Bad News

It looks like I forgot the cord to connect the camera to the computer, so I won't be able to show any of my fabulous pictures until I get back. Bummer.

OK, so first night we had dinner in the hotel then walked to the Coliseum at night. Beautiful.

Saturday we got up went to the Vatican. Great. Then we walked until I thought my feet would fall off. The weather was a little drizzly in the am but cleared up. Where did we walk? To tell you the truth I'm not sure I can remember. I need to be writing everything down. We walked across a very cool bridge, then to the Panthenon (sp) then to the Trevi Fountain, then the Spanish steps. Oh fun story.

So we leave the fountain and walk to the steps. I am not part of the counting process I want to make that clear. At any rate, our tour guide is talking to Skip and I walk up. Seems that one of the girls called her, hard to understand, left at the fountain. She's with a girl named Georgia . . . that's right, Georgia and Scholle some how stood waiting at the fountain, confident they were at the right place, they tried to call me, but that is how I discovered Cingular had not gotten to my phone properly set up to get-send calls. Soooo, I went back with Jimmy and we got them. You have never seen such happy faces as those girls when they saw us.

Dinner was at a lovely restaurant and then we went to Piazza Novona. Nikkie, my roommate, didn't because right before dinner she started feeling ill, so she went back to the hotel and went to bed. My intestines have had some trouble getting used to it here too. Same thing happened last time. Going to the bathroom more often if you know what I mean. Damn country needs softer toilet paper. Piazza Novoa is where I got paintings last time, but I controlled myself and spent nothing. Lovely. It was a nice night, and I think everyone had a great time.

I had bed check last night. Lordy, they were like gofers. I would pound one back into the hole and another would pop up. I finally got to bed at about 1:30am.

Georgia and I got up this morning and went to church at St. John's. Good story goes with this. Must be told in person to get the full effect. Needless to say, Georgia is probably scarred by the experience. oops. I love going to church because it is such a different experience than milling about with tons of other tourists. I can really feel God's presence. Hopefully it will go better in Paris.

It rained the first half of the day. We went to St Peter in Chains church. Beautiful. We went back to the Coliseum, which is great, but what a total misery. Freezing cold, I was wearing flip flops because I was unwilling to get any of my cute shoes dirty. Walked to the Forum. Still raining. Saw Kristen, one of my other editors on the trip and we headed out. Caught up with one of the boys and we went to an authentic Italian restaurant. We sat outdoors and watched the rain come down. Then we headed out. Brett felt confident he knew where we were and how to get us back, so Kristen and I shuffled along behind him in the rain. It was an adventure!

The plan was to go to the Tripoli Gardens (former Pope's) home with great water gardens about 45 minutes out of town. I swear half the kids came to me to try to whine about going. Didn't go to Skip, didn't go to anyone else. They all came to me. I told them no way was I taking that bullet. They wanted to talk to skip they could, I was keeping my mouth shut and going. The rain finally became a mist and we arrived with it just being damp. I think everyone was amazed and in love with the house and the gardens. Stupendious. The house was built on a hill, so the gardens are water gardens that use no electricity, but AMAZING fountains. On the way back to the bus we stopped for gelato because it is yummy in Italy, then walked past an outdoor market before hopping the bus back to town.

We have a small afternoon break before dinner at 7:30 and then off for what Marcus, one of the tour guides, refers to as the best ice cream ever. Hmm. We'll see. Normally I would abstain, but a challenge has been thrown out, so I must.

My phone is finally fixed, although I haven't gotten to talk to anyone yet. We go to Florence tomorrow via Assissi (sp) and Pisa. It will be a really long day on the bus, but I loved Assissi last time (please don't let it be raining).

Quick side note, as I sit typing with Skip at the internet shop, there is a man in the front SCREAMING. I think with a girl. I have NO CLUE of what they are talking about, but I have to tell you I am weirded out. Nikkie was waiting in the hallway for us, but decided the better part of valor was to slink back into our room. Good choice.

The kids have been really good. Some have issues with timeliness which makes me nutty, but the good news is that I'm not in charge. There is another trip, can't remember if I mentioned it, that between the ding dong teacher leading it and the list of kids, it will be a miracle if they all make it back without incident. Oh, don't be surprised, at least 3 yearbook kids on that trip. sigh.

Lots of love.
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