Ciao' from Roma!

Rome... what can I say? It has been on the top of my list of places I'd like to see and it was a thrill to finally make it here! But how much can a girl see in one short afternoon? A passenger on my flight over, who lives in Rome said that we needed a minimum of three days to barely begin seeing all there is here. I'm certain he was right! But take a look at all that I DID get to see. It made me want to check out more of the history of this extravagant, beautiful and troubled city. You know... the rise... the fall? But for now... please join me in my little tour in Roma! (click photo to enlarge)

Just a few blocks from our hotel I came across this open square. It's the Piazza del Popolo which in modern Italian literally means the "piazza of the people". In it's tragic past it was a place for public executions, the last of which took place in 1826. Ouch!

I would soon discover that there are endless fountains here in Rome. This one was one of many in the Piazza del Popolo

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Via del Corso is the main street that runs through the historical center of Rome. A good portion of it is for pedestrians only and it is lined with designer stores, small shops and also leads to many of the major sites here.

What a treat to see this lovely wedding party strolling down Via del Corso... the happy couple was gracious to allow us "tourists" to photograph them and I'm glad for that.

The famous Spanish Steps. It has 138 steps and is the longest & widest staircase in all of Europe. An interesting piece of trivia? Eating lunch etc. on the steps is forbidden & fines are given for doing so. A law was established by Roman urban regulations. Guess I'd better find another spot to enjoy my potato pizza! (an Italian delicacy... yum!)

The Trevi Fountain. I had been walking for a while and wondering if I was getting close, then I rounded the corner... it literally took my breath away! (see panoramic view at top of blog) Such a huge, ornate building, right in the middle of more common structures. It was a very warm, humid day here in Rome and the fountain created a cool retreat to take in it's grandeur. I didn't know it at the time, but the legend goes that if you throw in a coin, you are ensured a return visit to Rome and throwing in two coins will lead to a new romance... Why oh why didn't I do my research ahead of time and bring more change! HA!

I'm not sure what all of these buildings are, but as always I love the architecture in Europe.

This of course is the Pantheon. It is the oldest standing domed structure in Rome and is the best preserved building of it's age in the world. It means "temple of all the gods" (alas the "fall") and was rebuilt as far back as 125 AD.

A view looking outward from the Pantheon.

The above is Largo di Toree Argentina. It is the remains of four Republican Roman temples. (where were the Democrats? ha!) On an interesting side note? There were what looked like "wild" cats dwelling here... they were sleeping on rocks and in the shade. A curious tourist ventured down to get a closer look (what was he thinking?) and I was kind of hoping for a little excitement, but the kitties just ignored him. :o)


The last major building that I saw before I headed back was the Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II. I thought the name sounded familiar from my visit to Milan and yes... Victor Emmanuel was the first king of a unified Italy.


Well, I hope you enjoyed my tour. I always wish you could ALL join me in the fun! Some of my crew spent their day touring the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel and said it was incredible. Guess that will be on my next trip to Rome. Well, hopefully my next trip... I was too cheap to throw coins in the fountain! Ciao! xo

Kilts Across America....

*Click on photo to enlarge

Just a quick post here today... I'm in tonight from lovely Edinburgh and had a couple of very special passengers on my flight home. They stirred up quite a bit of attention too!... you see they were in KILTS... okay... you DO see that every now and then while in Scotland... but what really made them stand out was that one of them had on a "Continental Kilt"... with a Continental logo and a Continental seat belt around his waist for a belt! Very cool! But the most important part? It was their story... Colin (on the left), a married father of four has a little boy (5 years old) who has a rare disease called Moebius Syndrome. He and his friend/business partner, Iain are riding motorcycles (YES, IN KILTS!) across America to raise funds for much needed research of this disease. His story was moving, his heart so passionate for his little boy and he was so sincere as well... I was touched. So I am sharing their website with you. I hope you'll take a look, say a prayer for them and send them a note of encouragement or a donation if you feel so led. May the Lord richly bless their journey! http://kiltsacrossamerica.co.uk/

Classy, Clean Zurich...

My hotel... oh MY! This is where my "classy" journey starts! Pure luxury... and just minutes from the airport... that's a rare treat, as we usually have van rides that are 20-30 minutes (or more) away. (click to enlarge photos)


While we waited for our rooms they served us a sparkling juice blend in "fluted" glasses in this lovely sitting area... what a nice touch!
My room... have I told you before that there's NOTHING quite like the feeling of "falling into bed" after a very long night flight? Talk about life's little pleasures?!! Ha! It's the best!!

The view from my room... rain was probable... but didn't arrive until late evening... Yippeee!! from this sightseeing gal!!

The train station... a VERY busy place! Whew! A nice way to get around, but I was glad that I was with another crew member that knew their way around!

I was surprised to discover that the main language spoken here is German (Swiss German)... it's because it is so close to the German border... as compared to Geneva, which is near France, and French (or Swiss French) is commonly spoken. Oh... but they DO have Swiss Army Knives everywhere, and that just seemed "right"... ha!

I had a "bratwurst" here for lunch (my Mom's favorite! ) with this lovely water view...

Am I really here? In Zurich, Switzerland? It still amazes me that I have been blessed with such a great job!

The clock towers are a lovely sight here... one of the largest in Europe is located here too...Old Town was absolutely breathtaking! The colors... the shops... and especially the restaurant fronts were such a treat!

I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse of Zurich... it was known in the 70's as the "world's cleanest city" and I'm not surprised... so classy and pretty... I look forward to going back!