:: Italy '09, Day 1 ::

Two weeks ago, I put up a first post, recapping Jess' & my amazing, whirlwind trip across Italy. Sixteen days later (oops), here's the first follow-up: ROMA, day 1!

Immediately after landing and passing through customs, we found out (only after exchanging our currency) that exchange rates are ridiculously high at the airport, then hopped on a tiny van with six other new arrivals, and zipped crazily through the streets of Rome to our hotel. We dropped our stuff, cleaned up a bit, and began our tour. We divided up our days in Rome, bookending our trip. Today was all about the ruins. So we headed out, started at the ancient forum, and spent the day seeing some of the grandest sights we've ever experienced: words could hardly do justice to all we saw, so here's a photo tour highlighting bits of our trek:

The first stop, the fountain near our hotel in Independence Plaza:

In and around the Roman Forum:
Carvings in the Arch di Triumph:
Can's remember what this one's called, but I think it's famous...
The Vittorio Emanuele Monument...
...where Jess tried her hand at artsy photography...
...while I decapitated a Roman guard.
View of Palatine Hill from the Circus Maximus:
And a couple random shots around Rome:
Trevi Fountain:
And we ended our day watching the sun set on the Spanish steps and enjoying the best hot chocolate in the world.Then we enjoyed a great dinner of handmade pasta and local wine, then headed back to our hotel - I slept for the first time in 36 hours (glorious!) and we prepared for our 6:45am train, to Venice.

More on that soon. And I promise "soon" won't be another two weeks!