Mama Mia!!!

I think I want to move to Rome. It's so gorgeous there. I can't even describe it...and as of right now I can't even should it because I haven't been on the ball enough to actually upload pictures onto my computer, but it's not like those pictures would do any sort of justice to just how gorgeous it was there.

We arrived Thursday night at nine and found our hotel. And by that I mean the WRONG hotel because we got incorrect directions, but it was ok because the nice little Italian man there apparently loved me because he showed us to the correct place by saying to me, "Ok, bab-ay! Let's go!" And as we walked out of the hotel he stops to yell at this guy for not wearing pants. He had boxers on, don't worry... But he proceeded to follow me down the stairs going, "Mama, mia! Who is that guy!? No pants?! Mama, mia!!" It basically made my life.

When we found our real hotel, the lady there was real mean. We wanted our Italian man back!!! But we stayed and it was a beautiful place. In the morning we left and went to find out apartment. It took for.ev.er. to find. Along the way we stopped and got the most epic pizza of my life and that made the day a bit better. Once we found the cutest apartment I've ever seen which was right near the Vatican and we could see the dome through the window we went to pick up another girl from the train station. The rest of the evening was a waste of my life and I was annoyed because we didn't do ANYTHING or see ANYTHING. We got a great dinner, but what about the sights!? I don't like being a tourist but that's what I am, damnit! So while they were getting ready to go out and party-hardy, I got ready to go e'splorin'! Which I did. And it was just splendid!

I saw sooo many things! I walked by the river, saw a bazillion piazzas, AND the Trevi Fountain! I LOVE the fountain! Omg....Just. Omg.

I made some poor, unsuspecting tourist take my photo for me...but I don't care! And I made a wish! Great, greatness!

I went back and basically passed out from walking half the city. But, it was TOTALLY worth it.

Oh! Another cool thing that happened was that I called my mom when I was standing in Vatican square on the way back to my apartment and the bells starting ringing for her! Perfecto!!

Saturday the group of sixteen that went met up at the Vatican for a tour. Though only fourteen got in because that is how many signed up and the other two were trying to sneak in..., we saw the Catacombs underneath the Vatican, which was eerily awesome, and then the Grottos, where the Popes are all buried. After looking through the Basilica, Elliot and I went up to the Cupola, which is the very top of the huge Dome of the Basilica. Apparently he and I enjoy climbing large amounts of spirally staircases together to see really awesome views from the top of churches... It was a looooong way up, but it was totally worth the five euros and the walk. Omg, so great! :D

After a nap, Elliot and I got ready, couldn't find ANYONE from our group* and headed to this restaurant called "Le Fate." It was delicious! For only ten euro, we both got a glass of wine, an appetizer (bruschetta), pasta (ratatoullie), and tiramisu! Ooo...sooo good! During dinner we met a bunch of American students who were eating there as well and we went out with one of them. Her name was Raina and she was sooo cute!!! It was SUCH a good night!

*We all have these stupid little baby phones here and they're pay-as-you-go phones, like most phones in Europe apparently. Anyway, everyone, and I mean EVERYONE was out of minutes by Saturday afternoon. I came home with a negative balance. It was SO stupid...

I woke up a little later than I wanted to on Sunday, but it's ok because I still got to see most of what I wanted to see. Luckily I'm planning on going back at the end of April!! I saw the Pope speak, which was something that, as a notveryreligious Catholic, I never thought I would EVER see. I walked what I believe that OTHER half of Rome that I didn't quite get to on Friday night. I saw all the ancient ruins and saw was I really wanted to see....THE COLOSSEUM. dundundun!!!

Even though we had to SPRINT to both of our trains* so we wouldn't miss them, it was a great, great weekend. I loved it! I cannot WAIT to go back...I love Italy.

*Our first train to the train station to go to Milan NEVER showed...so when the next one came, we had about ten minutes to get from the BACK AND UPSTAIRS tracks to the downstairs, front tracks. We barely made it. It sucked because I had to deal with annoying bitchy people who didn't want to walk through all the train cars, but GUESS WHAT?! You didn't miss the train so you can kiss my butt...Then that train decided to stop for twenty minutes for no good reason in a tunnel. A TUNNEL?! Then again for about ten minutes right outside the station...it was annoying and made us almost miss out connecting train. We ran all over the place looking like idiots, but I don't care! I made it home and that's all that matters... :D

P.S.-Pictures to come!