Category: Travel

10/23/2011

1st full day in Rome! WOW!

We thought we were going to miss our tour since we didn’t realize the meeting point wasn’t walking distance from the bed and breakfast. Oops! But we made it to the Metro and all the way to the Coliseum in a 1/2 hour and got there right on time!

The tour was so awesome! The Coliseum was just…wow. Just SO cool! HUGE and so old. It was was amazing to think of all the gladiators that fought there. After the Coliseum, we went to the Forum – also crazy to think about how old the monuments there are. We saw Cesar’s remains and the Temple of Vestas. The history was so interesting! We also saw lots of Triumph Arches. After an emperor won a battle, they would have a parade and build a huge arch to pass under in remembrance. Then every emperor after that would have to pass under the last guy’s arch and remember the battles that were won before him.

Gladiators!

Professional tug-of-war players.

Caesar’s remains.

Next, we saw the Pantheon – it’s weird to think of how when it rains, it rains right into the Pantheon!

Lunch that day:

Josh – Fungi ravioli
Holly – Fettuccine with salmon and shrimp
We also split an antipasto platter which was super yummy. It had mozzarella cheese (that almost squirted all over me when I tried to cut it) 3 types of meat, artichokes, sun dried tomatoes, olives and some tiny peppers. Mmm!! And we had our first gelato!!!!! I had caffè and Josh had limoncello.

Half of the antipasto platter

Yum!

After our tour, we walked around a bit more and then went back to rest a while at the hotel.

For dinner, we went to a little pizza place that had a brick oven. The guys making the pizza seriously twirled the dough up in the air. So much fun! We split a pizza with 4 flavors – (1) margarita pizza with rocket (tomato sauce, mozzarella, basil and arugula), (2) something that started with a D (onions, smoked mozzarella and peppers), (3) gorgonzola, (4) fungi (mushrooms). We also had another tasty bottle of red wine and more tiramisu.

Awesome day in Rome!!

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10/22/2011

Ok – getting here SUCKED! But we’re here in Rome now and I’ve had a nap and a shower…so I feel a tad more human. The flight was SO long and I couldn’t sleep at all…

Woke up at 7:30am yesterday morning.
At work by 8:30am, worked until noon.
Drove home, finished packing, drove to the airport.
Flight left at 4:45pm ET.
We arrived in Italy at 8:35am (which was 2:35am ET).
3 hour van ride to the bed and breakfast – arriving around noon (6am ET).
Our room wasn’t ready, so we walked around Rome for 2.5 hours (8:30 am ET).

So I was up 25 hours with no sleep. I’m surprised I didn’t die!

When we arrived at the bed and breakfast, the van driver (who was probably in a bad mood from the stupid American girls who were riding with us that were being very rude) dropped us off in front of this old building and sped away. Luckily, Josh saw a tiny sign with the name of our bed and breakfast on it. So we walked into the building, dragging our luggage behind us. We needed to get to the 4th floor, and the building had the crazy old elevator that looked like it was built in 1910. Josh was brave and made us get in. I was super scared!

But we made it…and then our room wasn’t ready. *sigh* By this time, we were so ready to crash. We left our luggage there and walked around Rome for a few hours. I swear – we probably looked like zombies. We had our first meal in Italy – some pizza (mozzarella, tomatoes and evoo – mmmm!) and looked around in some shops.

First meal in Italy!!

When we were finally able to check in to our room, we took a nice 3 hour nap.

The bed and breakfast room is so pretty, and it has a lovely balcony!

The view from the balcony!

Dinner. Was. Amazing!!!

We went to this little place recommended by the front desk clerk of our bed and breakfast. Josh had pasta a la carbonara. I had fettuccine bolognese. Both were so good!!! We split a bottle of the most tasty red wine ever and had some awesome tiramisu for dessert. Yum-o!

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10/21/2011

On our way to ITALY!!! Free wine and beer on international flights – heck yeah!!

Dinner on the flight was…well, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it’d be. Pretty much a TV dinner. First time I’ve ever had a meal on a flight though – so it was exciting! We had “chicken” with “risotto.” Not really sure you could call it chicken, and it def was just rice – not risotto. 🙂 The brownie was yummy! It was a brand called “Love and Quiches.” Cute!

5 more hours until we’re in ITALY!

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So last week – Josh accepted his new job on Monday, I met with the travel agent at AAA on Wednesday, I paid for our Italy vacation on Thursday and we’re leaving for our 12-day vacation at the end of the month! Things are finally moving…and they’re moving fast! I am SOOOO excited about the trip. We’re going to every city I wanted to visit. The trip is jam-packed and I’m sure we’re going to be exhausted when we get back, but I can’t wait to go!

Here’s our itinerary:
3 nights in Rome at a quaint bed-and-breakfast in the city
–Ancient Rome Walking Tour
-Skip the Line: Prestige Tour – Vatican City 

3 nights in Sorrento in a hotel with a sea room view overlooking the ocean

4 nights in Florence at a beautiful hotel in the city

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