the tour is finally *over* . . .

so the tour is finally over and, while i had a good time, i am definitely ready for slower pace. the last few days have been quick and we have seen a lot but nothing i have really absorbed too deeply. the day in venezia was nice. the rain seemed to hold out for most of the day and we had a very charismatic city tour guide. we saw the highlights (the rialto, piazza san marco, il doges palace, did a gondola ride) but the highlighth has to be the guggenheim museum. i got to see my first kandinsky and pollocks in person and i cannot even begin to describe how amazing that was.

the next day we headed to lake como and did a cruise on the lake. the rain did *not* hold out that day and most of our cruise was rainy and foggy. we had a quick stop in bellagio for a coffee and then back on the boat and then the bus to our hotel. the tour planners had provided our tour directors with the wrong address for our hotel. so we had to backtrack up a very windy steep mountain to finally reach our hotel at approximately 9pm. it was worth it as we landed in a beautiful family-run hotel that held dinner for us. it was by far the best meal we had on the tour. the downside is that it made our trip to milan for the train approximately an hour longer than we'd expected. so the next morning, groggy and still raining, we headed back down the windy mountain road and hauled ass to milan. we literally *ran* for the train. we got our 27 ppl on board as the doors were closing. 5 hours later we arrived in rome.

the first night in rome we headed back into the city for a night bus tour. then did all the highlights with a city guide yesterday. the vatican was beautiful as was the colosseum and then the pantheon. we headed to the spanish steps then back to meet our group at the trevi fountain. we had dinner near the fountain and then headed back to the hotel as the rest of the group left around 4a today.

i hopped a shuttle from the hotel and then a train and then the subway and finally landed at my hotel around 1030am. luckily my room was ready. it's clean and seems safe enough so i can't really complain. i've spent the beautiful day roaming around at my own pace. found an irish pub and had to hop in (thinking of you ryan as i drank a guinness). am on my way to piazza navonna to get some lunch and just sit.

will try to post tomorrow when more internet cafes are open. head to amsterdam on tues and very much looking forward to some familiar and friendly faces waiting for me there.

i miss mac more than i can say. i've tried to call every day even if only for a few minutes. suki is back home with her and i'm missing her too.

today i'm thankful for . . . the fact that i'll be home in 7 days!