Those three little words...

"When in Rome!!"


So, this whole Europe thing is way cooler when you actually meet people.   People that are nice, that is.

My hostel in Paris was technically nicer than this Chianti hostel I'm in here in Rome, but..  I got put in this itty bitty room with 9 other people, and honestly... it's awesome!  It's kind of funny, we've got 2 Canadians, 4 Americans (me, two brothers from Houston and this guy from Chicago), an Austrailian and a Kiwi (New Zealander).  So we're just so very diverse...  all English-speakers as our first language..  The brothers and the two Canadian girls knew eachother already, they've run into eachother several times over the past few weeks of traveling.  Small world!! 

We all hit it off really well.   Freakishly well, honestly.  Since you all really want to know all their names, we've got Signy and Carolyn from Canada, Jordan and Jared from Texas, Seve from Chicago, Andy from New Zealand and Austin from Australia.  (breathe)    We hung out all afternoon yesterday, we walked all around our area trying to find a laundromat and a restaurant for dinnner...  Mmmmm.... first authentic Italian meal in Rome...  So good..   I'm sure there are better restaurants, this one was random and pretty cheap (which is fine by me!) but, soo good...   And yes, I kicked my Celiac disease out the window for a couple weeks, and I had me a nice bowl of spaghetti.   Yep, you heard me!!   HA!   ...although, I'll be happy to get back home, live off steak and vegetables, and not feel wheat-sick.  That'll be nice.  But hey.  When in Rome..

After dinner, we met up with a couple other Canadian guys, Tyler and Danny, got some Gelato (duh) and then walked the (about) half a mile walk down to the Colloseum.   It's just amazing!   Sitting outside of this big huge building that is thousands of years old...   Man..  Sure puts life in perspective.  We just sat in a row on a railing looking up at this big lit up ancient spaghetti bowl and talking and enjoying eachothers' company, and to top things off, some guy started playing the saxophone somewhere behind us.   That may have been my favorite moment in Europe so far. 

Today, Andy (the Kiwi) and I plan on going down to the Colloseum again and exploring the Forum and Palatine hill and such.  So awesome.

Tomorrow?  Hmm.   Maybe exploring random places, going to the Trevi fountain, etc..  Friday = Vatican, I think.

When in Rome!..