Spring Break 2010 - Italy!

I realize that it has been a while since I have made a post. I apologize to all my followers...just kidding :)

I will have to do some catch up on our day trip to Ronda and our weekend trip to Barcelona and upload photos when I get back, but right now I am going to update you on Italy, since that's where I am!!

We began Thursday, March 25th with a flight to Girona, Barcelona (the cheap airport where Ryan Air flies through) and we stayed the night in a hostel there. We had a 9 AM flight out to ROME! We checked into our hostel, which was very central, only about 5 minutes walking from the Colosseum for 13 Euros a night. Not bad at all. That first day we went to see the Trevi Foutain and the Pantheon and just walked around the city, as well as had some delicious pasta and gelato! The second day we woke up and we toured the Colosseum and the Forum. We walked around the city and did a bit of shopping, but no buying. Then, Sunday was Palm Sunday, so we went to mass with the Pope in St. Peter's Basilica. Somehow we got amazing seats, only about 20 rows back. It was awesome. Then we hung out and explored things a bit more. Monday morning we went to the Vatican, saw the Sistine Chapel, then headed for Florence. We LOVED our hostel in Florence. It was central and really homey feeling, almost like Grandmas house. That night we had dinner at a restaurant on the water and it was phenominal. The next day, we saw the Duomo and the David and of course, did some leather shopping. We walked around and saw Gold Bridge as well. The following morning, we headed for Cinque Terre, which was phenominal. On our way to Cinque Terre, we stopped in Pisa and saw the Leaning Tower. Other than that tower, Pisa does not really have much to offer. We were there for a whole hour and a half and then got back on the train and continued to Cinque Terre. We had a cute little guest house in the town of Vernazzo for the night. Cinque Terre is five small towns and we stayed in one and then hiked to and from all the others. The views were indescribable. They were picturesque!! Amazing! The following day we headed back to La Spezia, where we were set to take a night train to Naples. Unfortunately the tickets were all sold out and we had to buy non-guaranteed tickets, which meant that we had to sit on pull down chairs, in the aisle, all night. Needess to say, we didn't sleep much and what we did, it wasn't good. We arrived in Naples, dropped our bags off at our hostel, changed clothes, washed our faces and then headed to Capri for the day!! Capri was gorgeous and the sun was great! We took a boat all the way around the island and then took a row boat into the Blue Caves, which are unique because of a natural blue light that they have inside of the caves. We went back to Capri and then took the ferry back to Naples, where we are staying for the night...in beds....not on the floor or in a pull down seat on a train. Thanks God!! Tonight we are going to get dinner and then head to bed early, since we had very little sleep last night. We are heading to Pompeii tomorrow and then continuing to Rome, where we will catch our flight to Girona, Barcelona. We will spend about 6 hours in the airport and then fly back to Granada early Sunday morning, to see what Easter festivities we can find to participate in.

Overall this has been the trip of a lifetime. Chelsie and Kayla have been amazing people to travel with and we have had a great time every step of the way. Many memories have been made, that will never be forgotten. We still have one and a half days left, but I have already taken over 1500 photos! I LOVE my photos! :) I am so thankful to have done this trip! Wouldn't have traded it for anything. It almost doesn't seem like life is real right now...I feel like I'm in a dream...In Italy right now, Spain for a couple weeks, then off to Africa, the weekend after that, Portugal, then Greece! It is crazy!! I may not ever want to come back to the U.S. (just kidding, mom and dad) :) Really though, this has been the semester of a lifetime and I will never forget it, nor would I trade it for the world. So many experiences and new friends have come into my life and I enjoy every minute of it! God has truly blessed me and made this possible, along with the help of my parents! Thanks!