Bonjour, Paris!

Getting to the hostel here in Paris was no small feat. There were multiple trains/metros taken, much getting lost, and many flights of stairs on my bum knee. But I’m here and I have my ibuprophen so things are looking up. What did I have for my first meal in Paris, you ask? Well, chinese pineapple chicken and pork postickers. ;) The restaurant was on the same block as my hostel. That’s all I’m giving you for an explanation.

Lets recap Rome before I forget all about it.
Missions Completed:
-eat pizza
-see colosseum
-hear someone say “mama mia”
-see School of Athens and Sistine Chapel
Missions Incomplete
-hug the pope

Rome Day 1

I got here no problem, praise God! TBH I really was worried about finding my hostel but it was like 4 blocks from the train station. Easily located on the free map I got at the airport. Almost forgot to take a photo of airport number 5, but I remembered at the last second and snapped one from the train. The French people I was sharing the compartment with looked at me like I was wierd, so I explained to them what I was doing (in French, yes I am a rockstar) and I they still thought I was weird Im pretty sure. Oh well!

So, it was still broad daylight when I got to my hostel so I set out for the Colosseum at once. Partly because it is the closest historic monument to my hostel, and partly because its the whole reason I chose Rome as a destination in the first place. The sun was setting, which was helpful because the Colosseum is pretty much due west from my hostel, so I just followed that, checking streets with my map every couple blocks. I probably looked really touristy. Anyway I reached this park area and i was about to get my map out, but something made me glance up and… THERE IT WAS, looming just past the park. I picked up the pace and made it over there quickly. Once I got up next to it… it was just amazing. It is SO HUGE. It took my breath away in a way that no monument ever has before, natural or manmade. I took about a bazillion pictures because it was so beautiful in the sun-going-down light (not quite sunset yet) and took a lap all the way around it. Then I wandered around the area for a while and took inventory of what to do tomorrow, and mentally planned out my next two days.

Tomorrow I am doing a walking tour as outlined in my Frommers book in the morning, then in the afternoon going up to the area by the Trevi fountain. Then on Monday I will pay a visit to the Pope and give him my due respects.

Since I am at an internet cafe, not using my laptop, there wont be any pictures (or apostrophes, if youd noticed) until I get a) home or b) find a wi-fi place in Paris. Well, now you know I am safe and sound! Hopefully I will update again tomorrow. Love you all!

Europe, Here I Come!

Tomorrow begins my week-long Euro travels! I wasn’t getting very worked up about it until it hit me today that this is my first trip like, alone alone. Before I was with a group or had someone waiting to meet me/pick me up but this time it’s all me. And my gigantic luggage. Getting from place to place is NOT going to be fun, but hopefully I find my way from the airport to the hostel without incident. Cross your fingers. And be thinking of and praying for me tomorrow at 9am CST/ 7am PST, because (if I did my math correctly) that’s when I’m going to be finding my place in Rome.

The plan is as follows: tomorrow, flight from Casa to Rome. Rome for three days.  21st, flight from Rome to Paris. I’m coming back to the states on the 24th.

Internet may be quite intermittent so keep checking here for updates but also don’t be surprised if LRL goes through a little dry spell. Love you all! Talk to you soon!