Italy 2008 from Adrienne's point of view. When traveling with a group of 11, there are bound to be 11 different versions of the trip - like the four Gospels that made it into the New Testament. Hopefully everyone agrees it was a great, once-in-a-lifetime vacation. The chaos of traveling with 11 family members just added to the experience.

Saturday, May 17. Get your asses out of bed and get going - there's a ton of stuff to see in Rome. First stop, Palatine Hill and the Colosseum. Lots of ruins to visit in this part of the world. Jeff and I have an arrangement when we go on trips like this, he gets us to our destination (hotels, flights, train travel, etc) and I plan our sight seeing activities and navigate us around the city. This works great when its just the two of us but not so well when trying to negotiate 11 people. First, I prefer to start early because crowds of tourists annoy me. Second, I don't respond well to comments when I'm trying to get us to the destinations packed with tourists in a strange city with no straight roads, where the streets change names block to block, and with buses that have no time tables. Third, I'm a control freak and I prefer to be in charge of my own vacation activities. I must admit my stubbornness caused our first day to be a bit grueling as we walked in the sun around Palatine Hill and the Colosseum with out lunch from 11:00 until 4:00. I bickered with my brother and my parents and I was grouchy with everyone. Take me or leave me but I can be uptight and I do have temper. We went on night walk to see the Pantheon, Trevi fountain, and the Spanish Steps sometime in the first few days. I was appointed group leader but my plan to catch the bus was changed, my map reading ability was questioned (even though no one else seemed to do any better or would take control), it annoyed me and I was a bitch so I'll leave it at that. I didn't take any pictures to document it anyway.

Sunday May 18. Okay, my attitude is adjusted and I have a much better time from here on out. I spent a relaxing moring at the Porta Portese Flea Market with Jeff and my dad while everyone else slept in. We wandered in the rain searching for my vintage postcards among the junk. After lunch, I guided the group to the Pantheon (where the self portaits are taken). I have to keep reminding myself how old the things I'm seeing are - the Pantheon is 2,000 years old, which just doesn't compute considering its roughly the same age as the Colosseum but in remarkable shape since it has been in continuous use throughout history. We also went to the Capuchin Crypt, decorated with the bones of 4,000 Capuchin monks, including complete skeletons, some with dessicated skin. It was morbid but fascinating. The skulls with wings made from shoulder blades were my favorites and I was struck by how short these monks were.

That evening we had gelato in the Campo de' Fiori (see the group pic above) around the corner from our apartment. Campo de' Fiori must be the center of nightlife in Rome. We spent alot of time watching the people migrate between Campo de' Fiori and Piazza Navona from our balcony. Some of us stayed out for a few drinks in the square for even better people watching. Unlike my other two European vacations, I didn't step in any dog crap on this trip...but I deserved to after we watched a dachshund leave a landmine in the square then waited for a poor soul to step in it for entertainment.