Back on the Road

After almost a month at home in the States and some great time spent catching up with friends and family, it was time to get back out on the (international) road at the end of May.   Our first stop was Romania where we attended the wedding of some of our good friends.  We stayed a total of five nights in Bucharest where we had a chance to explore the capital city a bit and get a taste of Romanian culture.  The highlight of our time there was the wedding which was without a doubt the most elaborate one we have attended.  Highlights of the day include a 3-hour cocktail hour, hundreds of pre-dinner Jägerbombs, a wedding donkey, five separate dinner courses each with a unique wine pairing, multiple live bands, and a cake cutting at 3:15 AM.  It was an impressive party that took us a few days to recover from, but one that we’ll never forget.

Palace of the Parlament in Bucharest (2nd largest building in the world behind the Pentagon)

Almost set the Guinness World Record for number of consecutive Jagerbombs at a wedding

The lovely couple and their wedding donkey

After Romania, we headed back to Italy for the second time on the trip.  This time we flew to Rome where we were meeting up with Christina’s brother, who was visiting Europe for the first time, and her dad.  We figured Italy is always a great idea and it would be a perfect introduction to the continent for Clay. Our time there was split between Rome and Florence with three days to explore each city.  It went by quickly, but we managed to pack most of the major tourist sites into our itinerary.

The gardens outside of the Basilica San Paolo

Some of the delicious gelato Italy has to offer

In Rome, we spent our first day wandering around the central part of the city checking out the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, and some of the gorgeous buildings and bridges along the Tiber River. Over the next two days, we also toured the Vatican, St. Peter’s Basilica and spent time wandering through the Colosseum and the Roman ruins.  Our hotel was in an area a bit outside of the center, but was located next to the Basilica Papale di San Paolo Fuori le Mura which ended up being one of the most impressive churches we’ve seen.  We ended up going twice because entry was free and there were hardly any other tourists there. We would recommend a visit there to anyone going to Rome in the future.

Altare della Patria (Alter of the Fatherland) in Rome

Spiral stairs at the Vatican

Tossing coins into the Trevi Fountain for good luck

Inside the Basilica San Paolo

We spent our next three nights in Florence, which we both agreed is one of our favorite cities in the world.  It has a charm to it that few places can match with its narrow winding streets, piazzas around every corner, fascinating history, and no shortage of incredible restaurants.  We of course toured the Duomo and made the tight climb up to the top which provided some amazing views of the Tuscan hillside surrounding the city.  We went and stared at the statue of David in the Galleria dell’Accademia. We crossed the Ponte Vecchio (old bridge). We took a day trip to Cinqueterre where we hiked from Monterosso, the northernmost town, to the extremely-photogenic village of Vernazza. We also ate the best sandwiches of our lives at Panini Toscani.  Situated right behind the Duomo, this tiny shop serves up customizable sandwiches with the best-tasting ingredients you could ever imagine for only 5€ each.  We went here two days in row, and if you ever go to Florence, your life will be better after you eat here – guaranteed.

The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore

Along the hike from Monterosso to Vernazza

The view of the Tuscan countryside from the top of Florence

We did a lot of touristy things, and both places were packed with thousands of other tourists from every corner of the world all doing the same thing.  While it’s not our preference to wait in long lines in the hot sun or be mixed in with hordes of other people, there’s a reason why these places are so popular.  They are simply incredible and unique to Italy.  You cannot experience these places anywhere else in the world, and they are worth braving the crowds.  It is not possible to replicate the emotion of standing in the Sistine Chapel, staring up in awe at the ceiling and admiring the work of Michelangelo. You can’t appreciate the size of the Colosseum by looking at a few pictures. These are places you must simply see in person.

Il Ponte Vecchio

The reward for finishing our hike – Beautiful Vernazza

After six days together, we took a train from Florence down to Rome where we said our goodbyes to Christina’s dad and brother. We continued on to Naples where we spent three days fulfilling a singular goal – eat the best pizza in the world in the birthplace of pizza.  In total, we ate at three different pizzerias during our stay. Pizzeria da Michele is considered by many to be the greatest in the world, and was even featured in the book (and movie) Eat, Pray, Love. It was amazing.  We ate at Pizzeria Sorbillo, which has been run by a family of Pizzaoli for several generations now.  It was incredible.  But our favorite pizzeria was a place recommended by our host in Naples, off the beaten path and in a “grittier” area of the city. In a thick, Italian accent, he stressed to us that “Grandfather, he make a pizza. Father, he make a pizza. Even the baby, he make a pizza!” In other words, pizza ran in the family at this place and we had to check it out!  The restaurant is called Pizzeria Oliva and is too good for words.  Here’s what 5€ of deliciousness looks like:

Pure bliss

Where all the magic happens inside Pizzeria Da Michele

Typical Italian scene outside of Pizzeria Oliva

The tours of Rome and Florence were great.  Our mission to find the best pizza was a success.  We managed to see 4 more UNESCO sites, which is easy to do in the country that has the largest number of them (51 total). Italy – you never disappoint.

– The Morts