Euro Adventure - Day 2

On the second day of our adventure (read about the first day here), we started our day at Vatican City. Let me just first say that I didn't realize how un-informed I was about this area, did ya'll know that it is considered a "country"!? Like a legit country with their own train and post office? Yeah, me either.

Also, before I begin with the endless amounts of pictures let me say that if you are ever going to visit the Vatican make you actually book a tour, otherwise just trying to walk all up in there will result in standing in line for 6 hours while being pestered by people selling fake sunglasses and purses on the street. I felt really sorry for the people we passed as we just walked right up to the doors with our tour guide.

my ticket

our group riding the escalator up to the museum

a model of Vatican City

Our enthusiastic tour guide

Haha our girls pretending to take a bath in the giant marble tub (by this time we'd seen more than our fair share of art and statues and were making our own fun)

the beautiful ceiling in the hall of tapestries

these people do NOT play about their ceilings

it's amazing.

I had no idea how high up we were until I looked out the window and saw this, my ankle however quickly realized how  far we had gone once we had to go BACK down all the stairs

those stairs. they were crazy. like ramps but.. not. the boot did NOT like.

then of course there's the ceilings that makes all other ceilings look stupid, that of the Sistene Chapel. btw, I definitely had to sneak this picture because you aren't actually supposed to take photos in the chapel, I think Jesus understands though

had to be even sneakier with this picture of the Judgement Day painting on the Sistene wall

As soon as we left the chapel we went to St. Peter's Square with hopes of visiting St. Peter's Basilica but once we got to the square and saw that the line to get into the basilica wrapped around the Square, we quickly changed our mind.

the Basilica

we walked around awhile then decided to grab some lunch. this was where it got interesting. Restaurants send their employees out on the street to try and grab people to come eat there. Well we saw a place we wanted to eat and one of the waiters was quick to get us in the door and to a table, but then we just kept sitting there hearing the other waiters talk about us in Italian and ignore us before we finally just got up and left. We found another restaurant that really wanted our business and had some amazing lasagna.

After lunch we had to board the bus and head to the Roman Forum and Colosseum. It was amazing. All I could think about was the movie "Jumper" when they visited the Colosseum. The boot did NOT like the stairs at the Colosseum, but the climb was worth it. Check it out...

Outside

the BOOT does the Colosseum

all the kids and Mrs. Vivian in the Colosseum

Ashton & Molly being silly Americans

the Arch Septimius Severus, and why yes I did automatically wonder if that is where J.K. Rowling got Snape's name from

   

one of my favorite pictures from the Forum

everyone at the restaurant for supper

Mrs. Viv & me at supper, might I mention that neither of our flat irons would work in Rome, even with the adapter and converter, hers fried on the first day and mine just wouldn't even turn on - her hair is usually much fluffier and mine was a HOT mess in Rome.

I am going to try to post tomorrow about day 3, our free day in Rome where we visited the Trevi fountain and Spanish steps and got miserably lost trying to find our restaurant for dinner.

it's going to be awhile..

I know I told ya'll Wednesday that I would blog about my trip on Thursday... well obviously I didn't. Sorry about that, I've got to learn to stop making promises I can't keep on this blog.

I will be away from my blog for awhile and I am sorry for that. There is a LOT going on right now with work and life in general and while writing is my outlet and I hate to not have the time to do it every day, I just don't.

see? that's my work calendar.

I am going to try this weekend to blog about the rest of my trip then I'll be on a short hiatus. Prayers please.

"And I'll praise You in this storm and I will lift my hands for You are who You are no matter where I am. And every tear I've cried You hold in Your hand You never left my side and though my heart is torn, I will praise You in this storm." - Casting Crowns

Euro Adventure - Day 1

Buongiorno everyone! I am finally getting around to blogging about my recent european adventure.

In case you are just now joining this party, here is a little background..

My mother-in-law Mrs. Vivian is an AVID Coordinator at my old high school and was taking 11 students on an EF (Education First) Tour and since she had enough participants she got one free spot for a chaperon, therefore I got the chance of a life-time, a fully-paid trip to Italy & Paris including breakfasts and dinners and TONS of sight-seeing tours. We left April 8 and returned April 15. 

Then the Sunday before my adventure, I managed to severely sprain my ankle resulting in me having to wear this contraption across the country.

We left April 8 from Raleigh at 11:10am and connected in Philadelphia to embark on an 8 hour flight to Rome, Italy. Since we flew overnight, we woke up the next morning in the clothes were wearing and immediately started our trip.

Our tour group included another group from around the Winston-Salem area and a group of people from Canada, since the Canadian group hadn't arrived at the airport yet we were allowed to enjoy some free time in Rome. We began our free-time exploration in the Piazza Navona where the Palazzo Pamphili, Fontana del Morro and Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi are located.

Palazzo Pamphili (The Brazillian Embassy)

The Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of Four Rivers)

one side of the Piazza

Fontana del Morro

The boot in the Piazza (yeah those cobble-stone and brick paved streets were REAL fun to walk on)

We took a little walk over to the Pantheon next where there is (of course) another lovely fountain, we also stopped at a little sidewalk cafe (even though it was fuh-reezing, and my freezing I of course mean in the 60s... hey, we're from the south) where I enjoyed a delicious type of tortellini I can't even pronounce.

the Panethon is a temple that is built honoring all the Roman gods

bottom of the Fontana del Pantheon

some of the art inside the Pantheon

ditto

my tortellini

some of our travelers at lunch

Once we left and picked up the Canadian group, we went to our hotel... which wasn't at all what we were expecting. Our hotel got changed at the last minute and we were switched to one in a not-so-desirable area. It was an older hotel and very European.

the sign.

me & mrs. vivian's room (and her backpack & luggage)

You'll notice I didn't include a picture of the European toilet, that is because when I went to take that picture I was too distracted by THIS....

that is not a vacuum ladies. that was our hair dryer, it had the air flow intensity of a  light breeze. ridiculous.

We went to dinner that night as a group, where I forgot to take any pictures. Tomorrow, I'll tell you about our tour of the Vatican City including the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica.

Guest Posting today!

Hey Ya'll! I am guest posting today fr the gorgeous Miss Sarah over at We're Just Like You Only Prettier so go check it out!

The topic?

successful surgery for the Bug

The Sawbug did wonderful today with his ear-tube surgery! While he was quite angry when we got back to see him once he "woke up", he did calm down once we got outside. Thanks for the prayers! Make sure you come by tomorrow and check out my guest post at We're Just Like You Only Prettier.

Fill in the Blank Friday

Today I am linking up with Lauren @ The Little Things We Do for the first time for "Fill in the Blank Friday"

1.  Today is a great day because, it feels so springy and because I finally got to wear my fave Lilly scarf for the first time this season.

Dress - J.Crew, Sweater - ON, Shoes - Jack Rogers and Scarf - Lilly Pulitzer

2.   Tomorrow I will finally finish my posts about my European adventure, I PROMISE!

sneak peek!

3.  My favorite time of day is   when I get home from work    because   my sweet baby is usually waiting at the door for me.

4. Sometimes you just have to  drink a Pepsi, no matter how much you say "i'll only drink water this week".

5. A song that I just can't get enough of lately is   "Wild Ones" by Flo'Rida ft. Sia

6. My favorite accessory is   anything for my wrists, I swear I am addicted to bangles and watches lately. In fact I just got a new black La Mer wrap watch off ideeli last week!

7.  My favorite thing about this week was  ....I seriously cannot find a single thing. it was a busy, hectic week with a sick baby and a ton of work events, I guess tonight will be my favorite part because we aren't doing ANYTHING.