Italy

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Hey everyone..
ALright.. it has been some time now since i last wrote. basically, i have travelled all over italy. I woudl just like to say that i love italy as a whole. We started off in venice. i was sad that we really only were there for one day. we didnt arrive into the region until late at night and we stayed at a beach community about 10 minutes away from venice.. This was probably one of the best nights i had on the trip.. our entire group ended up buying wine and beer and pizzas. we then all hung out at the beach for the night.. it was so much fun. by the end of the night we were all swimming in the water and everything.. the next day we went into venice.. the place is beautiful.. very small tho. all the canals were little, an di found out a lot about the gondolas. they were fun to see a nd everything.. we basiclly had a walking tour of the city, got some free time to shop and walk around,a nd then we all got together and watched the soccer game. the weather was probably the best we had on the entire trip so far. it was great. the second night here we all did the same as previously.. we even bought a soccer ball and played soccer on the beach too.. it was a great time.. then we went to rome, stopping in milan on the way.
rome was amazing.. it was like everyway you would turn there was some historic memento.. our hotel was huge. for once we had an amazing hotel to stay in. this was also a place that all our rooms were close together. becuase of this we did have a few room "get togethers".. weve been calling them room socials. our first night in rome we went to an amercian bar called the drunken ship.. the place was very crowded but it was so much fun.. they even had beer pong set up in the back.. we then followed some locals to a club called mood.. this was hilarious.. the place didnt even really have people in it until after 3 and we ended up getting in for free cause of us lovely girls.. lol.. we all ended up getting home about 4. not too bad of a night.. supposedly, in spain they stay up until about 7am.. the next day we had a walking tour of some of the city.. this was actually pretty interesting.. after that i did some laundry.. (finally) the weather in rome was crazy.. it was not as warm as in venice and it would downpour rain for 5 minutes at a time randomly throughout the day.. lets just say taht i was stuck without an umbrella at times and it was not too much fun.. that night we went out the eat at a place near our hotel as a group. i ended up ordering something with squid in it.. like squid that you could still see the suckers on it.. i was goingt o try it.. but i couldn't.. the last day in rome we toured the collosseum, the vatican, the forum, and the pantheon.. it was a very busy day... that night we tried to get some authentic italian food and ended up in some run down part of town.. but we did find a restaurant and it was the best food ive had in a long time.. now im in florence.. this place is beautiful.. the first night here we walked aroudn a bit and watched the greece vs argentina soccer game.. this was one of the best games id watched.. it was fun.. then we went and danced at another place.. yesterday we had a guided tour and then free time.. i walked up the 463 steps to the top of the dome o fthe duomo.. (there cathedral). it was an amazing view.. and quite the workout.. then i shopped.. i ended up buying a new luggage bag too lol.. it was needed.. last night we went to a wnie tasting.. it was the funniest thing id seen.. it was a great time.. then we went to eat the best gelato in the area.. and let me tell you, as someone who loves their ice cream... the gelato here is amazing!!! itll be so sad when i can not eat it anymore... we got home last nigth and i wasnt feeling well.. so i was a lame person and went to bed about 9. thats okay tho casue i feel much better today..
today we are off to nice in the french riviera.. we are stopping in piza along the way so that we can see the leaning tower of piza.. today is also one of the guys birthdays on the trip so im sure we will have a fun night tonight..
anyways. i have about a half hour now to pack eat and get on the bus so i shoudl probably get going..
love you all...
i officially only have 10 days left of the trip. 2/3rd's over.. cant wait to see you all again and actually get to talk for awhile..
Jamie

ps.. what ive learned in italy:
cross roads without looking, if the driver sees you look they will hit you..
cross roads where ever you want
bikes will not stop for people no matter what
different areas of italy compete for being better
rome is dirty, florence is not..
no matter how much time you have, its never enough
the train stations are their shopping malls.. (cheaper shopping)

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Comments

[grandma]

hi jamie
well miss jamie. were you to busy in all those pubs to write, sounds like your having a blast. keep in touch we all worry. have fun. we love you.