KEVICC Courier Spring

Page 22 Rome & Bay of Naples Humanities Trip When In Rome... by Mr Trafford October Half Term saw the fantastic Humanities Team, coupled with Mr Morgan, Ms Hinchcliffe, and Mr Segan, take 50 of KEVICC’s best and brightest to the sunny shores of Italy for a trip like no other! A 2am start was not enough to trouble the eager young minds who were readying themselves feverishly for an Historical, Geographical, and Religious education that simply cannot be experienced in the classroom! A quick trip up to London and a hop on a flight (sorry Miss Vickery) to Rome was only the beginning of day one, which saw our first step into Antiquity as we perused the ancient harbour city of Ostia Antica, a site well-known in the Classical History world (so basically no one) for its excellent preservation of ancient buildings and impressive mosaics! 18 hours later and Day One was complete! Day two began in spectacular fashion. After a quick breakfast, a short walk from the Hotel took us to the mighty Colosseum; the centre piece of Ancient Roman entertainment! Nothing quite screams entertaining more than watching prisoners battle against hungry and blood- thirsty lions! Thankfully the Colosseum has not been used for that purpose for a good 1,800 years or so, and as such no one was torn to pieces (that we were aware of). An incredible walk around the heart of the Colosseum, fully immersing ourselves in the scale andmajesty of it all was truly inspiring, and for many (maybe just me), a complete highlight of our time in Rome! If you think Ten Tors is tough (sorry Dr. Ruffle), try following Mr. Morgan through the back streets of the capital of Italy! The man was a marching machine and with no means of transport from the Roman Forum to the heart of Catholicism, we went on foot! Following a quick pizza and gelato pit-stop at the Trevi Fountain (never has a more Italian sentence been written), we found ourselves in one of the holiest places on the planet, Vatican City, the home of the Vicar of Christ, Pope Francis. Keeping up with the theme of our non-stop day, this whistle-stop tour of the Vatican City saw our young people take in the marvellous museum, including exhibits dating back over 6,000 years! A quick interview with a Priest (sadly not the Pope, but a pleasant man none-the-less), and a trip into the utterly awe-inspiring Sistine Chapel, allowing us to marvel at the majesty of Michelangelo’s ceiling painting, including the world-famous Creation of Adam. Jaw-dropping stuff from the very centre of Christendom brought day two to a close. Day Three and a chance for a rest. A morning stop at the Time Elevator gave our students a truly immersive look at the History of Rome as the 4D experience took us back to the beginning of time itself (yes, really!) Flying over the city of Ancient Rome allowed for new perspectives and insights into the city we had called home for the last few days. However, our time in Rome was over. A 165-mile bus trip journey later and we found ourselves in sunny Sorrento! Ready for Day Four! The fourth day of our Italian adventure was yet another step through time as a short trip to Villa Oplontis (the ancient home of Emperor Nero’s mistress) and more handmade pizza was topped off by an experience unlike anything we had done before. Herculaneum. To walk the cobbled streets of this 2,000-year-old town, you would be forgiven for mistaking it for many other archaeological sites we had visited over the last few days. However, the subtle hints are there. The sections of charcoaled wood, the collapsed walls, the remains of the long-dead. Herculaneum, much like themore-famous Pompeii, was utterly devastated, buried, lost by the eruption of mighty Vesuvius which stands omnipotent, ever-present in the background of Herculaneum. A gentle reminder of the awesome power that nature holds over us all. Walking these long-abandoned streets gave our students a real sense of perspective. The coach ride back to the hotel was a much quieter, reflective affair. Powerful but a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The penultimate day was an opportunity to visit the city of Naples and go deep underground, as we explored the tiny gaps and overcame claustrophobia to discover the subterranean life of Napoli. This included coming face-to- face with an unexploded American bomb, dropped on Naples during the Second World War! An unforgettable experience! This was followed by a Geographical marvel! A climb up mighty Mount Vesuvius! To climb up one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world was rewarded with unbelievable vistas of the Bay of Naples. A truly outstanding panorama was our reward for the hefty climb, and what a reward it was! Stunning views that will never be forgotten! And so, our trip was nearing its end. However, a trip to the Bay of Naples is not complete without visiting one of the most famous Archaeological sites in the entire world! Pompeii was to be our final visit. Much like Herculaneum, walking in the footsteps of true tragedy was a real eye-opening experience for all our young people! A perfect way to end the trip of a lifetime! Ciao!