Italy, finally.

Boy, did time get away from me! Summer is over, we're back in school, I've already run my first fall program (orlando, yuck...) and I haven't even begun to share the fun of our trip! So, here goes.... in chapters, from my journal.

Italy, Day One - Departure from Boston

Red eye flight. 8 hours long. 6 year old boy. The math is pretty simple. However, a little benadryl helped him get a few hours of sleep on the plane. He was the only one though!

I knew this would happen... so I booked...

Day Two - Rome (sort of)

We landed in Rome right on time at 8am on Friday morning. We had to wait nearly 40 minutes for our luggage, then customs, an immigration... but then there was our trusty driver, Luigi, waiting for us outside of customs. 4 bottles of water and 20 minutes later, we were checked in to our hotel (Marriott Rome Park - not anywhere near the city, but a nice pool, a comfy beds) and crashed. Yes, I have always given the advice to get out in the sunlight.... get the seratonin levels going... beat that jet lag! But having not slept even ONE minute on the plane, we were all ready to sleep. And sleep we did!

Peter was first to make Italian friends - two boys who were the sons of the (so VERY hot) lifeguard at the pool were the only ones swimming. They spoke NO English, and Peter can say Grazie and Bun-Journo.... but play is the international language and they got on just fine.

Dinner, a little television and bed finished day one.

Day Two - Civitavecchia

The Royal Caribbean Legend of the Seas is a really nice, mid-sized ship. We had sailed to Bermuda last year on the Grandeur (twin sister), but I found the Legend to be nicer. The rooms are a little bigger, the storage a little better and the public space much nicer. The ship guests were 90% Brits - which made it feel very international, yet with the comforts of home (i.e., chicken nuggets at dinner). The first night was lovely, a beautiful Mediterranean sunset, a cool breeze and the promise of great adventure lay ahead.

Day Three - Portofino

I've long said that if I eat my vegetables, hold back on the potty words and behave myself, heaven will look like Portofino. It was as I remembered - a fairy tale town of villas on steep hills tumbling down to the blue waters of the Med. T has decided she wants to live there, and plans to open a branch of a friend's boutique, even. Sounds like a good plan to me!

After wondering around a bit,

shopping, climbing one to many hills


then relaxing for a cold drink, we were back on the ship ready for our next adventure.