The Chattanooga Girls Choir

Day 4: ROME
Sunday, June 12, 2005
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We had another early breakfast today. (For anyone who's curious, breakfast is typically bread of some type--croissants, hard rolls, etc.-- as well as ham slices, cheese, plain or vanilla yogurt, mixed fruit, and granola.) We met up again with our local guide from yesterday, Andrea, a fiery red-headed woman with a charming heavy Italian accent, and took the bus to the heart of Ancient Rome, stopping to see the Circus Maximus, the ruins of a huge complex that was the site of many chariot races and other imperial sports. We continued on to the Colosseum (built near the end of the first century A.D.), and the girls wandered up to the top of the huge arena and tried to picture the way it looked when Rome was at its height of power, the walls gleaming with green-toned marble (removed later to build churches!) and the aristocrats filling the seats to see the gladiators. The Colosseum is so large that they used to flood it inside to have mock ship battles! Nearby is the Forum and the Arch of Constantine (similar to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris), and the many of the girls marveled at how old they are and how well-preserved. (Hmmm..sort of the way they view their parents...)

After being guided throught the ruins, the groups were free to wander on their own. Some groups did a little souvenir shopping, some went to see the Trevi Fountain, and some ventured to other sights such as La Bocca della Verità, the "Mouth of Truth" stone face featured in the movie Roman Holiday. All groups also found a place to eat, often in small restaurants slightly off the tourist path. We all met back at 4:30 and took the bus back to hotel so the choir could change into their black dresses for dinner and the concert at S. Trinità dei Monti church in the Spanish Steps area of Rome (named after the nearby Spanish Embassy). As the girls returned to the bus after changing, Alyson (my daughter, an alum on tour with the choir) twisted her ankle badly as she came down the hotel steps, but she continued on with the choir to dinner at the Grotto Azzura (real Italian pizza!) and the concert at S. Trinità, though she needed help as she struggled up the many steps to the old French church.

The concert was fabulous--do I say that every time? It's true! Listen for yourselves to how great they sounded, even during their warm-up: Cantate Domino (mp3 format). The actual concert performance was even better! The audience of about 100 people was very appreciative, especially of the American music the choir sang, and the girls were absolutely glowing with pride when they were done. Many in the audience came up to thank the girls after the concert, including a very nice French woman who told the choir (in French--Alyson translated) that they gave her goosebumps and that they reminded her of the boy choir in the recent film "Les Choristes", which is quite a compliment.

We all returned to the hotel to pack and get some sleep, since we have to leave the hotel by 5:30 tomorrow morning to travel to Siena so the girls can sing at a morning mass. Buona notte!

Tarbell and daughter, senior Sarah Cate, pose in front of the ruins of the Circus Maximus.

Alex, Grace, Jesseca, Katy, and Starla are ready to visit the Colosseum.

"Excuse me, Caesar, I've got to take this call..."

Our wonderful tour director Marie-Agnès and our vivacious Rome guide Andrea.

The 2005 tour choir outside the Coloseum in Rome.

LuAnn and Michael Holden celebrated their 29th wedding anniversary today!

Lunchtime was very relaxing in this secluded outdoor garden.

The Mouth of Truth says that all six of these girls are honest.
(But we already knew that!)

Though neither spoke the other's language,
Jesse and this charming shopkeeper got along just fine.

The tour choir sang beautifully in S. Trinità dei Monti church.

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