Woke up in Budapest, fell asleep in Rome

Travel day between Budapest and Rome was an early one, with the added stress of it being the first time traveling by plane after landing in London the first day.

Luckily there weren't any mishaps. I think we might have been one of the last ones to the gate though, and since it's open seating on Ryanair (budget European airline) I thought it'd be a much bigger issue than it was. We were still able to sit across the aisle from each other.

And then we were in ROME! Aaaah there were so many things to see and do, and unlike previous cities, we knew ahead of time what those things were!

Colosseum, Vatican, Pantheon - see ALL the things!

We walked around for a bit - had OK pizza at what we thought was a place far enough away to not be a tourist trap. Wrong. :-/ But we made up for it with gelato!

Also - what is the deal with Europe - scratch that, the rest of the world - and carbonated water?! Uuuugh. Guess which one we bought by mistake. Blech. Good thing Rome is full of free fountains with drinkable water! So cool!

We joined a walking tour that left from the Spanish steps (which have a real name but I don't remember what it is... which is why they're known as the Spanish steps in the first place) and started off on our trek! I have to say, Rome left me amazed more times than any city yet. So much history and art, so many intricate buildings and thought-out systems. There is a church with the ceiling painted to look like it continues the wall, and like there is a dome where there is really just a flat canvas. One could sit in many of these buildings all day and always be awe-struck.

Our guide was great, too. An Italian with lots of knowledge about the history of Rome and of Italy, and answers to all of the questions asked.

And, most fun, while on the tour we met Raquel (from LA) and Ross and Colin (from Scotland)! They were a fun group and we wound up getting dinner together at a restaurant recommended by the guide. So. Delicious. Definitely made up for the ugh pizza earlier! The menu was so extensive, I just closed my eyes and pointed at a dish. And it was GREAT.