I need to start taking siestas...

Today was a long, fun-filled day. I toured the Colosseum, the Forum and parts of Trastevere - all of this after getting up up 6:30 to go to the train station. I took some great photos, but they won't mean much without explanations, and I am just too tired for that. (It's 1:15 a.m. now.)

So, expect good photos and captions tomorrow.

Tonight I will leave you with two of the more modern (as in the new millennium and not 400 AD) things I did today.

First, on the way home from the train station (at about 9:00) I stumbled upon a fresh fruit and vegetable stand less than 2 blocks from my apartment. I bought some strawberries, a pear and mista insalda (mixed salad). On the way back from the Colosseo/Foro sights, I found the supermarket - fresh bread, juice. I paired all of this with the remnants of my cheese plate last night, threw in my book, and BAM! Lunch on my veranda!

After lunch, I bussed over to Trastevere to look for some of Rick Steve's picks. He recommended a gelaterie on Piazza della Scala. On the board outside of the shop, they listed "panini con gelato" - bread with ice cream? I asked the server, and he said exactly. So I tried it. With chocolate and cinnamon gelati. Wow. It was delicious. I don't have words. It looks funny here, but imagine what people were thinking while I was walking down the street chomping on it!

this is in front the church on Piazza della Scala.

Good night! I promise more tomorrow!

Oh and my friend Cris went to Florence and loved it, drove back to Rome today, and is flying to Barcelona in the middle of the night. See? I'm not the only crazy traveler!