A New Year's Eve to Remember

Can't believe another year has come and gone! 2016 had a lot of ups and downs, but we are excited to see what 2017 has in store for us- it was already off to a good start in Italy!...Brace yourselves for a ton of pics!

Day 7: December 31st- New Year's Eve!

Spanish Steps

We did another walking tour that was supposed to cover all new sights (the first day was the Colosseum area and the next day was going to be the Vatican), but because they weren't offering a tour on New Year's Day, they decided to combine the two tours and we ended up seeing a couple of the same things we did the day before- but I think I can handle re-visiting the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain ;)

Trevi Fountain

We went earlier in the morning than the day before, which meant less people!

Temple of Hadrian

Although the columns are so awesome and Roman-esque, it must not have made a lasting impression on me because I don't remember any history about it haha. I actually forgot it's name, but was able to find it on the walking tour's website. 

The Parthenon

Still wondering how they managed to build the huge dome in the center? It was the first dome ever built!

Castle Sant'Angelo

I like it's unique look. I like the round shape and that the front offers such a pretty view of the Vatican and river.

The Vatican

Big Russ and Susie waited in line for St. Peter's Basilica while Rusty and I went to get pizza nearby. The plan was to eat the pizza in line, but when we got back, we found out the the Vatican closed at 2pm since it was New Year's Eve and they stopped the line from entering a little before Russ and Susie made it to the front! Such a bummer! They were open til noon the next day, so we planned to go the next morning before leaving to Florence.

Habemus Pizza

This has to be noted only because it it the best pizza ever. We had it during our first trip to Rome and we loved it so much we made a point to go back. We went there for a snack, but basically ended up with a whole pizza. You can choose however big of piece you want from each pizza and they weigh it. It's perfect cause you can have a little of everything. We went with caprese, sausage and spinach, spicy salami, and cheese. The pizza alone made my day haha.

Dinner

The hotel employee recommended this restaurant. The food was pretty good, but the entertainment was better. It made for a perfect Italian atmosphere.

Rooftop Party

Susie suggested the rooftop party after we saw an ad for it in the elevator. Initially I was hesitant about getting tickets for it. I thought, We're in Rome! Let's go out on the town! I started researching things to do in Rome on New Years Eve and websites were actually suggesting hotel rooftop parties because they offer a view of the city and the fireworks that go off near the Colosseum and the Vatican. That did sound pretty good to me, so while Rusty and I did some shopping, Russ and Susie made the arrangements for dinner and for the party! 

The blue lights on the left are around the Colosseum.

New Year's in Rome

Isn't it crazy how life takes you places you never saw coming? It reminds me of that C.S. Lewis quote about nothing changing day by day, but then when you look back, everything is different. 

After Rusty's first season in Greece, we spent some time traveling around Italy. At that time, I would have never thought that in three years, I would be back celebrating New Year's Eve with the Lavaja's. It makes me wonder where we will be a year from now. With this possibly being Rusty's last season playing volleyball oversees, we are about to open a whole new chapter of our lives. Does it stress me out that we don't really have any plans and we don't know where we're gonna live? Yes. Yes it does. But, I have come to realize how much I like change; it's what keeps life interesting. We are headed into uncharted waters and change is the propeller. So while it makes me nervous not knowing what our future has in store, I am also excited for the possibilities...and I try to remind myself to live in the present since we still have a few months here...so back to Italy. 

Italy is just such a great country. How can you not love a place full of gelato and pasta? We arrived in Rome at about 11:30pm on the 29th, were picked up by a taxi service, and dropped off at our hotel to prepare for the next day.

Daily highlights continued... 

Day 5: December 29th

When we landed in Rome, a black cat was waiting at the airport. Some people may think- black cat, not a good sign, but I consider it to be one of the highlights of our trip haha. I guess my mom's love of cats has rubbed off on me a little. I like to think it was waiting for its owners to arrive, as you can tell from the video...

Day 6: December 30th 

Colosseum

We walked from our hotel to the Colosseum. Rusty had us all download Rick Steves Audio Guide on our phones, so we grabbed our headphones and were ready to go. The Colosseum's history is difficult to even wrap my head around. It's hard to imagine that the exact walls we see, were built so long ago and not only that, but held the craziest events! 

Seeing Smart Cars parked horizontally is the greatest.

Spanish Steps

I don't know much about the Spanish Steps other than that they are in the Ocean's Twelve movie haha. But I did learn- during one of our walking tours, that the little boat fountain in front of the steps (which I had barely even noticed) was inspired by an actual flood that brought a boat into that area way back when. 

Trevi Fountain
We caught up to a free walking tour that had started at the Spanish Steps. We got there late (per the norm), but luckily we were able to find them at the next stop- the fountain. 

Monument of Vittorio Emanuele II
When I think of a monument, I think of a statue. Apparently Vittorio Emanuele II was pretty important because he got a huge building. It sits in Piazza Venezia- a central part of Rome. Not only is it referred to as the "wedding cake" because of its shape, but it offers one of the best views of Rome. There was a huge lit Christmas tree in the center of the square, which I was a huge fan of- Christmas decor makes everything better!

Roman Forum
Last time I was in Rome, I had totally overlooked the Roman Forum- we saw it, and then quickly moved on. It doesn't look like much, but that makes sense considering it's the remains of ancient Rome. Knowing some more history behind it, made it so much more interesting. Our tour group stood in front of the old senate house, which was thought to be where Julius Cesar was assassinated. 

Back at the Colosseum
We ended the tour back at the Colosseum, so we got to see it earlier in the day and at night, lit up. 

We couldn't end our night just yet, so we hit up a restaurant and then a gelato shop before heading back to our hotel. It was a great ending to a great day. 

Forget the cup...Rust went with a tub of gelato lol