Around Sunday I realized I hadn't posted here in a week with an update. And then I realize how long it would have to be and went swimming instead. Now 3 days later I'm making time - and the update will be even longer. Feel free to skip to the photos.
Monday & Tuesday last week were spent catching up on some sleep and hosting a couple of Leah's friends here. We went out for dinner at Dar Poeta for the best pizza of my life. Seriously, it was amazing. Oh, I wandered around the Campo di Fiori and saw several art galleries. Otherwise a chill couple of days.Wednesday Kristin R. arrived and I met her at the train station. We brought back her stuff and went shopping for our BBQ that night. Pat brought home the Greek group and we had a great time. Yes, we had to get the butcher to hand-grind several kilo's of steaks into burgers and yes, the hot dogs were so small it was 2 to a bun, but it was as American as we could manage. There was even an impromptu singing of the Star Spangled Banner by our international crew and a lively debate about global politics. How patriotic was that?
The next day Kristin got us on the tourist track and we all headed out to see the Palazzo Borghese - an art museum in the largest park in Rome. The buses weren't co-operating though and we were going to miss our appointment. 
So since we were already close, we went to the Capitaline Museum instead. It was like the greatest hits collection of Roman art. Mostly intact statues, famous mosaics, the original bronze of Marcus Aurelius. After that, we walked through the Forum and tried to go to a lunch place I'd read about but it was closed and since it was after 3PM we had to brave a tourist spot. The food was fine but thank goodness we checked the drink prices before ordering - 1 beer was the same as 1 of our lunches.
After that Pat headed to class and Kristin and I shopped, not getting much. We met Pat after class at al Pau for dinner. The food was delicious (especially the "linguine al pao" which had porchinis & clams) but we had to turn down gelato-man on the walk home since we were all stuffed.
Friday was another action-packed day. We again woke up really early and took the train up to Florence. We paid for speed but even the Eurostar took 1.5 hours. It was completely worth it though.Firenze was incredible. I'm not sure how Katie and I could have hated it in 1999 (although I blame lack of sleep and crappy weather), but I think it's gorgeous now.
Our preparation had been a quick read of the NYT's 36 hours in Florence and a brief web surf, but I think we did a surprising amount of fun stuff in one day.
We started by buying a map and wandering the streets, stopping in to a small church, passing the Duomo, seeing the Ponte Vecchio and heading back in to the Uffizi. We decided to eat lunch before dealing with the line. We lunched at the Osteria Belle Donne - delicious non-Roman Italian food despite a brusque waiter - then walked past Dante's house and bought fantastic jewelry nearby. Back at the Uffizi, we waited for 2 hours to get in, taking turns walking around the square. K. bought wonderful gifts at the Market of the Little Pig but I couldn't decide on a purse for myself.Once we got into the museum, it was worth the wait. The guides said to try to make it through tthe first 12 rooms but we somehow walked through all 45. The first rooms housed gold-leaf altar paintings from the 13th century - amazing even out of context. But it was the Botticelli's that almost made me cry. I can't explain the amazing experience of seeing these paintings in person. We wandered through the rest of the rooms but I had to go back one more time. We wandered downstairs to leave and saw yet another exhibit (so much art!) but just walked through to the gift shop(s!!) and outside.
After that we were a bit dazed but energized so we crossed the river to the bar the NYT's recomended for free food with your cocktail. They weren't kidding - forget dinner, we ate a feast at the bar. On the way to another bar, we spotted a staircase and started climbing. My feet were about to fall off at this point but we made it to the top. The view was incredible.
We didn't have time for a bar after that and so we hobbled to the train station only to find out our train was delayed. Gah! We collapsed on the platform but finally made it home around 1AM. Birthday calls to the folks & bed.
Saturday I turned 30 and celebrated by sleeping in. Kristin and I went to the Colosseum and tried a friend's trick for skipping the line. It worked! You just walk up through the Forum to the entrance of the Palatine Gardens and buy the ticket there. In 10 minutes, we were done. At the Colosseum all we had to do was walk through security and we were in. 
I found the structure itself interesting, but mostly felt the same way viewing it from outside. After spa pedicures, Kristin's first gelato, naps and primping, we went out to dinner with John, Leah and Amanda at Dar Poeta again. It's that good. After that, drinking in the piazza - what a way to ring in my 30th birthday. By acting 19...
Sunday morning came early but we rushed to the train station Amazing Race-style (aka arguing, running and general chaos) and made the train to Formia with Pat's class. 
After a nice walk around the town we came to the main draw for me - the beach. I'm slightly horrified that in over a month this is only our second time at the beach. Formia is gorgeous though - clean water, uncrowded beach, soft sand. Despite a hilariously bad service at lunch (I had to wait 2 hours for my food - hahahah!), we persevered, some of us opting to skip Cicero's tomb and returning to the beach instead. Lovely.Monday was a comedy of errors, but it worked out in the end. Kristin R. went to the Vatican and I was supposed to meet her at a bridge at 1PM. Somehow we got the bridges confused and I waited at a different one than her. I'd been shopping all morning with Amanda & another classmate's wife and we couldn't find the stores we were looking for either. A rough start to the day. Eventually we got lunch and I picking up Pat's keys from class. Luckily Kristin had found her way home and we eventually laughed about it. We bought steaks and veggies for dinner and grilled out for her last night in Rome, beginning it as she started it. We had so much fun just hanging out in the yard talking and drinking wine until very late.
Tuesday we took Kristin to the train station to get her to the airport - sorry to see her go. She's a fabulous houseguest! Pat and I wandered around the booksellers and a church, which we mistakenly thought was the one with the monk's bones, then got sandwiches and walked up to St. Peter in Chains church only to find it closed too. 
We did get to walk through the stairway where one Borghia killed another (Lucrezia?).Today we had everyone over for Greek club again so I made lasagnas (one vegetarian with spinach noodles, one with sausage), salad and grilled peaches. Pat and I had attempted a trip to the Vatican this morning but gave up on the buses and went shopping instead.
The most exciting news is that we heard from the Scavi tour people today - we will get to go on one of their tours of the catacombs beneath St. Peter's next week! We'd heard July was booked but maybe there was a cancelation. Should be claustrophobic, gruesome fun.
