My Italian Getaway (Part 1)

So here it is.  The long awaited pictures of my vacation to Italy.  You can read about how I purchased SUPER cheap plane tickets to Italy, here. 

Day 1:  Rome.  The Eternal City

After travelling for 22 hours, we were ready to get to our room.  Because we were taking a vacation on the "cheap" I had booked a room through a B&B website in Rome.  This place was incredible!! 

Our hostess was a young woman who loves antiques.  She had recently remodeled her apartment and it was perfectly decorated.  I loved looking at the built in bookcase filled with very old Italian books.

This is the view from the front door.  I fell in love with the stone arches in this place.  You would never guess that this flat was on the 5th floor of her building. 

This was the sitting room.  The stairs led to a half story where her bedroom and bathroom was.   Speaking of our hostess, I did not know until we came home that she is a pretty well know Italian actress and model.  Which then begs the question, "Why was she renting out rooms in her apartment???" 

This is the breakfast table in the corner of the sitting room.  So lovely!!!

And of course I would take a picture of the ceiling.  But seriously, look at those exposed beams!!!  Beautiful!!

We had to do the most touristy thing right off the bat...We had to visit the Colosseum.  Our room was less than a mile so we walked (downhill) to the sight.  Its hard to explain the feeling you get when you come up to something like this.  In this country, we don't have anything man made that has lasted 2000+ years.  Yes we have the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls, but those are made by God and His stuff is always spectacular.  (And I plan to show you AMAZING things that God created later in Cinque Terre)  But to view something, man made, that has withstood centuries of war, famine, prosperity, and development is truly awe inspiring.  Its the same feeling I had the first time I saw St.Basil's Cathedral in Moscow, Notre Dame in Paris, or Westminster Abbey in London.  Lord knows I would be a mess if I ever went to Jerusalem or saw the pyramids in Egypt!

And here's proof we were there.   We didn't get to go inside the Colosseum that day.  We went inside later so I will show it to you later...

Here's another oldie, but goodie.  The Arch of Constantine.  Dedicated in 315 AD.  I love old stuff...really old stuff.

And of course the old Roman Forum.  (Tons of old stuff in here)  Its amaziing to me to think of all of the history that took place here.  Just to the left of the picture is where the whole "Et tu Brute" thing went down.  I was completely geeking out here!!!



We walked around city for a while that night.  Finally it was time for our first meal in Italy.  PIZZA!!!
Let me just get this out in the open... Eating in Italy is NOT for skinny people!  This is the carb capital of the world, people!! And I loved every minute of it!  Pizza, pasta, risotto, bread...yes, yes, yes, and YES!!  I'm sure you could visit Italy and still maintain your diet, but WHY?  Its like what they say, "When in Rome...Do as the Romans."  Which translated means, "Eat tons of carbs for dinner and always, ALWAYS follow it with gelato!"  I love this country!!!



Part 2 coming soon....