the architecture...
the food...
the fashion...
and the wonderment of the entire country that is Italy!
I went with my friend Maria, a tour guide named Jasper and what I thought would be five other college students. One was, but she was in her late 30's, and the rest were well over 50. Not that I discriminate against age or anything, but I thought I would be traveling with people in my own demographic range. Still, traveling with them was a blast, proving once again that age is nothing but a number and friendships can be made over copious amounts of limonciello. 
Five thousand miles and a 12 hour flight later...
I was in the country of spaghetti and Dolce & Gabbana.
Our first stop was in Florence, which from a distance, looks like Beverly Hills with it's Spanish-inspired orange brick and white buildings against a brilliantly blue sky, but a thousand times prettier.
According to the history of Florence, the Medici family, which produced three popes, dozens of Italian rulers, and numerous commissioned works of famous renaissance art, is solely responsible for making Florence the city that it is.
The city is home to a statue on every corner and a fresco on every wall. There's the David...
the David...
and the David.
Even the finger of Galileo...
and Venus on the half shell!
The next city we visited was Pisa and yes, I can definately say, the tower does lean.
And yes, the scary view is so worth it!
There's a church (a total understatement if there was one) right next door filled with Christian, Judiasm, and Muslim influences, showing that people of all different backgrounds can actually live together in harmony and create something tremendously beautiful.
After several days of filling up on pizza...
and gelatto (heaven in a cup!)...
we finally made our way to la citta eterna, otherwise known as Rome, the eternal city.
It's a city where the modern world and the ancient world mix, creating a place where time seems to have no power.
And there I was, walking on the same land Jesus, Caesar and Lizzie McGuire walked!
And then, just like in a classic Hollywood movie, it rained on Good Friday.
Unfortunately, back home, it wasnt a particularly good Friday for my boss Alice and her husband Azten. He and his friend Vinny were taken into custody on two counts of first degree murder with a million dollar bail set for each, because of a botched drug deal back in January.
It rained two more days back in Rome. Even during Easter Mass at the Vatican with the Pope...
which a nun told me was God's way of showing the vistors at the Vatican, that there were people out there in the world who face many trials and tribulations and it's our job to pray for them and help them in any way we can.
So, right there, in St. Peter's Square, with a nun from Guam, I prayed for Alice and Azten.
Understandably, my boss went through a period of denial, anger, barganing, depression, and before just settling into Kübler-Ross's final stage of grief, acceptance, she found out her husband was innocent. According to unnamed sources, it's a case of trying to put the blame on someone that unfortunately has to go to court and though I cant really get into details, let's just say everything with my boss, her husband, and their family, will be alright.
Talk about the power of prayer, huh? But if you think my prayer doesnt really prove anything, consider this fact: when I left, the euro was worth $1.64. When I returned, it was worth $1.50. I totally helped pay off the national debt with all the shopping I did, so...you're welcome U.S. You can thank me with another trip. Maybe Paris...or even London! I'm not that picky...
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