Roma

Milano tomorrow; tickets for today were sold out. The extra day in Roma turned out to be quite nice.

Oh Flaminio metropolitana, how our relationship has changed in these last two days... You've improved greatly since our first encounter.

Today I was introduced to the concept of squeezing people on the metro. I did not know you could fit that many people into one place. And even after the train is full, and I mean full, people still push in. Makes getting on a nightmare, and getting off pretty interesting too.

I'm getting used to the smell of cigarette smoke everywhere. Excessive pda. Hurrying to squeeze onto the metro. Graffiti everywhere. Trains and trams coming every few minutes (love it!). Validating, validating, validating. Stairs, stairs, stairs. Seeing scooters everywhere. Hearing multiple languages all around, mostly Italian, but a whole lot of French and German too.

Ate some gelatto today. Walked more than enough to make up for it. Saw a girl's hair get stuck in the door of the metro. Received whole olives, pit included, on my pizza today. Got a SIM card for Italy. Had to shove my own way on and off the metro. Didn't get lost at all in Termini.

Feeling much better about life and the world.

Interesting touring transportation, made more so by the cobblestone. I think it's awesome. It's like a four-man bike. And for those of you who've seen ChickenRun,

"You can't see paradise if ya don't peddle!"

I'm here, I promise, even though I'm hardly showing up in my pictures.

(Piazza del Popolo)

for ryan

why yes, you can back a smart car to the curb instead of parallel parking (or you could park next to another car and be mostly in the road, or halfway onto the sidewalk, or even on the pointiest point of the corner, it's all for the taking)

a sign on Il Colosseo

for genna

not exactly on the same street as Prada, Gucci, or Docle&Gabbana, but close, had to pass them to get to Via del Corso, where this is. Made me smile for you.

for neal

(I know, I'm not in this one. The one I got's not so good. I'll have to get a better one with me in it when I go to Rome again)

I didn't get to go inside for you, but I peeked through the gate. (Actually, when I took this picture a tourist inside offered to hand me his ticket so I could go around and come in as well...hehe)

for mom

yes, it was delicious, squisito!

Quando sto da solo

Well, today was stressful and successful.

Thought my checked luggage was gone. Great. Kept waiting, and waiting, watching every other suitcase that came out. Finally checked around the other side, and people had taken a bunch of suitcases off the conveyor and just set them on the floor. That was a tremendous relief. On the plane I was fortunate enough to get to know a fellow traveler, a university student in Rome. We went through this baggage claim scare together. And she was kind enough to pretty much walk me through the airport, customs, tabacchi, and direct me to my train. (Oh yes, and before I boarded, a pigeon got my luggage. Gross.)

Had to learn the difference between train, tram, and metro today. Got on the right train, got off at the right stop, check. Got on the right metro line, but it was the one going the opposite direction. Get off, go to the other side, get on going correct direction, check. Keep track of all my bags and carry my 40-some-odd pounder up and down stairs, and up and down stairs, check. Board tram, check, but only after having asked several people where it was, and which one, and whether or not I needed a new ticket, and all this in very choppy Italian, with a little bit of English mixed in. Get off tram at right stop, check, but again, had to ask. Sheesh.

Found my hotel room! And that's when my nerves and adrenaline finally crashed in on me.

view from my window

just enjoying looking around

mmm...

Not that it's really visible in this, but the paintings at the top are quite fun.

Getting there...

Everyone loves long layovers, right? Well, it's not all bad.

I enjoyed a seven hour good'un in Detroit on Sunday.

Cool fountain that everyone was stopping to take pictures of, so of course I had to jump on the bandwagon. It just made me smile when I would stop and watch the jumping water. Pictures don't do it justice.

Good ol' Ryan packed my snack bag.

It's only fitting that I'll be taking the train up to Milano tomorrow!

I have to thank Aaron for the wonderful flights. Standby payed off. I will take that seven hour layover for the pleasure of riding business class on an almost nine hour flight. Food was good. Blanket and a chair that reclines almost to a bed, even better.

No, really. Blanket and reclining chair are where it's at.

Ry - guy

So this Italy trip is bittersweet.

Now: Bitter to be leaving him. Sweet to get to live in Italy.

Dec: Bitter to leave Italy, especially once I've become familiar with it. And oh so very sweet to get to return and marry him!

Thanks for the love and help and support.

Family Guy - Speaking Italian

Whoa, taking off for Italy in less that two weeks. An adventure a day, that's the goal. That and improving my speaking skills. (Okay Ryan, and my cooking skills). Here's to hoping I can pull it off better than this!