roma

we woke up see to the italian landscape swooshing by from our train. vineyards and olive trees; mountains and an early morning fog that made everything soft and the sunlight more beautiful.

after checking in at the hotel, we had a traditional italian breakfast (so they tell us), standing at the counter, inhaling cappuccino and pastries. their cappuccino really is way better than ours, even at this sorta crappy little shop. why is that?

then, it was i ♥ ruins 2008. random bath houses, a column here, a plaque to read there....all the way to the colosseum, the forum, and circus maximus. immediately after that came i ♥ tourists traps 2008 for our €8 gatorade. totally worth it. 
[buyer beware: i hear that it's €9 if you're currently on i ♥ tourists traps 2009.]