After breakfast we set off into beautiful Roma for a guided tour of the Colosseum and Roman forum. It was amazing to be at such ancient historical sites. As I listened to the tour guide share the history behind the Colosseum, it was wild to imagine the different battles that went on there all those centuries ago. Although parts of the Colosseum remain ruined due to earthquakes and stone robbers over the years, it was still a beautifully impressive piece of architecture.
After our tour, we headed to lunch as a group. We ate at a small trattoria, where everyone knew and loved Miguel, per usual. Dude was a celebrity over there most days and he knew it. He certainly did have the hookups. Kev and I split a yummy "Rocket" salad with corn, cheese, prosciutto, and pineapple in it. We also split a sangwich that had roasted turkey, tomato, lettuce, pesto, and cheese on it. We definitely dipped it in balsamic too. It was delicious. We ordered a bottle of what they called, "Sexy Wine." I can't make that shit up, I promise. It was a sparkling red wine and it was perfect. Like I've said before, I prefer white wine, but give me a bottle of Sexy Wine any day of the week and I will gladly make it disappear. Once we finished our meals, the waiter came out with huge, complimentary wedges of watermelon. The watermelon was SO good and juicy. This lunch was different from most of my meals in that I was able to get a veggie and a fruit down the hatch for a change. It was a nice break from all the carbs I had been eating. I felt good and unashamed after that meal. Perhaps the Sexy Wine had a bit to do with that too. |
Later that evening, a group of us ladies had dinner at a restaurant near our hotel. Everyone else was still at the cooking excursion having a ball making and tasting their own Italian food. Once we all regrouped, we set out to a hookah bar and met up with another EF College Break group for some drinks. First we had some citrusy shots that were more delicious than I can express in words. Then came the Midori cocktails. I may have had 5 of them. They were also inexplicably delightful. It was a bittersweet night, as it was our last night we would all be able to go out together. The following night would be our last night in Italy. So, we spent this night loving each other and making the best of our last fun outing. By this point in the trip, I was head over heels for all these wonderful people, so it was a bit sad. Mike looks gr8 in that picture. That must have been after I ordered him his white Russian. He thinks he's Jeff Lebowski, ma dude. Everyone was tired and wanted to turn in for the night shortly after drinks at the hookah bar. Everyone except for Justin, Kevin, and me- of course. We went to another bar with a group of people from the other EF tour. It was a decent time. Right before we left, a guy came up to me and tried to open up a conversation in Italian. My reaction- "parle Inglese?" He spoke perfect English and as it turned out, he happened to be from Salem, Massachusetts- not too far from me. We got to talking and when I told him where I was from, he asked me if I knew his best friend from college, who was from my hometown. Sure enough, I did. Small world, right? Everyone from EF and I took a cab back to the hotel. As we walked up the steps to the hotel, I became one extra sensitive bitch. Yup, I started to cry like a little baby. I didn't want to go home and I howled it to all of Roma. As Kev began to console me during one of my finer moments, Justin tried to open the hotel doors- they were fucking locked. I lost it. I couldn't stop laughing. I was in a glass case of emotion and thankfully I was in a judgement-free zone. Luckily someone working in the hotel saw us and let us in. It was too much. I was too much. I needed to be put to bed and badly. The following day would be another bucket list day- and a big one at that. Anyone who knows me, knows that my trip to the Vatican had been long awaited. It would be a special day for this sensitive lady. :) |