Mission Impossible

So I was 20 minutes late to my Italian High Renaissance class this morning. Now before you start pointing fingers and saying that I should set my alarm earlier, or actually stop fixing my hair and get out the door, I would like to say that I was on time, until I got on the bus.

I woke up a reasonable hour, rolled out of bed and ready to get down to business (To defeat the huns! Just kidding, this is the Renaissance.) Figuring that it would only take me about 30 minutes to get there (I mean, public transportation is a lot faster than walking) I decided to go down to Giovanni's and grab a coffee.  Then I waltzed out of there to the tram stop and waited for the relatively prompt tram.  Jumped on there. Made it to Argentina, got on the bus right away, two stops later, I thought I was golden! Hold on, let me check the map, ok sweet, just right up this street.

FALSE.

Everything was wrong. I checked the map again, turned down this tunnel, didn't end up where I thought I was supposed to. Walked across some intersections, didn't find any familiar (as in on the map) streets, turned down a different street. Decided to follow a precarious sign with my destination written on it, and ended up walking up a set of stairs, and then turning a corner and going down a different set of stairs, finally saw a guard standing in a doorway and I thought-"Thank God! The Presidential palace!" (Note, not many people in Italy say that). So by then, I had some semblance of where I was. I then made it up the stairs to the Piazza Quirinale and next door, low and behold--where I was supposed to be 20 minutes ago.

Thus begins part two: Actually getting into the museum.  Plan A) Sneak in. Guards, damn it. Plus I'm sweating and carrying a backpack=not my sleuthing/ninja attire. Scratch that. Plan B) Look adorable and lost. Tactics: Look adorable and lost. "Hi, Professor Smyth's class from John Cabot is in there and she has my ticket." "What?" (Repeat). "Ok, yeah, go right in." EASY PEASIE LEMON SQUEEZY. (I could be such a good spy). Drat. Obstacle 2: Ticket lady. "Hi, Professor Smyth from John Cabot is in there with my class, and she has my ticket." "I can't let you in without a ticket." "She's already in the museum and she has my ticket. The people out side told me to just go in." "Oh, ok."

Mission Accomplished.

So I check my backpack, and run up the nearest staircase toward the exhibit. Speed walk, speed walk, not seeing anyone from class... uh... maybe they went up stairs to do that presentation first... Ok, next flight of stairs... desolate. There are about 4 guards and one old couple up there.... So I decided that in order to not look like a buffoon, that I would calmly walk though the second floor and try to catch my breath. Looking around, ok, I'll go back down stairs. Well looky there, I must have walked past them the first time. So I just jumped right in and stood in the back, and wasn't asked a single question about why I was over 30 minutes late to class. Call me skilled.

So I learned a lot in the museum. It was a lovely exhibit, lots of wonderful things, and eventually we were released to go back to our regularly scheduled classes. Having had enough of public transportation for the day so I was going to walk back to campus. La dee da. I think I'll walk over in this direction, oh hey, that's the Trevi Fountain. Yup, living in Rome. Finally made it back to a part of town where I trusted the buses, and jumped on the 119 headed to Argentina. In Piazza Venezia, there was a rather lost German family who kept asking for Piazza Navona.  Hint, I don't think this bus goes anywhere near it. But I don't speak German (In fact, my German-much like my Italian-is primarily composed of (PUN) lyrics to arias and art songs. And the first German song to come into my head is about proposals.... so uh, maybe not?).  So when we got to Argentina and they were going to get off the bus because they thought it was Piazza Navona, I did stop them and say that it was Argentina. But I was going to be late to class again.

Grabbed some pizza, made it to class, and survived the rest of the day without incident.

In other news, Kate's parents have arrived. We're going to Venice in the morning (so yes, this is the last post for a few days. Reread it if you need to.)

ALSO: Gusties are going to shine this weekend at the Norton. Good luck to everyone competing, make me proud, UPDATE ME.  That is all.