All Roads Lead to Roma!

With Naples in the rear view mirror behind us, suitcases and boxes in the car with us, Claire and I only got as far as Rome until the exit tour of Italy started. Of course our bad luck in finding hotels also started here. You got to love construction zones that change the direction of traffic. Solution? Pull a Neapolitan driver move and just went a few meters the wrong way down a one way street. Claire there is a reason we keep these stories hush until after they've happened.

Once settled into our hotel it was time to explore the Eternal City one last time as a resident of Italy. Seems appropriate as Rome was the first city I visited after moving to Italy. It's the city I ran my first marathon in. It's the place where I convinced my siblings to trek up all those steps to the copula to look down on the sprawling city. For being a place I never really wanted to see, each visit became a mini challenge to see just how much of the extensive history and sites I could take in, while still tossing my appropriate number of coins into the Fontana di Trevi to ensure a return trip.

This visit was no different: Colesseo, Piazza Spagna, Fontana di Trevi, Piazza Nervona, Basilica Sancti Petri. 

Um actually. It was a tad different. See, as I was able to navigate to the Trevi Fountain something just seemed off. There's no better way to describe it. There were still lots of people milling about, but as we walked down the pedestrian path to the open area where the fountain is, there was a serious absence of several hundred people. Okay, maybe it's just lunch time? Nope. Further recon resulted in seeing an oh to common theme of my travels in 2014- scaffolding. And we're talking major, amounts. As in- the entire fountain was drained, a walk way erected over the large pool, and scaffolding blocking most of the statues. And then I was like....

Needless to say we waiting our turn in line (all tourist=real line) to walk across the drained pool, being reminded to not toss coins in. This instruction was a tad too difficult for everyone to understand. But yes, it does appear that every now and then they do collect the coins in the fountain?

In order to ensure return visits (Claire has to see this in its normal state!) we both toss our coins into the makeshift "fountain" of water. Turns out tossing a coin over your shoulder when you're not sitting on the fountain's ledge is a challenge. We both had to throw a few coins just to make sure we were covered...although does makeshift pool count with the tradition?

Oh well. All roads lead to Rome, so I'll be back. 

Mi Vida Loca

Well, here we go...again!

Much to my surprise 3 years of overseas living just weren't enough for me. So, after months of fretting if all the paperwork would ever get in order- I'm {FINALLY} on my way to Rota, Spain for 2* years.  

Unlike that transition to Naples, I have a slight clue what awaits me in Rota: miles of sandy beach along the ocean, pitchers of sangria, law abiding drivers, an office with windows, an Italispanglish speaking Katie. 

Or so I think.

I hope the next 2 years blow my preconceived notions apart. 
I hope that I do a better job assimilating into whatever town I choose to live in. 
And I hope the adventures I find here stick with me forever and ever. 

So yes, it's time to start a new blog, my official record for when the memory starts to fade or when I need "documentation" to remind a friend of our life here in Rota. And I also hope these posts encourage you to book your flight because I want and expect visitors! 

Rota may be a tad more difficult to get to but it's still completely accessible. Señor Nico will be working fast once he arrives in country to get his hacienda set up for business so start planning now; especially if you're thinking summer 2015! If you thought my time in Italy flew by? It's going to be warp speed here...don't delay! 

*Yes, there may be an opportunity to extend, but Family HQ breaks into chants of USA! USA! USA! when I dare mention it.