What are you most looking forward to in August?

V A C A T I O N !!!!!!

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One day in Rome I decided I was done with group bus tours.  I called a company that provided a driver and a sedan tour for as long as I wanted.  It ended up being almost 5 hours and it was a great day!!!

First stop was the Colosseum!  It was 9:30am and didn't seem that crowded yet!  So far I had only driven by the Colosseum a few times so FINALLY I was going to get to go inside!  

Inside colosseum

It is AMAZING to imagine all the gladiator contests that went on there and the crowds!!!  In a way it was very peaceful on the inside.  It was hushed.  Maybe because there was no echoes or people were just so in awe of being there like I was!

Colosseum

I am so glad it was a beautiful day.  The blue against the ancient building looks so cool !

Colosseum2

Next stop for the day was the Forum.  The architecture here was brilliant!!!  What is left of all the columns and arches are beautiful !  In one spot it looked like they were still digging even!

I was standing right over these columns and thought it was a cool angle.

Forum columns

I think this view was the best...

Forum

Kegforum

That's it for my Roman adventure!  I have over 400 photos that I had printed the day after I got home from a local camera shop.  Yesterday I ordered some duplicates to share and scrapbook from Kodak since they were having a sale!

Until next time Italy......Ciao!!

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KEG goes to the Vatican!!

Keg@vatican

I think one of my favorite days in Rome was spent at The Vatican.

It was crowded, there was lots of security, but it was also very CLEAN !!

The Sistine Chapel was amazing to see even if it was crowded full of people!

Pretty amazing to be in St Peter's Basilica with all the beautiful works of art in there!

These are a few of my favorite photos from the day!

Detail

St Peters

Vatican

Papal guard

The Vatican gift shop is also where I did all of my shopping for my Mom!

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Yes, I took a small walking tour of Rome.  Ok, ok stop laughing!  I find it hard to believe myself after looking at the map of where I was.  LOL

The bus picked me up at the hotel at 8am.  It dropped the tour off at the top of the Spanish Steps and that was the last I saw of that bus!  The Spanish Steps are a meeting place for tourists it seems with a beautiful shopping area at the bottom.  Keats died in the house right next to the steps.

Spanish Steps

Next stop... the Trevi Fountain.  We were there early enough so it really wasn't that crowded at all!  It's the largest fountain in Rome and it's made famous by the classic movie 'Three Coins in the Fountain'.  This was one of the sites I was excited about seeing so I took alot of photos but these are my favorites!  Oh and I had my first lemon gelato here!  YUM!!!

Trevi Fountain

Keg@Trevi

Onto the Pantheon.  Even though it was a hot 90 degrees outside...the Pantheon was cool on the inside.  It was originally built as a temple for all gods of Rome.  The dome ceiling has an eye that is open to the elements.  The details inside here are amazing!

Pantheon

Pantheon columns

Don't worry.  Even though the tour bus was gone I was able to find a taxi to take me back to my hotel for a siesta and several cold drinks!

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I'm back from my adventure to Rome!!

The highlight of the trip was the wedding of my third cousin Lia.  She was a beautiful bride and her new hubby Andrea is adorable too!

Just married

The wedding took place at San Saba Church in Rome on Saturday 6/28/08 at 4:30pm.  It was a HOT day (over 90 degrees) but at least the sun was shining!  The ancient church was amazing!!  So much history and detail inside!

San Saba Church

The mass was in Italian of course; but the bride made a special program for the visiting Americans so we could follow along!  Lia really did think of everything!

Lia and Andrea

The reception was at Villa Icidia in Frascati.  Let me just say it was the BEST wedding I have ever attended!!!!!  The bride and groom didn't show up until about 8:30pm (and the mass had ended at 5:30) because they were having their photos taken all over Rome.  (I can't wait to see those photos!)  The entire time we were at the Villa there was tons of food and wine!  Then the celebration meal started.  SO MANY yummy courses!  The Italians really know how to eat and celebrate!!!!

When I got back to my room at the Villa it was 2am and I fell asleep almost immediately.  It was the best night sleep I had the whole time I was in Rome. 

The next morning (Sunday) I had breakfast with the bride and groom and my Mom's cousin.  Then spent the day back at the family home with extended relatives from Italy.  By the time I finally got back to my hotel room in Rome it was close to 8pm!  

A very happy and full weekend!

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Alitalia logo

Very excited to be leaving tomorrow for 10 days in Rome!!!

I'll be attending a third cousins wedding this Saturday and doing the whole tourist thing!!

I'm half Italian and have never been to Italy before now...so VERY psyched!!

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Ok, ok.  Anyone who knows me knows that I do not need a new purse.  I have too many as it is.  But, I am going to Rome at the end of June and needed a purse that zips and that could hold just enough for days of sightseeing!  Plus I wanted a strap that would go over my shoulder and in front of me too!

It's been a long search.  I looked at hundreds of bags in person and online....

Checked out the Vera Bradley website and found a few options!  Went to the local Hallmark store and found my new purse!!!!

It's the 'Libby' style in the Peacock color.  I LOVE it!!!

VB Libby

(I had to borrow this photo offline!)

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What do you daydream about? Is it something far-fetched, or something that might actually happen?
Submitted by lost_in_eternity2207.

When I daydream it's about one of two things.  Any guesses?!

1.

CrushMonkey

2. Travel plans!!  Destinations!!  Vacations!!

Flying

Diamond Head

London

DayDream Believer

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Ahhhhhh.  A week ago I was still in the glorious 85 degree weather of the Bahamas!!

Vacation was wonderful.  Took alot of photos!  These are some of my favorite ones:

This was my view that I woke up to every day.  It looked like this every day too for a week.  Well, except Wednesday when it was raining until about 11am...but then SUNSHINE!

My view

My drink of choice.  The strawberry daiquiri.  YUM!  I also had a few Kalik beers too and lots of water!

Tropical Drink

The Atlantis property was gorgeous.  Lots of sea creatures close by to check out.  The turtles were so big...but graceful in a way, and the rays were cool to watch circle in huge packs!

Sea Turtle

Rays

I love seashells!  So of course this roof caught my eye!

Shell roof

There were lots of beautiful tropical flowers all around too!

Bloom

All in all it was a very relaxing week!!!

I would go back in a minute!!!

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What is with the weather here?!!

I left sunny Paradise Island, Bahamas yesterday at about 1:30.  It was 85 degrees and gorgeous!!

The pilot joked that the weather in Boston was similar to what the day was like in the Bahamas EXCEPT that it was raining and coolish.

COOLISH?!?!!?  When I stepped outside of Logan Airport it was so cold I could see my breath!  WTF?!?!?

Vacation was PERFECT!!  The Atlantis was beautiful !! Each day was warm and sunny and relaxing!

More to come after I do some laundry....

It's only 44 degrees here right now.  BRRRRRR!

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