Feb 4

All IES activities were cancelled today. Very icy. Went on a walk with Giovanna, Fede and Giulio.

 Giovanna's jewelry laboratory.

www.gavaudan.it

Then they went home and I walked across the Tiber to see some stuff. Here are some pictures of the stuff.

 Santa Maria in Aracoeli (Just the steps and brown part)

 A view

 View from top of the steps. I feel like this should be a famous view. The far one is St. Peter's.

 Maybe this is the famous view. More pointy things anyway.

 Inside. It was huge. I didn't even know what this place was til I saw a map just now. Typical American. Very modest door led to this. Big surprise.

The back/side of Altare della Patria (Italian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier as Claudio the Arch Prof said, which conflicts with Wikipedia, but he *is* the professor (He came over to eat again tonight. Again, just some really passionate eating. Lentils and rice. I'd give it a 7.)). That's the same church in the picture. Terrible location if you ask me. I mean Walt Disney didn't build Disneyland and Disney World in the same state. Give these sites some room to breath, Italy. It looks like it would have been built 2000 years ago, but I think it's much more like 70 years ago.

 Stuff

Things

Other things:

• Giovanna has very good bread with every meal. She breaks it on the table with only one hand. I have tried numerous times to do this. It's not close to impossible, it is impossible. She then uses the bread to scoop food onto her fork, which seems pretty normal. The really interesting part of this is that she manages to takes bites of the bread, but I have yet to see her do it. Every time I look up I see more and more bread gone but I've never seen it in her mouth. I can't figure this out. Some Italian sorcery probably. 
• Italians decided the second floor of buildings should be called the first floor. The actual first floor most likely has a name, but it's always labeled "0" on elevators.
• Giulio, my favorite Italian so far, is like an older man would with his enunciation. Very up and down with his voice. Today I taught him and Fede how to make a snowball. These poor Italians aren't aware of the crucial packing step. They just pick up snow and throw it. Of course it disintegrates, but they don't seem to mind. I taught him the correct way, which meant I was pelted the rest of the way. 
• Giulio also wore his infinity scarf today, just like every day and just like every Italian boy his age. But Giovanna made him put it on his head so he didn't get sick. The result was a tube that started at his collar, went up his neck and went straight forward in front of him. It was sort of a blinder I guess. It protruded at least 6 inches from his face. His view had to be just like looking out of a porthole. It looked funny but it was very Giulio (Molto Giulio).