Day 48: Home Sweet Chigi!

Sunday - July 4, 2010:

While all of yall we're at the lake or at the beach or just in your backyard firing up the grill, I was in an airport at 4 a.m. being herded like cattle onto a cramped Ryan Air flight. And who's the lucky person that gets to ring in America's Independence Day by sitting next to a crying (screeching) baby for 3 hours? Yours truly. I know -- cringe with me. So needless to say, I wish I had been in your shoes on American soil this day!

We had been gone for 10 days and couldn't get back to Ariccia fast enough! Our flight from Dublin got us to the Rome Ciampino Airport safely, where we had a cab waiting for us. When our cab driver dropped us off, we bolted into the Palace, dropped our bags and practically kissed the floor! It was so nice to be back in one place that is practically our home-away-from-home for a solid week.

As you can well imagine, Sunday was filled with chores! Laundry, unpacking, uploading pictures, emailing, Skyping, laundry and other stuff along those lines. I slept like a rock this night -- grateful that it wasn't a bunk bed in a noisy hostel!

I can't believe that in one week I saw these two major cities -- it's the summer of adventure, exploration and learning! I am in love with both cities and I know I will have to revisit them both in the near future. Now I have a week to regroup, wash all of my clothes and get my life in order before a group of us heads to Amsterdam next weekend!

I hope everyone enjoyed their 4th of Julys, wherever you may have been! I am sure they were filled with family, friends, food, fireworks and good times. I didn't know I would miss missing this holiday so much -- I came to the realization that it may be one of my favorite days of summer! Like everything in life, you don't know how much something means to you until its gone (or until you're in a different country). So ya'll better have enjoyed this fabulous holiday for me :)

Ciao and God Bless America!!