Hello again! Sorry for the long hiatus in blogging. I have a good excuse though:

The countdown got to zero…so I’ve been in Italy! Or should I say, Italia. Traveling there went smoothly – with the exception of a mix-up regarding the bus schedule that led me to frantically take a taxi to the airport:

Sadly, my exact change that I had so deliberately collected for the bus ride there will now need to be used for laundry:

When, I got to the airport, I made it through security and had time to eat the lunch (almond flour pizza for one) I brought before boarding:

Obviously, a quick stop at Caribou was necessary:

I was going to go to Starbucks since I like their tea selections better, but it makes me mad that Starbucks expects you to pay more money for a medium tea than a small when they’re only giving you more hot water….so, Caribou it was!

After a quick layover in Philadelphia, I was on my way to Rome! The best part of international flights? Definitely the individual entertainment stations.

Yes!!! Twilight: Breaking Dawn part 2. Doesn’t take a lot to keep me happy. 🙂 In addition to watching Twilight and Life of Pi, I also read Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food which I bought a couple weeks ago at Magers and Quinn. I loved it! I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning more about a common sense approach to nutrition and eating.

If individual entertainment stations are the best part of international travel, in-flight meals are the worst:

I special ordered a vegetarian meal prior to the flight, so my rice/veggie mixture was bad but not terrible (really I was just super excited for all the delicious Italian food I would be consuming over the next week!). When I finally made it to Rome the next morning, I was SO EXCITED to see this handsome fellow waiting for me at the airport:

While we were waiting for the train to take us from the airport into Rome, Noah got a Cappuccino at the bar (very Italian!):

When we got into the city, it was too early to check into the Bed & Breakfast where we were staying, so we went to Noah’s apartment. There were great views from the window!

We also visited a nearby fruit market with loads of produce, flowers, and prepared foods:

I got some oranges and pears to eat during the week:

When we finished at the market, it was time to head to the B&B! We were staying at a place called Parioli House near the Policlinico Metro Stop. It was very cute with tea, fruit, and snacks available all the time in the foyer:

After we got settled in the room, we set off to take a walking tour. There’s a company called Rome Free Walking Tour, which is exactly what it sounds like. Perfect for the stingy traveler! Noah and I took two tours: one through the Heart of Rome and one from the Spanish Steps to the Vatican. The one to the Vatican was MUCH better, but we saw a lot of cool stuff on both. Highlights include….

The Colosseum and Forum:

The Trevi Fountain:

The Pantheon:

Piazza Navona:

and the Vatican:

Stay tuned for more information on these places later….

Also, did I mention that we are silly and love Rick Steves?

And finally, the perfect ending to the first day…DINNER! We went to a restaurant that specialized in wood-fired pizzas:

There were neat paintings all over the walls:

We ordered a tuna pizza and a veggie pizza:

Plus a side dish of eggplant:

Sooo good. And, in true Italian form, an espresso after the meal:

Check back soon for info on St. Peter’s Basilica, biking the Appian Way, and great Italian cuisine!

Other Italy Posts
Italy: Part 2
Italy: Part 3
Italy: Part 4
Italy: Part 5