Adrienne G., (2L), Guest Blogger
To round off my birthday weekend (for Part I, see this post), the following day I and a few others accompanied Chris and Hannah to Castel Gondolfo, the papal summer residence, where the Pope gives a brief address and prays the Angelus with the faithful every Sunday in July at noon. Since there was only one train out that would get us there in time, we left early and arrived with a few hours to explore the area before heading up to the papal residence. 
Castel Gondolfo and its surrounding small town sits on top of a huge hill (a mountain, really) overlooking a large, beautiful, impossibly aquamarine-blue lake. The Castel Gondolfo train station is situated exactly halfway up the mountain between the lake and the castle, roughly a 15-minute hike along the “road,” nearly as impossibly windy and dangerous as the lake is blue, and along which the locals whizzed by at speeds better suited for an Interstate highway.
Castel Gondolfo and its surrounding small town sits on top of a huge hill (a mountain, really) overlooking a large, beautiful, impossibly aquamarine-blue lake. The Castel Gondolfo train station is situated exactly halfway up the mountain between the lake and the castle, roughly a 15-minute hike along the “road,” nearly as impossibly windy and dangerous as the lake is blue, and along which the locals whizzed by at speeds better suited for an Interstate highway.Since we had so much time, we decided to go down and enjoy the lake before heading to the castle. Other than desperately hugging the guardrail in order to avoid becoming grease spots on the side of a mountain, the walk down was gorgeous. The weather was lovely, the olive groves lining the hillside were waving silver-green in the light breeze, wildflowers were plentiful and the lake glittered and begged for photos. (more…)
In other news, I am back in Florence. More specifically, back in Settignano, at Villa Morghen, where I spent some of the most beautiful months of my life and a place which will always remain very dear to me. Only for the weekend. But it promises to be a glorious one. I’m traveling with wonderful people, and I have the opportunity to spend time with another very dear old friend. Not least significantly, I’m giving my poor lungs a long-weekend break from Rome’s less-than-desirable air quality. Also, the food is incredible. Naturally. Trains are fun. ALSO Roma Termini sells wine in the form of juice boxes. Whaaaaaa…?!?!!! 
few reflections from our program trip to Assisi a few weeks ago. But for now, we’re engrossed in the final episode of season four of Dexter as we recover from a long day of travel. Peace.
