Final Day...

Today, I write this entry from the comfortable couch at my parent's house, safe and sound, back in the states!

On our last day in Rome, Emily and I took it pretty easy. Both of us were tired and I believe ready to get home, so we decided to take it easy and just relish in the moment, while in Rome. We went to the Baths of Diocletian, which was close to our hotel and the train station. These baths were once the largest in the Roman area. Baths were once the social scene of an area. It was an area full of swimming pools, all different sizes and all different temperatures. The Romans, even thousands of years ago, had wonderful resources of water. They built large aquaducts that would carry the water from mountains into the cities, and these baths were ways for the higher class in society to enjoy the aquaducts.

Today, these baths have been transformed into a museum. I wouldn't put the museum top on your list, but it was interesting to explore on our last day in Rome. The museum was full of artifacts, mainly scultptures and pieces of marble with writing on it. They were not all that interesting, but I was very impressed with the history that was explained throughout the museum. The history of Rome, throughout its many years was well documented, including history about the society of early Romans.

Next we went to the church that was next to the baths, at one time it was connected. The church was Michelangelo's last architecture work, and just as all of his other works, it was beautiful. Huge, vast ceilings and beautiful glass domes. I truly cannot describe all of the churches and cathedrals that we saw in Rome, in fact all over Europe, but especially in Italy.

After lunch, we went back to the hotel and packed up our suitcases, which amazingly, with the help of small duffle bag, it all fit! Then we went back to the cathedral to participate in mass. Although it was in Italian, it was still a peaceful and meaningful service. I have now seen mass in four different languages! I love the fact that no matter what language you speak, there is a way to understand the deeper meaning in a service like that.

After the service we walked to the Pantheon and chose one of several restaurants surrounding the great square. We must have made a great decision, because our meal was delicious! We enjoyed a great bottle of the house wine and then I had fettucini bolognese. What a perfect last meal in Italy! Not only was the meal perfect, but we were looking at the pantheon as a street performer serenated us with opera songs. Ahhh... perfection!

We walked a few blocks away to the gelato store with over 100 flavors where I enjoyed my favorite kind of gelato, cream caramel. We enjoyed the city that night, our last night in Rome, our last night Italy before waking up before dawn to catch our flight.

We took a car to the airport, which, as driving in Italy, it is always an adventure. Drive quickly, just to slam on the breaks; zip from lane to lane; always exciting! Once we arrived at the airport, we learned that it was actually a building just hold lots of lines! We stood in a long line to do... something, then one to check in, one for security, one for customs, one to get on the bus to take us to the terminal, one to get our breakfast, one to board, one to well...wait to get on the plane, and then finally we made it to our seats! We had the last row of the plane, right in front of the bathroom.

It was there that we sat for 11 hours. It was there that we watched three, ok movies. It was there that we watched people pass to go to the restroom. It was there that we listened to the excited conversations of the teenagers that surrounded us. It was there that we tried to sleep. It was there that we enjoyed some pretty good airplane food and it was there that we awaited in excited anticipation to land.

After the long, sometimes bumpy journey, we did land safely in Atlanta, only to find more lines! :) We got off the plane and went through the passport check, then picked up our luggage, just to walk it through customs, then we checked our luggage back in, went through security, road the airport train to the furthest stop where we road an escalator to the excited faces of my parents! They met us with a sign reading "Limo for Rebecca and Emily!"

How great it is to be home again! There's no place like home!