I don't know about anyone else but I simply cannot wrap my head around the fact that it's February. I'm pretty confident last week was Christmas, but I suppose part of that wishful thinking is because it's February... and it's still cold, dark and slightly snowy... but there's no shiny Christmas lights to distract me from this fact. Ah well...
Christmas on this side of the pond was really lovely. We were taken in by my friend Beth's family and left sufficiently stuffed with good cheer and wonderful food. Christmas in England is really very similar to Christmas in the US, but of course you add in a trip to the local pub and Christmas crackers. OK, we all went to the pub because it was Beth's dad's birthday, but there were a ton of other people there as well having a Christmas pint. The Christmas crackers is a tradition I first experienced with Drew's family in Canada but you cannot have Christmas...or any office Christmas party apparently... without Christmas crackers. Why?? Because they contain silly paper hats that you get to wear throughout the evening and adults wearing silly paper hats is amusing... even more so after the aforementioned Christmas pint!
After Christmas (and a Boxing Day trip to see the last Hobbit film) we waddled ourselves back to Cambridge to settle down for a long winter's nap... or so I thought. My dear husband however had other plans. He had planned a super secret trip to Rome for my 30th birthday which we left for on December 28th! I could post endless pictures from this amazing trip, but I'll try to narrow it down to a couple highlights. Over five days we managed to walk pretty much the entirety of the seven hills with stops at the Villa Borghese, Vatican City, the Forum and Colosseum, and some incredibly yummy restaurants along the way. I also got two extra birthday presents when my friends Liz and Jeff showed up to celebrate with me! And to those of you who sent your well wishes, wrote in my ginormous birthday card, and were there in spirit... thank you!! I am one lucky girl and I can't wait to see what the next decade has in store.
Overall it was a really amazing Christmas, birthday and New Year... so while I realize it is February, can you really blame me for wanting to turn back the clock a couple months?
Christmas on this side of the pond was really lovely. We were taken in by my friend Beth's family and left sufficiently stuffed with good cheer and wonderful food. Christmas in England is really very similar to Christmas in the US, but of course you add in a trip to the local pub and Christmas crackers. OK, we all went to the pub because it was Beth's dad's birthday, but there were a ton of other people there as well having a Christmas pint. The Christmas crackers is a tradition I first experienced with Drew's family in Canada but you cannot have Christmas...or any office Christmas party apparently... without Christmas crackers. Why?? Because they contain silly paper hats that you get to wear throughout the evening and adults wearing silly paper hats is amusing... even more so after the aforementioned Christmas pint!
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| Yay for Christmas drinks! |
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| Christmas dinner carnage with Beth and Damian |
Overall it was a really amazing Christmas, birthday and New Year... so while I realize it is February, can you really blame me for wanting to turn back the clock a couple months?
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| One of my favorite Bernini sculptures... Apollo and Daphne |
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| An ancient necropolis discovered under a parking lot at the Vatican, because where else would you find an ancient necropolis? |
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| Yay birthday trip! |
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| Forum Romanum |
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| I don't remember why I took a picture of this thing... I guess it's important? |
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| One of the angels on the bridge leading to Castel Sant'Angelo |
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| Very cool to see |
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| How would you end your last day in Rome? By climbing to the top of the dome at St. Peter's of course! |
