Italy

We came back from Italy 2 weeks ago. We planned it to be close to our anniversary. I have always wanted to go to Venice, ever since I heard my art teacher talk about her trip when I was 16. I loved the idea of a city on water. I was determined to see it before it sunk into the sea forever (it is sinking and the water level is rising too). Hubby wanted to go to Italy, because he loves Italian food and he has never been there. So he planned out the whole trip for us. We had 3 days in Rome, 3 days in Florence and 3 days in Venice. We walked everywhere and took ample opportunity to rest our feets in outdoor cafes sipping cappucinos and eating gelato. We ate at least 2 courses for every meal, except for breakfast, which is traditionally coffee and a croissant. I really loved seeing architecture (the Colosseum) and art (Michelangelo's statues) that I had only seen in books. I was surprised to see was so much history everywhere, such a sharp contrast from the States. The other surprises were rustic rooms, with double beds pushed together and that A/C was a rare luxury. Venice became my favorite destination, every view was breathtaking. Florence, I would definitely return to again, to explore the Medici Villas and the gardens outside of the city. Rome, I think we will not be returning to, we liked it, but we felt once was enough. Hubby kept wondering when we would return to Italy again. Soon, I hope.


Many people ask me what I bought for myself from Italy. I'm actually pretty thrifty, and spending in Euros hurt, so I bought very few items. The Hello Kitty accessories were my favorite souvenirs, we got them from a vending machine in Rome. The one on the left is a gelato kitty, the other is a panna cotta kitty. I think there were 6 Italian dessert kitties you could collect, I'm happy with the ones I got.