I know it has been ages since I’ve last posted. The good news is, that means we’ve been busy.

First, there was Rome.

What can I say, but that this city completely stole my heart. We had the most amazing four days site seeing and eating our way through Rome. We saw the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, the Pantheon, the Vatican and St Peters Basilica, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, and many many other remarkable sites.

We had our fill of pizza, pasta, meat, seafood, pastries, gelato, red wine

… and more pasta… and wine… and gelato. It was fabulous.

I was so happy to check this city off the list; to finally step into the magnificent Colosseum, and walk the grounds of ancient Roman ruins. To be mesmerized by the beauty and vastness of St Peters Basillica. And to stare in astonishment and awe at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel…

But what I loved most about Rome was the atmosphere. In the early evening, when the trattorias start to set up for the dinner crowd, the streets are lively and bustling with people. Everyone is holding a cup or cone of gelato too –  a perfectly acceptable pre-dinner snack. Couples sit outside a cafe to share a glass of wine, a small bowl of olives and a plate of salamis and cheese.

And later in the night Italian families sit down together at a restaurant. They pass  plates of  bruschetta and order pasta for their entree. Lively conversation takes place between bites of delectable food. They linger over their wine before finishing the night with tiramisu and an expresso. How perfect.

I loved the bakery that we went to every morning for a guaranteed fantastic start to our  fully loaded day. We sat at a little table in the corner waiting for the baker to bring us our expresso. A nice jolt of sugar and caffeine to our system.

There’s really not much to dislike about this city. Besides maybe all the tourists like me that crowd the hell out of the streets, but it comes with the territory. I’ve decided I just really love Italy, and can’t wait to go back. Maybe Tuscany next? What do you think??