Buongiorno, Italia!!
We have finally arrived in Rome, Italy!
The extended day of being awake for 36 hours has been well worth it.
Let's start from the beginning though:
As part of Stockton University, 14 of us departed from the States to enjoy ten days in Italy for a study tour. Our trip began on Mother's Day with a side of airport Chickies and Pete's Crab Fries and plenty of excitement! We time-traveled into May 11th and my flight over was quite relaxing and consisted of suduko, a movie and listening to a few tracks from The Glenn Miller Orchestra. Additionally, I ate enough pasta in one day (as if there would be a shortage of availability throughout my next ten days) and watched a breathtaking sunset and a beautiful Roman sunrise from the skies above. At that moment, there was nothing better than being on cloud nine for eight hours and two minutes.
Note: US Airways performed THE best and smoothest plane landing I have ever experienced!! *applause*
As we arrived in Rome, our first visit was to a destination wedding location at Borge di Tragliata. (Dear future husband, I found our wedding venue - no need for you to worry.) Our group was able to not only tour the large and beautiful location, but we also ate lunch there as well - where I had more pasta, outstanding eggplant, and a couple other dishes accompanied by a light, crisp white wine. Finishing off the delicious meal was a much-needed steaming cup of espresso - the first of many. In the end, it was all well worth the food baby.
Leaving the destination was an experience in itself. Our first few hours in Rome and our bus is already trying to vertically climb a steep hill. After slipping backwards for several minutes, I am pretty sure we were all afraid we would not be able to see the rest of Italy! However, we eventually surfaced to flat grounds again to venture through the Roman countryside. I quickly fell asleep, even with the espresso in my system, yet when I woke up, we were driving into the heart of Rome - where our hotel was located!
Hotel Atlantico accommodated us for the first half of our trip. The tiny elevator held the only full-length mirror in the entire hotel and only fit 2-3 humans! My roommates Noelle and Kristina, and I ventured to our room where we received our own doorbell and large windows! Within the first hour of freshening up at the hotel, we popped our heads out of the windows and looked above the Rome roads. One of my friends also had already blew a circuit at this point. Are Americans the only ones who have problems with converters and adapters?! Nonetheless, our hotel was cute and quaint. I enjoyed constantly having the windows open and listening to the fast-paced lifestyle with the tune of the Italian language and loud ambulances speeding on by.
Rome is a beautifully old fashioned, yet modernized quick-paced city. The narrow and confusing streets consist of small shops, churches and small parking spots for Vespas! However, the drivers DO NOT stop - they are worse than New York City! Let's just say I run a lot faster now and my legs are very toned.
Our adventures that night led us to wandering throughout several neighborhoods and getting lost in Rome for two hours looking for the Trevi Fountain, yet making the most of it and exploring some amazing non-touristy areas. Within the two hours, we found some good looking Italian police officers, mainly because eight of us cannot read the Rome maps!
Finally arriving at the Trevi Fountain, we discovered that it is under construction. Pollution, weather, and tourists all take their toll on the monument, but of course we visit during the 2.2 million euro restoration of the monument. Such a disappointment! However, this did not stop my friends and me from making our Lizzie McGuire childhood dreams real!
Therefore, Noelle, Kristina and I quickly made our wishes, and then stopped for gelato, which we ate in front of the Trevi. In the midst of selfie-stick salesmen and bites of my pistachio and hazelnut gelato, we listened to the solo accordion player in the streets. Sounds like a dream right?!
16,000 steps were walked that day and that was only the beginning.
Stay tuned for day #2!
a presto!
We have finally arrived in Rome, Italy!
The extended day of being awake for 36 hours has been well worth it.
Let's start from the beginning though:
As part of Stockton University, 14 of us departed from the States to enjoy ten days in Italy for a study tour. Our trip began on Mother's Day with a side of airport Chickies and Pete's Crab Fries and plenty of excitement! We time-traveled into May 11th and my flight over was quite relaxing and consisted of suduko, a movie and listening to a few tracks from The Glenn Miller Orchestra. Additionally, I ate enough pasta in one day (as if there would be a shortage of availability throughout my next ten days) and watched a breathtaking sunset and a beautiful Roman sunrise from the skies above. At that moment, there was nothing better than being on cloud nine for eight hours and two minutes.
Note: US Airways performed THE best and smoothest plane landing I have ever experienced!! *applause*
As we arrived in Rome, our first visit was to a destination wedding location at Borge di Tragliata. (Dear future husband, I found our wedding venue - no need for you to worry.) Our group was able to not only tour the large and beautiful location, but we also ate lunch there as well - where I had more pasta, outstanding eggplant, and a couple other dishes accompanied by a light, crisp white wine. Finishing off the delicious meal was a much-needed steaming cup of espresso - the first of many. In the end, it was all well worth the food baby.
Leaving the destination was an experience in itself. Our first few hours in Rome and our bus is already trying to vertically climb a steep hill. After slipping backwards for several minutes, I am pretty sure we were all afraid we would not be able to see the rest of Italy! However, we eventually surfaced to flat grounds again to venture through the Roman countryside. I quickly fell asleep, even with the espresso in my system, yet when I woke up, we were driving into the heart of Rome - where our hotel was located!
Hotel Atlantico accommodated us for the first half of our trip. The tiny elevator held the only full-length mirror in the entire hotel and only fit 2-3 humans! My roommates Noelle and Kristina, and I ventured to our room where we received our own doorbell and large windows! Within the first hour of freshening up at the hotel, we popped our heads out of the windows and looked above the Rome roads. One of my friends also had already blew a circuit at this point. Are Americans the only ones who have problems with converters and adapters?! Nonetheless, our hotel was cute and quaint. I enjoyed constantly having the windows open and listening to the fast-paced lifestyle with the tune of the Italian language and loud ambulances speeding on by.
Rome is a beautifully old fashioned, yet modernized quick-paced city. The narrow and confusing streets consist of small shops, churches and small parking spots for Vespas! However, the drivers DO NOT stop - they are worse than New York City! Let's just say I run a lot faster now and my legs are very toned.
Our adventures that night led us to wandering throughout several neighborhoods and getting lost in Rome for two hours looking for the Trevi Fountain, yet making the most of it and exploring some amazing non-touristy areas. Within the two hours, we found some good looking Italian police officers, mainly because eight of us cannot read the Rome maps!
Finally arriving at the Trevi Fountain, we discovered that it is under construction. Pollution, weather, and tourists all take their toll on the monument, but of course we visit during the 2.2 million euro restoration of the monument. Such a disappointment! However, this did not stop my friends and me from making our Lizzie McGuire childhood dreams real!
Therefore, Noelle, Kristina and I quickly made our wishes, and then stopped for gelato, which we ate in front of the Trevi. In the midst of selfie-stick salesmen and bites of my pistachio and hazelnut gelato, we listened to the solo accordion player in the streets. Sounds like a dream right?!
16,000 steps were walked that day and that was only the beginning.
Stay tuned for day #2!
a presto!