ok ok ok

So I've been really bad at this blog thing so far.
Internet here is not only expensive, but the keyboards are all different too, so everything takes a little longer to type.

Speaking of here, we are in Rome, Italy. Before I jump ahead of myself though..

Santorini was beautiful. We rented ATVs for cheap (one €10 tank of gas lasted us the entire time!) and were able to ride around the whole island and see everything! Not only is Santorini really just the rim of a volcano, but there are black sandy beaches (from the volcanic ash!), tons of wineries.... we even went scuba diving!!!!

One would think scuba diving would be fun... it was... but... I freaked out (so did another girl we were with though). There is just something strangely vulnerable about breathing into a machine underwater. I kept expecting to get water in my lungs, to all of a sudden choke, for the equipment to fail.... Hyperventilating + scuba diving = bad. Just overall freaked out, was really disappointed in myself (especially since josh was loving it!), but it was an experience.

Other than that, there's not much to say about Santorini. It was a living, breathing postcard. The pictures are on my facebook and they pretty much sum up the trip -- gorgeous. We really didn't do a whole lot there -- just drove around, hung out on beaches, ate some of the best food I've ever had.

The people in Greece are the nicest people I've ever met. Not only are they eager to speak English, but they speak it well, and really go out of their way to help you. I didn't run across a single Greek that wasn't nice... well except for the babushka (sp?) lady that screamed at Josh for riding his ATV down a walkway we weren't supposed to. haha but that was funny.

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Original plan.... took ferry to Athens in the morning, our flight was at noon. Fly to Bari, Italy, catch the last train to Naples.

Ended up getting to the airport at like 8am. Our flight was delayed until 1:30. Then 3:30. Then 5:10. Then finally at 7pm we got on a unmarked, generic plane, and flew to Bari, Italy. Of course, we had missed the last train to Naples or Rome, so we were forced to stay in Bari. The airline??? Gave us a voucher for €50 off our next flight with them. That's it. We lost our deposit on our hostel in Naples, lost our reservation on the train out of Bari. €50. Blahhhhhhhh

We decided to skip Naples. They are on a garbage strike and everyone has told us not to go right now. So instead we caught the train to Roma. We arrived close to midnight at one of the biggest train stations in Europe -- whew!!!! What's even crazier is that to get to our hostel, we have to walk through Chinatown... in Rome, Italy. Just makes me laugh.

Day one -- Did a tour of the Colosseum, Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. After grabbing some lunch, we did the Trevi Fountain and practically every major piazza -- Piazza Navona, Piazza Campo de Fiori, etc.

On our way to the Pantheon, walking down a cobblestone alleyway, we were all of a sudden cut off by police and security. What was going on?? We waited patiently to get through... and there he was. Ron Howard. I could have grabbed him. They were in the middle of filming "Angels and Demons"!!!!!!! Lights, camera, crew everywhere... and freakin Ron Howard!!!!!! Finally we were able to squeeze our way through to the Pantheon, visited that, and when we returned towards the movie set we saw someone else amazing -- who else but Tom Hanks!!!!! It was a nice glimpse of Hollywood in Rome! And my first time ever on a movie set on location!!!!
If only I could figure out how they are going to shoot the part of the book at the Vatican?????

Speaking of the Vatican -- day 2 was an all-day tour of St. Peter's Basilica, the vatican Museums, the Tombs, th Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel. From "Pieta" to "The Last Judgement" to "God Creates Adam" -- some of THE most famous works of art, and I was standing feet from them!!!!
The other most humbling thing was seeing the tomb of Pope John Paul II. Nuns were knelt in prayer and others cried -- flowers and letters surrounded his tomb.
After a lunch siesta, we headed to San Giovanni in Laterano. It is Rome's Cathedral and where the Pope does Mass in Rome (outside the Vatican). Across the street was the Scala Santa or "holy stairs". They are 28 stairs transferred to Rome from what used to be Pontius Pilate's palace in Rome. They are said to be the stairs that Christ scaled during the Passion. Pilgrims from everywhere come to these steps and climb them on their knees in silent prayer. It was a site to see all these people scaling this small tiny staircase on their knees.

Being in Rome kind of makes you proud to be a Catholic. Probably because demographically, 84% of Rome is Roman Catholic.

I am surprised at how easy it is to pick up Italian. It very similar to Spanish and French. I've definitely gotten down restaurant ordering and asking where something is and directions. Oh and how to ask how much something costs = important!!!! =)

Tonight is our last night in Roma -- we are then heading to Florence for a day and Venice for a day. Then it's off to beautiful neutral Switzerland!!!!!!!

Well, this hour of internet has cost me €2,00 (roughly $3.50) so I better head out of here.
Ciao!
- Amanda