Mom and Dad in Europe!

Had an awesome past week with Mom and Dad here!

They arrived last Thursday (October 28th)and I peaced out of class to go to the airport to get them. We checked in at the hotel in Santa Fe (it was closer to the airport than staying in the city) and then headed into Granada. First stop was meeting Alicia and Jorge, my host parents. It was so fun, and made for an awesome afternoon.  Jorge was able to speak English to them, and I helped to translate to Alicia things that were being said.  Alicia gave us some sodas and tapas, and showed them the view from the balcony.  Mom and Dad loved it, and Alicia and Jorge were great as always.  We walked around just for a little bit, then went back out to Santa Fe to have dinner. Early to bed, early to rise, and totally pumped for Rome!

Flight to Rome landed safely, and we went to check in at the hotel, Best Western Springhouse right next to the Vatican! We hopped a train and headed for teh Trevi fountains, and then got a late lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe; which in fact is NOT where the hotel had claimed it was at on the map. However, being the lone tour guide, I was able to find it (not because I can speak Italian, but I was able to find some people that could speak english.  Mom and dad could not understand that Italian and Spanish are indeed different). Had a fabulous dish of mac and cheese with chicken and red peppers, then headed to some more monuments.  Later Dad and I went to get some coffee and dessert (he was really struggling with the difference in coffee in Europe and was on a mission to find it American style).

Saturday was our tour of the Vatican and it was awesome. Our tour guide for the day was so knowledgable, and made it so much fun.  Highlights were the Sistine Chapel (and stories about Michaelangelo), the hike up the Basillica (and Suz hypervenilating along the way), and alll the sculptures. We had to wait in order to see the Basillica because the Pope was preaching to a bunch of students inside! Couldn´t believe that we had missed him! Dinner was fabulous, even though we had a less than friendly waiter. Enjoyed some delicious gelato, then explored other churches.

Sunday was our tour for the Flavian Ampitheater, and even a little rain was not going to keep us away. Wearing the ever-so-stylish blue poncho, we hiked all around the Roman Ruins. It was sweet and I can´t wait to bring my brother back...yes mom and dad, you agreed that I could take him:) We also went to the Spanish Steps and as always it was flooded with a billion people.  Enjoyed another margarita pizza and, of course, more gelato near the hotel/train station. It was funny to watch my mom try to figure out where she was and in which direction we needed to go. She had no idea haha.

Our hotel had the GREATEST breakfast ever, and since I have not had a real breakfast since I left the states, I obviously took full advantage of it.  It poured in rain on Monday, so after visiting a couple churches, we decided dry up a bit in a restaurant; then back to the hotel for a nap haha. Back to the Trevi Fountains that night, as it had been one of our favorite places at night, and enjoyed some Italian pasta, then to San Crispino, which is said to have THE BEST gelato in all of Rome.  We went back to the Spanish Steps to find it much more quite than we had on Sunday.  We walked up them, then down them, then back to the hotel.  Stairs have been the greatest to joke about while in Rome.  The 5 hundred and somehting in the Basillica, the Spanish Steps, the stairs in our hotel, and many many many more.  It just made me that much more excited to take them to the Albaycin and Alhambra in Granada.

Tuesday we had the morning to spend in Rome and were blessed with great weather.  We went back to the plaza that had previously been washed away by rain the day before, and were able to enjoy it much more.  got some souviners for the fam back home, my favorite being the gift for my Grandpa Don, he is going to love it. Got back to Granada in the evening and enjoyed some delicious Mexican food, Haylie would be so proud. 

Overall, loved Rome. It was a truly beautiful city and so much fun!! Definitely ate too much gelato and pizza, but when in Rome...