Roma: Home sweet home-a?

Ciao everyone, I hope you're all having a nice day after my birthday, I am enjoying taking it pretty easy today and just relaxing a bit, I've been really moving these past few weeks and today is nice to just take a break and breathe a bit.

I traveled last night from about 3 o'clock Rome time to about 10:30, and my journey was complicated and intricate, but I am really proud of myself for figuring out how to do everything, of course, with Kirsten's help in Athens. I rode the Metro in Athens to the Airport, which took about an hour and change, and then went through the check-in process, got through security, blogged at the airport, then flew the two-hour flight back to Roma.

The flight was at dusk, and it was at such a nice time to get out of town. It was a clear night with only a few clouds sprinkled in the sky, and as we took off, I could see all of the islands in the Mediterranean and the topography of Greece, complete with all of its hills, buildings, inlets, and islands. I wish I could've taken a few pictures, but at that time, no cameras allowed. It was beautiful to say the least, and I really want to go back there someday to do an island trekking adventure. It will occur someday, I know it.

But yes, I made it into Roma about 8:30, got off and made it to my train back to Tiburtina, the little train station, around 10:05, then took Metro line B to Termini Stazione Centrale, then finally to Cipro station of Linea A, which is about 100 metres from my apartment.

All in all, on my trip, the first thing I thought of when I got off my plane in Roma was "welcome home." Which made me double take a bit. Rome is home? I felt so comfortable going through the motions here in Rome on my way back to my apartment that I didn't even really think twice about them, and one time on the train I realized I asked somebody what time we got into the station and they responded, and it was all in Italian. And I understood it! Big progress moment if you ask me.

But yes, I made it home safe and sound and just admired my pictures from the trip along with KK's (some real nice ones in there, alright!) and really just needed to hit the sack. I gotta say, I am going to miss having the companionship of Kirsten for the second half of this break. Being in Athens and going around with her was awesome, since I know it's a big deal for me, but to see the look of wonder and excitement in someone else's eyes too makes it more real, if that makes any sense. I know the sight visits with her were awesome, but seeing them with her made them even more so.

My break is about half way done, and I have tomorrow, Friday, and the weekend before class starts on Monday. So I've got some time off. I'm going to head to Firenze tomorrow with Bert, my roommate who is here in Roma for the break, and we're going to see it all in a day. So, I don't think there'll be a blog tomorrow, sorry. But Friday will be a big one full of Florence's finest, including the Duomo, Michaelangelo's David, Ponte Vecchio, the tombs of Galileo, Dante, and Michaelangelo, along with countless other sights to be seen, it should be a blast. We're going to do it in a day, so leaving here early, like 6:00 am and coming back around 9ish on the train, and with the 2.5 hour train ride, it should be about 10 hours to see Florence. Enough time to see everything? Of course not. Enough time to see a ton? You bet.

Then, I believe next weekend (like 9 days from now), as a group we might head up to San Marino / Venice, or maybe Cinque Terre. It's supposed to be so beautiful and amazing in Cinque Terre, but 4 dudes really isn't the company I'd want there, either, so we'll have to see about that. Venice would be exciting! Canals! Gondolas! Sinking stuff! Yeah!

And yes, a week after that excitement comes Switzerland and Milan with KK. Schedule's filling up. The weather here has finally broken, I wore a long sleeve shirt today just because I could. It feels EXACTLY like Portland in October, which was lovely, and I really hope it holds at about this mid 60s, not raining but not too hot day. Oh, and they finally fixed the AC in here, so if it does get hot now, we'll be prepared.

Andddd that's pretty much it. I hope you all have an excellent Wednesday, thanks for the birthday wishes, and more pictures coming your way soon. Until next time, as always.

Ciao.