Italy and Greece: Day 1 and 2

It has been quite the journey to get where we are now! It's nearly 10pm Rome time as I'm writing this. Let's start at the beginning...

Our group gathered at LAX this morning at the bright and early hour of 5:00am. The check in process was quick, security line was reasonable, and we still had plenty of time to grab breakfast before we needed to board. The flight was uneventful as most flights are, so we made it to Canada with no problems, just very hungry bellies. Most of the kids got a below average tasting burger, but that's airport gourmet for you. The second leg of our journey was a little bit longer, and a little bit darker, but we made it to Rome with no issues as well.

It was a new day so we hit the ground running. After a quick bus ride into the city, we were let off near the Spanish Steps, an incredible sight to see. Unfortunately it was being restored, so completely closed off to tourists. The barrier that they had around the steps looked like plexiglass, so at least we were able to see through and capture a few images of the steps. Out next stop was the Trevi Fountain. They say that if you throw a coin in over your left shoulder, then you shall return to Rome. Parents, just a warning...everyone took part in this. We continued our walking tour through the city and finally ended up at the Pantheon, one of best preserved of all Ancient Roman buildings. This was definitely a moment of awe for me, staring at something that was build during the 1st century BCE and is almost 2000 years old.

We were then given our free time, and not a moment too soon. It was time for our first authentic Italian meal.. The whole group found a little restaurant on one of the side streets. Thankfully there were able to accommodate 11 people. The table was filled with pastas of all shapes and forms; rigatoni, spaghetti, cannelloni, and all with different toppings from tomato basil to carbonara and even a little salmon. Fully stuffed, we headed back to the Pantheon to make our way inside this giant structure. The only source of light that they Pantheon has (other than the doors being opened) is a single oculus. It has no cover, so when it rains, the water comes right into the building. They are still using the original drainage system to get rid of the water.

We left the Pantheon and split up into a few smaller groups. Some went to get Gelato, some went souvenir shopping, and some found a shady spot up against the fountain in the Piazza we were in. After a little bit of downtime, and perhaps a nap or two, we headed off to the Piazza Campo de' Fiori. The walk was a little further than we had anticipated, so we just popped in for a few minutes before heading back to meet up with our group. Hoepfully with the free time we have on Sunday we'll be able to go back. There were a bunch of street vendors selling everything from clothes, purses, fresh flowers and even some more pasta!

Once we made it back to the group, it was off to our last stop of the day, the Piazza Navona. This square was built on tops of the site of an old stadium and has a very open feel. The main church is Sant'Agnese in Agone and was beautiful inside and out! There is also a fountain in the square called the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi. This fountain is supposed to represent the four major rivers on the continents including the Nile. A few more Gelato's and souvenirs were purchased before we all piled back on the bus and headed to the restaurant for dinner. Within five minutes of driving, 90% of the bus was asleep. It could have been more, but I eventually fell asleep, so I can't say with certainty what people were doing after that.

We arrived at the restaurant a little more refreshed and ready to chow down again. One of my favorite things about EF are the three course dinners we get every night. Tonight's started with a salad and bread, continued with an amazing lasagna, and finished off with traditional tiramisu.With dinner a wrap, it was just a quick ride to our hotel which is where we are currently. Everyone is pretty wiped and I'm sure asleep by now. Tomorrow is a busy day, but we should be filled with energy after a good night's sleep. Enjoy the pictures below!