Goodbye Scotland

Well my Scotland trip has come to an end. This trip has been the smartest thing I have done in my entire life. I found myself in the photographs I was taking and got to know myself a little more than before. I would recommend study abroad to anyone and everyone who thinks about going. I have some crazy stories for sure, but you will have to ask me about them to get the full on effect of Jen Wheatley in Europe for a summer.

I am writing this while I wait for my last connecting flight home to Salt Lake. This is the third time I have had to sleep at an airport and I have been traveling for over 28 hours straight today. I have eaten things I would have never thought I could stomach before this trip. I went through Rome on my own and discovered qualities in myself I never thought I had. I slept in numbers of random beds, showered in dirty hostel showers, and flew on 11 different planes throughout my trip. Traveling on trains, planes, and automobiles, and ferries. I have had the time of my life, I wish it would never end.

Thanks to all of you for checking out my blog and keeping in touch while I have been gone. This last photograph is at the Prestwick airport in Scotland. The doors to the bathrooms actually have scottish kilts and scarves printed on the stick figures. Scotland Rocks!!!

Cheers!!!

Jen

Trevi Fountain

The last two days in Rome I spent visiting the Vatican Museums, St. Peter's, the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps, the Borghese Gardens and verious piazzas. The Vatican and the Pantheon almost tied on my list of favorites, there is just so much to see in Rome. My last night in Italy I threw a coin into the Trevi Fountain, it is suppose to ensure I come back one day and visit Rome again.

The Roman Forum

The Roman Forum was one of my favorite places I visited in Rome, it was great to see the ruins that still stand after almost 2000 years.

Rome

Rome was my final stop before heading back to Scotland for a day and then back to the US. Rome was better than I ever imagine it would be. Again everywhere you turn architecture, art, and ruins blow your mind because they are so well thought out and outstanding. I took a tour of the Colosseum, Palintine Hill, and the Roman Forum in one day. I would have never appreicated the history of these places if I hadn't done the tours. I loved the Colosseum so much I went twice to photograph both in the day and at night.

Venice

On the 24th of July we took 3 hour train ride to Venice. There was one problem, we had to catch the last train back that same day. I ended up having about 7 hours total in Venice, I wish I would have had more time. I was there during the middle of the day, the worst time of day for lighting. I did end up being able to go on a gandola ride with a pretty good looking gandola man. Venice is beautiful with tiny bridges and streets of labyrinths.

Under the Tuscan Sun

Florence ended up being my favorite destination in all of europe. I could spend weeks in Florence and never get bored. One evening I decided to hike up a hill to the top of Florence to see the panoramic view of the city. When the sun is going down it is still 95 degrees and so humid you want to shower three or four times a day. This walk ended up being worth it because I got these shots and was able to sit and enjoy the sunset listening to my ipod and have some time to myself.

Florence

My week in Italy started out in Florence. Florence is small enough you can walk everywhere, and it is covered in art everywhere you turn. I went to the Uffizi and spend three hours looking at the best Renaissance artwork I have ever seen. After that I went to Accademia and saw Michelangelo's David. I was excited to see so many of his sculptures knowing later on I was going to be able to see his paintings in the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo is such a gifted artist, I cannot explain his talent in words. There are arists covering the streets everywhere in Italy. Here is just one of the girls drawing with chalk on the street in Florence. It was fantastic to be in a place where people appreciate art so much.