When in Rome...

(statue in the Vatican Museum)

 Tom and I got back from Italy about three weeks ago...but it seems like months.  I truly miss everything about it...the architecture, the sculptures, Tom's family, and most of all the food!

(Vatican Museum)

I took 740 photographs over the thirteen days we were traveling...I printed about 233 of those and then journaled around 100 of those...my Italia journal is so big I'm thinking I should probably divide it...in the next few days I'll post photos of the hugely oversized monster so you can tell me if I should leave it as is or divide it into three journals

(Random building we passed while walking)

Rome is stunningly beautiful but surprisingly filthy...(lots of garbage and graffiti that really bothered me at first but after a bit you sadly get used to it.)  Rome is simply amazing! Talk about eye candy! 

(another random building)

(Fontana di Trevi)

 One of the sights on my list of things I absolutely, positively, had to see was the Trevi Fountain. The first time we went was at dusk...it was awesome!

 This shrine was on a corner of a building adjacent to Fontana di Trevi, it was one of my favorite shrines (and there were many!)

 This was a statue that probably marked the grave of a child...now housed in the Vatican Museum.

(The dome of St. Peter's Basilica)

We were with a fun tour group for most of our trip...the first day we arrived consisted of free time so Tom and I got a map from the concierge and headed out on our own...and only got lost once!

(Michelangelo's famous "Pieta")

The second day we spent a good chunk of the day with the tour group and saw the Vatican Museum, St. Peter's Basilica, the Pieta (which is housed in the Basilica), The Sistine Chapel (which was much smaller than I envisioned in my head), the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, Fontana di Trevi, The Spanish Steps (as made famous by Audrey Hepburn in "Roman Holiday"), the Pantheon and the Piazza Navona.  And many other marvelous buildings and statues.

(Vatican Museum)

(Pantheon)

We had lunch at a little trattoria in Vatican City.  We both had delicious Panini's and Coca-Cola (alas, no Diet Dr. Pepper in Italy.)  And we mailed our first postcard to the boys from Vatican City...even though we paid 2,60 Euro for ONE STAMP...FOR A POSTCARD!  (roughly $3.60 USD)

(Fountain in Piazza Navona)

We even had a gelato and sat on the Spanish Steps...in the exact spot Audrey Hepburn sat (probably not) while eating her gelato...Tom had Limone (Lemon) and I had Fragole (Strawberry)...it was delicious!

(The Colosseum)

After 2 days in Roma, we were off to see the medievel towns of Spello and Assissi via l'autobus...stay tuned for more photos from our exciting adventure!