Don't Mess With Texas
Jeff flew to Houston today to join the annual GSTA conference in Galveston. Along the way he is making a pit stop to see the Hollands.
I was a little bummed at first I couldn't go this year. I couldn't very well take time off yet at my new bank. Plus Jeff called from Galveston when he checked into the hotel and said Galveston was a hole.
So everyone wish Jeff good luck at the awards ceremony. Let's hope OSC wins big!!!
Elizabeth Theodora Holland
Or as we like to call her, Zab.
Welcome to the world, Zab.
R.I.P. Steve Irwin
Thanks for all you've taught us. Let's hope we remember.
Grazie Mille, Roma!
We're home.
Rome was amazing! We had such a good time in such a beautiful city with beautiful people (seriously, I didn't see one fugly Italian).
We arrived in the DaVinci Fiumicino. Not the best first view of Italy. The arrivals and luggage claim was dirty and had no AC and the immigration guy was a little snarky when he tossed me my passport. Whatever.
Our hotel was the Hotel Spring House in Vatican City. Probably one of the nicest hotels Jeff and I ever stayed at. The room was very nice and the staff was very attentive and kind. Our breakfast every morning was unbelievable and we ended up having dinner every night at the hotel because the food was amazing and Enrico, who worked the bar and the 6 seat cafe was wonderful company. We were big fans of the gnochetti, mmmmmmm good.
Sunday we just putzed around and recovered from jetlag. Monday we hit Vatican City.
When you walk into Vatican City, St. Paul's Basilica hits you like a truck. It is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen inside and out. The first thing you see when you walk in the basilica is Michelangelo's Pieta. I couldn't believe it. We explored the grottoes where all the popes are buried, walked the whole church and climbed to the top of Michelangelo's Dome. I was okay with taking the lift halfway to the roof, but then it's 320 steps in a dome that's about 100 degrees inside, climbing steps as you lean in about a 40 degree angle and behind some Polish tourist who hadn't showered in a month, I was hating it. But when you reach the top, the view is breathtaking. After Piazza San Pietro and Basilica San Pietro, we made our way to the Vatican Museum. The museum was once a fortress and housed people of the church and had smaller chapels. It's full of paintings and sculptures and the courtyard is amazing, but in the middle of all these hallways and rooms is the Sistine Chapel. WOW, I was in the middle of the freaking Sistine Chapel!
Tuesday we took a tour. Jeff and I are huge fans of the hop on-hop off tours. For 13 euro a piece, you have all day access and transportation and you can pick and choose where to go and for how long. You can't beat it. You also get to see about 80% of the city and it's little neighborhoods which you could never accomplish on foot. The first day of the bus we visited Piazza Navona, the Colosseum, Piazza del Popolo, Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. We also got to see, but chose not to get of at the Roman Baths and Circo Massimo.
We were so happy with the tour, we took it again on Wednesday, but for more as transportation to what we missed on Tuesday. Wednesday we visited Vittorio Emanuele Monument (aka the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier or the wedding cake) and it's museum, The Roman Forum and the Via Sacra. This area between Palatino and Capitolino is known as ancient Rome. Here is the Curia, Temple of Antoninus and Faustina, Arch of Septimius Servus and Arch of Titus, Domus Aurea (Nero's Golden House) along with many other temples and monuments all dating back to 600 B.C. to about 203 a.D. We also visited the most amazing place not really mentioned in any book or tour was the Cimitero dei Cappuccini/ Chiesa dell'Immacolata (Capuchin Church). Here, the monks who used this church to honor their dead, would display their bones and bodies in an ornate fashion. There were over 4000 bodies and/ or parts on display. Words cannot do it justice. We also just walked through some of the neighborhoods to see local life.
Thursday we took it easy. I had a blistering sunburn and we were both tired. We walked over the Tiber and saw the Castel Sant'Angelo. We check out the local artists on the pedestrian bridge and did a little shopping (got my Prada bag!) and chowed down some gelato.
Our hotel arranged our transportation to the airport, so at 7:00AM we were greeted with a hot Italian guy in a suit driving a sweet black Mercedes!
We arrived at the airport, it took about 2 hours with all the lines for international flights and security, listening to American complain about having to repack their carry on bags ( we got to take ours on the plane!) and checked out the guards every ten feet pointing a machine gun at you. Jeff and I learned from day 1, if you're nice, try and speak the language and not complain, they will take care of you.
Between babies and tropical storms, Rome was a perfect holiday. And to my best travel buddy, I got a picture of the 3 ton horse junk, what more do you want? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! I love you.
