Italy: Rome, Florence, and Venice

Rome 

Well the first night we got to our hostel around 10 or 11 on. Then we decided because we were in a good part of the city we would go out and look around a bit. However this was a bad idea, we ended up ducking inside a McDonalds because we thought we were being followed. Well after that we decided its better time we get back and we walked the 2 blocks back to our gated apartment and we went to sleep. The next morning we woke up around 9 or 10 and went out and got breakfast (cappuccino and a Nutella croissant for me)

 then we wandered down to the colosseum. The most beautiful thing I've ever seen was when the street opened up suddenly and it was like we were on the set of a movie!

 We had crossed into the old part of Rome. There were hills with roman ruins and the colosseum was to our right and just beautiful fountains and gardens and it was very breathtaking.

 After we explored the gardens and all that jazz we went over and found the Colosseum.

 We wandered around outside it for a bit then went to find lunch at a pannieria. And then after that we got our first gelato, which I proceeded to drop, all over my new black and white sundress. After the gelato we went back to our room to change for the night and so I could clean up and then we were off again, this time to find the Trevi fountain and the Spanish steps and the pantheon, we only ended up finding the Trevi fountain.

 We then found food, which was literally microwaved pasta :( and went back to the room to drop our stuff and go to the Spanish steps. After we mapped it out we decided it would be a good idea to get the metro there. It was only €1. So after we finally found how to buy tickets we proceeded down to the metro, which was sketchy was hell. But we caught the right train and it took us directly to the Spanish steps. The next morning Kelsey and I got up pretty early and went to breakfast then went onto the Vatican. We got stopped by a French guy who got us on a €35 tour and and it was great. It took about an hour longer than they said but it was very very informative and I learned a great deal about the Vatican. We went through the pope's rooms and then the Sistine chapel and it was amazing, then we ended at St. Perfects basicila it is the worlds largest church and t was magnificent!

 All the art was mosaics it truly was Amazing, breathtaking, astonishing and idk what else. After the Vatican we got some quick food from a vender and then headed back to the metro where we got off at the hard rock stop to get my mom some pins then headed back out to termini station. We then went and got Karen and it was a hassle trying to get the owner to come back and get what we owed him. But it eventually happened. We then got a train ticket for €45 to get to Florence


Florence


We made it to our hostel which was in an old convent and it was pretty nice. Much to our surprise we ran into Russell and Sarah at our hostel so we talked to them for a bit then wandered out into Florence to find food. We ended up stumbling a pon an amazing pizza shop. None of them spoke English but we made it work, and it was some of the best pizza I've ever had!! After eating our pizza we went to sleep with our belly's full. The next morning we went out and got the bus and took it all the way around and eventually because of the nice bus driver we made it to San Marco which ended up not even being where we needed but oh well. We ate at a little pannieria again then headed in the direction of the Duomo. On the way we found a McDonalds and Kelsey got a cheeseburger and Karen I split some Miami fries they were delicious!! After eating our Micky Dees we stumbled into the duomo.

 I think it is the worlds 3rd largest church. It was amazing!! We ran into Olivia and Trisha while were there and took a group picture. We waited in line and once we got up to the duomo we were informed we had forgotten our jackets! So we left and found a tee shirt for Kelsey and Karen and I both got scarfs to cover our shoulders. Once we were in the duomo we decided the outside was more magnificent but the dome was gorgeous! 

After exiting the duomo I got into line to go to the top of the dome and for €8 I climbed all 656 steps to the top to see all of Florence. It was beautiful!

 After climbing down all 656 steps I eventually found Kelsey and Karen and then we ate lunch. I got penne pesto and actually had a second plate with turkey and a salad and potatoes too all for €12. It was very good! I ate all the pesto and some potatoes but that's all. Kelsey and Karen both had spaghetti and I tried a bite before they mixed the meat into it and I started crying because it tasted just like my grandma O's. After lunch we walked down to the pont Vecchio then we walked through it and eventually back over.

 We then found hard rock and I got my mom pins from there then we took a cab back to our hostel where we laid down and eventually went back out for food. I got a vegetable sandwhich I think it had egg plant and peppers and zucchini on it but I'm not positive. The next morning we got up early and got the bus to the other train station where we got a €43 train to Venice.


Venice 


Once we got to Venice I was taken aback. Never in my life had a seen man made structure be soo beautiful. Everything was on the water. 

The island of Venice is in fact a bunch of small islands all connected by bridges. We went to San Marco piazza and saw the cathedral of San Marco and the campinnelle and the dodges castle.

 The cathedral of San Marco was beautiful it was all mosaics and I loved it. After that we made the decision to take the water bus back over to lido to find our hotel and head for the beach. Once we were on lido it was hard to find our hotel, we had to walk a long way and eventually found a hotel that was close to where ours was supposed to be so we went in and asked for directions. Turns out that was our hotel and the website I booked through just had the wrong name in it. It was pretty nice but it was a good 15 min walk to the water bus station. After we went to the beach we got pizza and played in the sand and had a blast, but t was cold.

 So we went back and headed back to Venice and by the time we got there it was dark and the gondolas had gone up to €100 so we didn't do one.

 We kinda wandered around and I found a disney store and Karen found a mask shop. I went into the Disney store and found Aunt Marilyn a reusable shopping tote that says I love Italy with Mickey on it, then I went over to the mask shop and they were just beautiful. Karen and Kelsey both got a mask and it was all good. After the mask shop we went to Rialto bridge

 and on the other side we  found a mask shop, I found my perfect blue mask! Then we went back across and then to San Marco and ate dinner at this cute little place. It was amazing!! They gave us a free glass of some sort of venetian drink and it was wonderful. I ordered the ricotta stuffed ravioli with a truffle creme sauce. It had about 3 different types of mushrooms in it. Kelsey got spaghetti with fresh clams and they were still in there shell!! It was soo cool!! And Karen got a carbonara. After dinner we explored Venice again and we found Hard Rock. It was very cool beside a canal and there were gondolas just tied up in the canal. 

After that we went back to our hotel and got ready to leave Venice to go back to England. The next morning we woke up an hour early because of daylight savings time. We got to the waterbed station a little later than planned but we made a bus. We wanted to know the time and the man told us it was only 5:15, wait wasn't it supposed to be 6:15? We had apparently missed the memo that Italy starts it's daylight savings time at 2 pm not am!! But we made it and we got good seats and we had enough time to eat breakfast.