04.29.10

So, Roma did not let me down.  At all.  For some reason, I was expecting to only be medium impressed with the city.  Instead, it possibly became my favorite place in Italy so far.  I headed out of Milan right after our final and met up with David and his parents.  We had originally planned their trip so that I could meet up with them on the front half to tour the Amalfi Coast and Sorrento.  An unexpected date change pushed my availability back to the Rome part of the week and, in my opinion, I think I actually got the better end of the deal. We had a full day of Roman goodness including the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, Paletine Hill, and the Pantheon.  Even with the crowds, these sights were unbelievable and left me in complete awe of the Romans.

After visiting with the Mouth of Truth (we learned nothing), we spent the afternoon wandering around the Trastevere neighborhood across the Tiber.  It was much less crowded and felt very residential so we lazily enjoyed the local duomo, the local alphabet chocolates, and the local locals! 

From there, we began our night walk across the city.  We saw many a piazza (had drinks in a few), sampled the best gelato in town, viewed the Trevi fountain (along with every other tourist), ate a yummy dinner in an old church, and ended at the Spanish Steps.  I think both sets of Coles were officially exhausted but in the good kind of way.  The kind of way that, even if your toenails are falling off and your ankles are no longer visible, still manages to put a smile on your face.   

We are so thankful that Don and Belinda could make the trip on such short notice and, as soon as I can bring myself to look at the beautiful shots David took, I will upload pics of their week in Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast, and Sorrento!