ROME. By all means, Rome.

after not showering for the better part of 5 days because we didn't have enough swiss francs,
after 14 trains, 4 countries, 3 buses, 4 languages and 1 dialect, and 2 gondola rides in those 5 days (not to mention the shady train we had to sleep on on monday night),
and after the last two travel days not really going what i would call "smoothly",


we arrive in rome.


or roma, which is so much a more beautiful way to say it.


we find our hostel, scratch that: bed and breakfast.  if i didn't know that joe bradley's apartment is on via margutta (51), then i would think this is the very place princess anna spent her "so happy" sleep.


our room has wooden shutters that open out on the street and long white lace drapes,


&freeinternet&freeshowers&freepainauchocolat every morning,


and those big white towels that go down to your knees and wrap twice around you.
(plus, the toilet seat is a collage of penguins in the arctic, which, let's be honest, adds a new level of elegance to any bathroom.)


so with a fresh heart and a smile, i bounced down to the laundrette to do some laundry,
and then of course slid down an entire flight of marble stairs.
(thanks for that rome.)


but today i had four gelatos, one of which was nutella variegato (7 parts nutella, 1 part gelato).  it almost made me cry.  and then we walked into the piazza spagna where the spanish steps are and there were four opera singers giving a free concert for hundreds of people on the steps, and they were singing my favorite opera song, and that really did make me cry.  i'm learning what it means to enjoy life.  i am learning what is most important to me.  i am learning more about who i am.  and eating rome out of their gelato in the meantime.  it's been a lovely day.