Our Second Honeymoon

We are home from our trip to Spain & Rome. It was an amazing adventure! Laith has decided this trip was our "Second Honeymoon".  Since there are so many photos to share, I am going to post a series of collages from each part of the trip. 

We spent five days in Spain. Overall, I loved Spain. I could see myself living there one day. The food was not anything spectacular. They eat a LOT of ham & potatoes, at all meals. French fries are even served at breakfast with ham and eggs. 

I really enjoyed the culture - from the night life in Madrid, to the countryside in Pamplona, and the ocean in San Sebastian. We even drove in to France to snap a picture! The people in Spain were very nice, welcoming and did their best to communicate with us. It seemed they appreciated our attempts at the Spanish language. 

The highlights from Spain were: the pool on the roof of our hotel, the nightlife, street performers, the Incubus and Red Hot Chili Peppers concert, the royal palace, the Prado Museum, the San Fermin Festival in Pamplona, and the beautiful architecture everywhere you looked.

After Spain we headed to Rome, Italy for 3 days. Rome was HOT and humid. It was also a very busy tourist time. I don't think we'll ever go there in July again. The city was not very attractive on the outskirts; it looked as if it was stuck in the '70s. However, it was beautiful in the inner city near the Colosseum and all of the ancient architecture.  

The food in Rome was great - great pasta, pastries and pizza. I think I gained 10 pounds there! There was also great shopping. I wish I had planned for more spending money to clothing shop. 

Laith loved the history everywhere we went. The Colosseum was the first on our list. It was just a 20 minute walk from our hotel, the Astoria Gardens. When we arrived at the Colosseum, it had just closed for the day so we were not able to go inside, but even from the outside it was absolutely breathtaking. We  walked around the city all night until our feet could not take anymore of the cobblestone streets. 

Our second day in Rome was spent in Vatican City. We paid for a guided tour to learn more about the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo  Our tour guide was very knowledgeable. After waiting in a hot, un-air conditioned hallway for over 45 minutes, we made it in to the breathtaking Sistine Chapel. 
It was beyond words. I could have spent all day observing the art of Michelangelo. The art, architecture and history of Rome were awe inspiring. 

This trip was one of a kind and very special for me as I have been anxious to travel out of the US for some time now. We had an amazing time together!