We all got to the airport right on time to check in. We couldn’t wait to get rid of our suitcases. We ran into Weigman at the airport. It was awesome seeing him again. We showed each other pictures and caught up a little on our excursions. Our plane was on time, and my TV worked on the plane this time! I watched 500 Days of Summer and Adam. They were both pretty good movies. I started feeling sick toward the end of the flight though, and I got the worst case of vertigo I’ve ever experienced, and I’ve had my fair share of dizzy spells. It was so weird. It was making me sick. I only had an hour or so left at that point, so I just tried to do anything to distract my mind from it. When we landed, I went to the bathroom right before boarder control, and when I came out, the whole room shook very visibly twice. It really was the weirdest feeling ever. I did my best to act like I was fine around boarder control though. I didn’t want them to think I was bringing some weird sort of illness into the US. After I got some fresh air I felt much better though.

I’m so happy to be back in the US! =)

I spent the morning organizing and repacking my stuff, trying to make it all fit. At night we all watched the movie Elf together and did mud masks. Then we all decided to check out the pool area. Krista was the only person who had brought a swimsuit, so the other three of us went in in our clothes. I felt completely ridiculous, but it was okay. We then checked out the sauna and steam rooms. I am not a fan of the steam room, and not so much the sauna room either, but it was bearable, and I did stay in there for about 15 minutes.

We got up really early to pack and eat breakfast. We had seen that we picked the perfect weekend to  stay near the central line. It was closed at our stop, so we hopped on a bus outside our hotel. The bus took us to the train station where we got on a train that took us to Liverpool Street station. From there we jumped on the Hammersmith and City Line and switched to Picadilly. We took that all the way to Heathrow. When we arrived there we didn’t know what to do to get to our hotel. I asked Krista if she knew but she didn’t. She did tell me it was the Heathrow Marriott though. So we asked some police officers if they knew the best way. They told us to follow terminal one to the hotel hoppa. It was a bus that would drop you off right at your hotel. So we got on the bus to the Heathrow Marriott. When we got there we went to check in, only to have them tell us we were booked at the other Marriott, the Marriott Windsor. As in Windsor- the town- not London. So they told us to hop on the city bus. When we got on the bus they told us to, we asked the bus driver if he was going there, and he had no clue what we were talking about. We stayed on anyway and just watched out the window. We finally saw it go by, so we got out at the next stop and walked back. We were so tired of traveling, even though it had just been from one hotel to another. From the east end to the west end. It had taken us about 3 or 4 hours. We were able to check in though and relax a little bit before Sam and Krista arrived. We all then decided to get our bags from Gary’s before it got too late. It wasn’t so bad bringing them back as I thought it’d be. It was manageable with everyone helping one another. At one point, Taryn and I were in a stairwell and Sam came back up to help us carry some suitcases down and she made the remark, “what do you have in here? A small child?!” Taryn and I just busted out with laughter while all the people walking by must have thought we were crazy. However, we got them to the hotel without too much pain, and nothing got broken or almost hit by a bus this time.

We got up and ate breakfast before heading into the main area of London. We started off by seeing St. Paul’s. It was really too pricey to go in all the way, so Taryn and I chose the cheap tourist option of standing in the entry and looking from there. Honestly, after seeing St. Peter’s Basilica, it didn’t even come close! But that’s a hard act to follow.

We then headed to Parliament. The House of Lords was the only one in session, but we got to sit in for a while and observe. It was cool even though I had no idea what they were even talking about. I think all the formalities just blew things over my head.

We followed Parliament with Westminster Abbey. It was huge and packed. The most significant tomb I saw was that of Elizabeth I from the Tudor family. I was surprised to see that she had herself buried with her sister. Though they didn’t get along at ALL in life, she hoped there’d be peace in death. I thought that was sweet. One other cool thing they had there was the oldest door in England. They also had an unknown soldier buried in Westminster Abbey. The queen laid a poppy wreath on his grave. Can you imagine back in the day if you discovered that was your son? Wow, the honor.

After our little acts of tourism, we settled back into a resident mode. We went back to Hammersmith and did some shopping. We also had kebabs one last time. We made a final walk down our street and a final farewell to Baron’s Court tube stop. I thought I would have been more sad, but I think I was just ready to put that chapter behind me.

When we got back to the hotel we were getting ready for ben when Taryn started freaking out. She said there was a HUGE spider on the ceiling above her bed. She said it had its own zip code it was so big. I thought she was being overly dramatic so I didn’t pay much attention. I didn’t even glance up at the thing. She kept begging me to kill it, until I finally got up to take care of it. When I looked up though, I realized she was right. It was HUGE. It was like a super species of daddy longlegs. I couldn’t kill it for a couple reasons. One, it was a little to big for me to feel okay with it. Two, it was on the ceiling, so if I missed, it’d fall right on me. Taryn said she couldn’t sleep with it there, and I couldn’t kill it so we did the only thing we could think of to resolve the issue. We went downstairs and grabbed the reception boy. He told he wasn’t a killer. So I asked him if he could just move it somewhere else. So he came in and picked it up by one of its legs and put it in a plastic bag, removing it from our room. Thank you reception boy for restoring the peace!

I did not feel well at all, and I can honestly say I slept the ENTIRE day. I don’t think I’ve ever been able to do that before or ever again. And I still slept the entire night. I guess I just needed it, because I felt better the next day…

Happy 21st Andrea!

We woke up early to take our bags to the train station for them to hold until we got back after our day at the Vatican. On our way there, Taryn was stopped by a nun who handed her 20 euros she had dropped. We dubbed her Taryn’s personal savior. We had a lot of time to kill before our tour, so we sort of ‘cafe-hopped.’

We had a new tour guide this time, Ian, but saw some familiar faces from previous tours, including a stereotypical American couple from Alabama and a girl Sydney, Australia traveling the world by herself. We started off the tour with the papal audience. Ian told us to all look at the back and point, because people always thought the pope came in from there. And while they were looking there, we could get the best picture of him coming in from the side stage door. So as surreal as it felt, I got to see Pope Benedict XVI. He seemed very sweet, even though I couldn’t understand a word he was saying.

After the papal audience we went into the Vatican museums, the home of the best art collection in the world. All those days sitting in art history really came to life. We ended the tour in the Sistine Chapel. I thought it would be very overrated, but I have to admit it was really magnificent.

After the tour, Taryn and I stayed around to explore some more. We went to the papal tombs first. I got to see the most popular one, JPII of course. It’s amazing how you can really feel like you know someone you’ve never met. There’s constantly a security guard standing by his tomb to make sure people keep moving and no pictures are taken. I could be biased, but it appeared to me that he had the most beautiful tomb there.

After the tombs, we went into St. Peter’s Basilica. It completely makes any other church seem insignificant. It is truly magnificent. I also got to see Michelangelo’s first sculpture and only signed work of art. It was his piece of Mary hold Jesus’ body in her arms. It’s totally one of my favorite pieces. I was sad there was the glare of the protective glass in front of it, but that’s what happens when some guy from the ’70s jumps up on top and chops off a nose proclaiming he is Jesus. It just ruins it for everyone else. Too bad.

After that, we went shopping in the souvenir shop. Everything in there is so beautiful, and it’s all blessed by the pope, so you really can’t go wrong in a purchase! =)

After we left the Vatican, we ate at an English pub we found close by, a little taste of ‘home.’ After eating, we headed back to the train station and made our journey to the airport. We had our last taste of Italy in the Europe, quite literally, with some gelato before we boarded the plane. It was nice to be heading back to London. It really always feels like going home.

Once we arrived in London, we were a little concerned about the underground closing before we got to it, so we were a little rushed. Hindsight shows that was completely unnecessary, but better safe than stuck and sorry! We got off at our stop on the tube and realized we were surrounded by construction when we reached street level. Therefore, we didn’t know exactly what street we were on, but I asked some guys I saw, and they ended up giving us exact directions to our hotel. It was nice not to have to ask if they spoke English first. So we arrived at our hotel, and found it to be very quaint, like one would think of a grandmother’s house.

Taryn and I decided to stick with the same company for tours because they had been so good. So while we were waiting for our tour for the day, we went to ‘Artist Cafe’ to have some gelato. The cafe was right across from the Colosseum, our meeting point. It was so surreal to be sitting at a cafe eating ice cream with the colosseum right next to me. It was beautiful though.

We had a happy surprise by having Anthony as a tour guide again. We started off at Circus Maximus. He told us about chariot racing, and how Emperor Nero had been cruel and a big fan of the races. So he set up stakes around the whole stadium and burned Christians alive to light up the races. So many Christians were executed in Circus Maximus instead of the Colosseum because there was more seating available.

After that we walked to see the land that used to be the ancient Roman harbor. Right there was also a temple dedicated to hercules. It was one of twelve, and the only one still standing today. It dated back before the time of Christ. Across from it was a church with the Mouth of Truth. Anthony told us how people would stick their hands in the mouth, and if they were telling a lie, they would lose their hand. Inside the church, we found the famous relic of Saint Valentine. Anthony told us how San Valentino married people that were in the military, when it was illegal, so he was executed on February 14th. Our Valentine’s Day. In a case under a painting of him was his skull. Wow.

After that, we drove along the Appian Way to the catacombs of Rome, where several popes had been buried. We weren’t allowed to take pictures inside, but it was sure something to see. There was just so MUCH. The one thing from that that probably stuck out to me the most was when they found the grave of Saint Cecilia, since I took Cecilia as my confirmation name, and it was also the name of my great-grandmother.

After the Catacombs, we went to Peter in Chains church. Inside was the relic of Saint Peter, his chains. It was said that when the chains that bound him were brought from Jerusalem to the ones in Rome, they linked together on their own. Also present in the church was Michelangelo’s Moses. That was really something to see as well. He truly was an amazing sculptor.

Taryn and I went to Termini to get our metro passes. The metro line in Rome is super easy because there are only two lines. However, that means a LOT more walking. It’s okay though because there’s history on just about every street. We decided to go see the colosseum first. So we went there and were convinced to take a tour by native English speaking tour guides. Our tour guide for the Colosseum was named Roberto. I wasn’t feeling very well, so I wasn’t exactly enthused by his jokes that just poked fun at different people. Not my type of humor anyway. So of course since I wasn’t smiling, he picked on me from the beginning. He made me go stand next to him and he twirled me around, casting me as a type in ancient Rome. And who might that type be? The woman who sat next to the men of power? The virgin. So from hence forth I was dubbed ‘the virgin’ by everyone in my tour. Fantastic. Please note my sarcasm. I really hate it when all the attention is on me. And Roberto just wasn’t very nice. His tour was more theatrical than informative. Though the colosseum was very cool to see.

Our tour also included a guided tour through the Palatino area. We got a different guide this time named Anthony. He was absolutely brilliant! He was so interesting, and he knew anything you’d want to know historically about the area. And he didn’t even have to make fun of anyone to be entertaining. Palatino was very cool. It was the area the emperors began building their mansions, one on top of the other. In the end, the remains of the building we were standing in were 6 stories high. We got to see some of the original marble used for the flooring still in place. It was cracked, and that was what saved it from being used as marble in St. Peter’s Basilica. Anthony also showed us where the throne sat that sat all of Rome’s famous emperors up until Constantinople. So much history! I wish I could have seen it all in it’s element. I almost think it’d be worth it to build a replica on a different location and show what it would have looked like. It’d still be glorious today.

Anthony then showed us the Roman Forum and ‘The Sacred Way,’ a road all of Rome’s great emperors travelled on to signify their power in Rome. Napoleon had his men try to unearth the road because he wanted to do the same as ancient Rome’s emperors, to signify his power in the world also. However, his men actually unearthed and tossed the actual road. When they realized what they had down, they tried to place it back where they had found it.

After the tour, Taryn and I wandered down to the Roman Forum and The Sacred Way ourselves, and we walked the same road as so many victorious leaders. You could even still see where the chariot wheels had gone before you. It was really a place to twist and ankle or trip and fall flat on your face, though. If you wanted to look around you, you had to stop to look up or you were sure to fall.

For there, we walked toward the tomb of the unknown soldier. On our way there, we passed a poster for a surrealism exhibit. On the poster was a urinal that was considered a fountain; a piece I had had to study in art history. I would have gone to the exhibit if it would have been free. I love surrealism. Right around the corner was the tomb of the unknown soldier, also known to many as ‘the wedding cake.’ Anthony had told us that houses from ancient Rome were perfectly preserved under this memorial, but archeologists were not able to get at them because the memorial was on top. They didn’t realize what they were covering up until after they had built it. It would by mine and any archeologist’s DREAM to unearth that- PERFECTLY preserved! Imagine! Walking right through history’s doors! Amazing. But they’ll only be able to get at it if/when the memorial collapses. So, not so likely.

On our way back to the hotel, we decided to walk back via the Trevi Fountain. We found it pretty easily, incredibly crowded. I can’t imagine what it must be like during prime-tourist-time. I tried my best to count to three in Italian and threw my coin in with a wish, in hopes also that I may return to Rome one day.

We also walked by Republica on our way back. I have no idea what it was, but it was beautiful. Especially when it was all lit up at night. We stopped in Termini and ate at Roadhouse Grill. It sort of reminded me of Texas Roadhouse because they had peanuts on the table and all. But they were missing the best part of Texas Roadhouse- the rolls! So not quite as good, but at least I got some protein from the ribs! =)

Taryn and I got up early and headed out to the beach to watch the sunrise. It was so beautiful, and the perfect way to say goodbye to Venice. We ate breakfast at the hotel and then headed to the ferry boat area and after some confusion, got on the right boat that took us straight to the airport. It was weird to approach the airport knowing that planes were taking off while they were surrounded by water- just such different scenery from what I’m used to. Unfortunately, upon arrival we discovered that our flight was delayed two hours, so we had quite a bit of time to kill. While we were waiting to board, I overheard a guy talking and it sounded like he had an American accent, but then my attention would wander and I’d swear I’d hear a hint of something else, but when I paid attention again, it was a perfect American accent. I always love playing ‘spot the American.’ I really wanted to know where he was from, but I wasn’t as sure of his nationality as I usually am when playing spot the American. So I didn’t ask. However, when we were boarding the plan I discovered that he was a part of a very large group traveling together. They were all speaking English, but with different accents. So I struck up conversation with the guy across the aisle from me. He himself was from Slovakia, and the guy who sounded American to me was actually from Serbia. I was so incredibly impressed with his accent, and his friend told me that he had studied for a while in America, so his accent was much better than everyone else. They were all speaking different languages because they were all grad students from around the world, studying in Italy, but the only language they all had in common was English. He even told me that when touring around Italy on their off days, they would try to speak English first to the Italians, just because they could understand it much better than the little Italian they knew and were learning. It was very interesting to learn their story. I always wonder what other people are doing/where they are going and why when I’m on a flight of train with others. Everyone has a different story to tell.

The airport in Rome is set a way out from the city, so we needed transportation in to the city to our hotel. We ended up getting a taxi like bus that took us directly to our hotel. At first I didn’t think the driving was bad, but then I noticed that the closer to the city centre we got, the more the lanes just looked like suggestions to drivers. I made sure my seat belt was securely fastened. On our way in, we sort of got a mini tour out our windows. We were able to see several monumental places just by getting to our hotel. It sure was a shocker to see the colosseum the first time. Talk about ‘Welcome to Roma!’

We started off the day with breakfast at the hotel, where we saw the gelato boys again, only this time they actually looked like they knew what was going on. After breakfast we headed down the street, looking for a legal entrance to the beach. There were entrances all over the place, but a lot of them had warning signs on them with stuff written in Italian, so we didn’t want to risk any sort of illegal action. We finally found a main entrance near where we would turn to go up the main street of the island. It was so nice to be on a beach again. A beach is definitely one of my favorite places to be in the world. It wasn’t cold at all of being December, so I took my shoes off, rolled up my jeans, and walked right in. So calming. It was wonderful. I didn’t even mind how much the sand stuck to my feet when I was trying to wipe it off later. The beach was full of fresh, beautiful shells too, so Taryn and I picked up some free souvenirs. =)

After the beach, we headed into the main island of Venice. We stopped at San Marco, or St. Mark’s Square, a popular destination for tourists. All around Venice was not badly crowded though due to the time of the year. It was nice to be able to enjoy the scenery without the chaos of all the tourists. The reports of flooding we made real when we walked into the square though. It wasn’t horrible, just not something you’d want to walk through. So the the city had set up platforms for people to use to get from place to place. However, when we returned at the end of the day, all the flooding had disappeared from San Marco. We walked around the area for a while. It was cool to see every designer name you could possibly think of, just as if it were any other store. Taryn and I stopped to eat at Hard Rock Cafe. It was interesting to see an Italian take on Americanism. They got it pretty spot on, but I’d imagine that they’re quite used to American tourists coming in.

After lunch Taryn and I walked around, not really caring where we were going. We got lost on purpose. We got completely away from the crowds and got to see the areas that usually only the locals take the time to wander into. It was all very beautiful. I’m so happy we got lost on purpose. It wasn’t difficult, though. Venice has many paved areas that lead you to dead ends of the canal. It was like being in a giant maze. I can imagine it would get frustrating if I really was trying to get somewhere though and the road just ended.

Next we wandered over to the Pantheon and another grand building that caught our attention. That building happened to be an art museum, go figure. If any place should have great architecture, it should be an art-oriented building. It was cool to see though because their current exhibit they were setting up was the pop art exhibit we had seen in London some time ago. The world is so incredibly connected!

After all of that, we were pretty tired, so we headed back to Lido as the sun was setting. It made for some really nice photo opportunities. Once we got back to Lido, we stopped in to the grocery store and also a little shop that sold postcards of Venice, though Taryn made the generous comment that my pictures were better than any of their postcards.

We ended the day in a classic fashion- gelato of course! =)