Virtual Vacation to Rome

I have been soo busy at work...like Mama B, I need a vacation.  At last due to my schedule, I just can't.  So I am browsing through all my vacation photos remembering how fun it was exploring and absorbing new surroundings, culture, and people.   One of my favorite places to visit is Italy.  I visited Italy when I graduated from college, doing the whole Europe tour.  It's an experience I will never forget and highly recommend to anyone.

I love Italy so much that I decided to visit again but this time bringing my husband who has never been there.  I was his tour guide and he loved it!  He loves history, eating yummy food, learning about new cultures...so it was a sure win win!

Outside view of the Famous Colosseum

Inside the Colosseum.

Hubby taking a pic of me, CHEESE!

Located east of the Colosseum, the Roman Forum

View of me at the Roman Forum

One of the many ruins found in the Roman Forum

Trevi Fountain

Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II

Castel Sant'Angelo

Entrance to St. Peter's Square at the Vatican

Famous Vatican Square

Walk towards the Sistine Chapel, gorgeous right?

Here is another walkway towards the Sistine Chapel

Famish from walking around Rome!

First meal in Rome.  Hubby shared his heart shaped ravioli.

Heart shaped ravioli

Our appetizers: Fried Mozerrella, Fried Chili, Fried Olives

At the Spanish Steps at Piazza di Spanga

At a sandwich shop

Gelato!!!  I had gelato every day I was in Italy.

More Gelato!

Another sandwich shop

More food pics!

Piazza Navona and the Fountain of Four Rivers

Remember the Piazza Navona in the movie Angels and Demons?  This is where it was shot

At the Famous Gelato di San Crispino as shown on Food Network

Virtual Vacation to Madrid

I don't know about you, but I need a vacation.  Both Mama D and I love to travel.  Taking time off is out of the question since my hubby just started a new job, so he's back at zero when it comes to vacation.  Mean time going through my vacation albums will be the closest thing I have to a vacation.....will look at my trip to Madrid, Segovia, and Toledo...we went here for our honeymoon.  I hope my daughter gets to see all the places I have been to when she grows up.

This is me at Puerta del Sol.  You can see they were getting ready for the New Year celebration.  This place is equivalent to Times Square in the U.S.  It was so packed on New Year's Eve.

This is Madrid Int'l Airport.  I took this pic on our arrival.

                      This was taken near our hotel in Madrid.  Nice stroller cover right?

You can see the street signs are on beautiful Spanish tiles.

This is a building I saw on the way to Plaza Mayor

 When I travel I always take pictures of food.  I love trying new types of food.  It tells you a lot about the culture.

 Sorry for all you vegans.

Here is Plaza Mayor 

You can see the beautiful painted mural on the building.

More food pics!

Yummy tapas!

That's me at Plaza Mayor.

Some street in Madrid.  Notice how much stuff I am wearing.  Not used to the 30-40 F weather since I am from California.

This is a famous building in Madrid.

That's me calling the restaurant behind me.  Botin is the oldest restaurant in the world.  It's specialty is suckling pig.

Pic of a grocery store in Madrid.

Check out the price in Euros!  Expensive!

These were huge! As big as my hand!

This is me in front of Palacio Real de Madrid.  We had to wake up so early to line up to get tickets.  Luckily the inside was better than some other palaces I've been to like Versailles.  They really did a good job with restoration.

This is the famous suckling pig at Botin.  Definitely go back there if I go back to Madrid.

Toledo, Spain. 

Cathedral of Segovia

Segovia.  Check out the aqueducts!  You realize how great the Roman Empire was since it existed up to this region.

Alcazar of Segovia.  

Cathedral of Toledo, Spain

Of course we had to have paella on our last day in Madrid. @ La Barraca.

La Barraca in Madrid

Back to reality.....will share more vacation pics of other countries with you next time!