feeling to look at a painting and recognize it from across the room. I would like to thank Art History class for that... Raphael's Transfiguration