When in Roma...

Finally I have a chance to give you a little update but im afraid I just dont have the time to do my adventure justice but I cant help telling you just a bit. For starters Ive made it to Florence and am now starting the independent part of my travels, so far so good. Had an excellent time in Rome despite a general lack of sleep and gigantic blisters plagueing my poor feet. Theres so much to tell I dont even know where to start but I suppose ill just go from the beginning and pick out the important parts.

We started our adventure in York where we took a train to Liverpool and a bus to John Lennon Airport where we arrived at 12:30am. Already tired I was able to take a picture with the lifesize statue of John Lennon before curling up on the floor of a closed airport pub, so glamorous. Didnt really sleep but was shooed away around 3:30 when the pub was opening just in time to check in to our Ryan Air flight. Arrived in Rome about 12 hours after heading off from York a little worse for the ware. A bus, metro, bus and walk found our way to the all female and evidently feminist hostel around 12:30 and then, being in Rome, began the site seeing extravaganza. Now lets hit the highlights...

First off: Rome has got to be the most touristy of tourist cities in the world. I have been to London, Paris, Madrid, Bacelona, Prague, Shanghai etc and never have I felt so overwhelmed by the flashing cameras, foreign tongues and jostling street sellers. I suppose its because there is so damn much to see there but Lord, it was the first time I didnt feel ashamed to walk around with my guidebook held determindly in front of me because literally everyone else was doing the exact same thing. I even saw a gladiator looking puzzeledly at a Rick Steves guide! OK that might be a lie but you get the picture. Despite the hourdes of tourists I did enjoy being one of them and got to see the main sites: Palatine Hill, the remains of the Circus Maximus (think Ben Hur) the Colloseum, Roman Forum, Vatican City, the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, the Ecstacy of St Teresa and the Spanish Steps among other things. I also had my fill of pizza, pasta, vino and gelato. Unfortunately i cant rave about the food to you, at least not yet. Its all pretty good but honestly I dont think its any better then something I could get in Chico or York. Maybe I just havent found the perfect authentic example, but ill be sure to let you know when i have. My favorite thing about Rome and Italy in general is the winding streets and the beautiful colors of the buildings. Especially those great little streets that take you through to a small piazza with a fountain gently flowing, bella.

New Years was defintely an experience that ill just briefly mention. We went to the Piazza di Popolo, the largest square in Rome where about half of the citys population converged on. Fireworks are legal in the streets and waranteed nearly 500 heart attacks. At midnight everyone cheered and the sky was lit with dozens of fireworks at a time for nearly half an hour. I couldnt open my Champagne and had to get help. Finally made our way down to the main Piazza to get a better view and ended up meeting a family from Venezuela. They were amazingly nice and we celebrated with them in the piazza for over an hour. You will defintely see pictures when I get home.

Hope you all enjoyed the holidays festivities and are keeping up with resolutions and what not. I will wish you a happy 2009 and be off leaving you with a saying from my new Venezuelan friends: "Nueva Ano, Nueva Vida!" New Year New Life. Ciao Amici!