We made our way to the Spanish steps, Pantheon, and Piazza Venezia before making our way home to prepare for an early dinner in Adil's neighborhood.
Turns out, it wasn't. With the possibility of another Venice ahead, we decided the best option was to spend four more days in Europe and head back to the states on the flight leaving from Amsterdam. There's no way we could spend another week and a half living like tourists (which is much more expensive).
![]() |
They did good! |
We ate a delicious dinner of pasta, bruschetta, and assorted fresh meats with creamy mozzarella and watched our host get drunk off of two glasses of wine. Highlight of our night. During dinner, we offered to clean the kitchen, but the guys refused. From the moment we arrived, the guys why were not only accommodating but made it a point to take excellent care of us, so we had to repay them somehow. Our host refused.
"In our country, we are taught that women are the greatest gift to man, and we view them as queens. It's our job to take care of them and treat them like they are a gift. You don't worry about cleaning, we will handle everything."
It's safe to say Tiona fell in love.
After dinner, we hopped on the train and headed into town, where they took us to a secret staircase that led to a magical view of Piazza del Polpolo and Vatican City. Absolutely breathtaking. It was there that we made the executive decision to grab gelato and beers, and we popped a squat in a park to listen to live music. On our walk home, Tiona and I mapped out our last day in the magical city, which included an authentic Italian lunch, a walk to Vatican City, and pizza and tiramisu with our hosts before leaving for the bus.
![]() |
She risked it all for this incredible view. |
![]() |
Came to the Pope's house, but he wasn't home. :( |
![]() |
Vatican |
![]() |
Quenching my thirst at these convenient little fountains all over the city! |
![]() |
Spaghetti alla carbonara....delish! |
Again, the goodbye was harder than expected. These four college students opened their home to us, paid for literally everything, and made sure our potentially last stop in Europe was as magical as possible. Adil gave us cookies as a parting gift, and we made our way to the bus station, prepared for a 32-hour bus ride back to Amsterdam.
![]() |
I look crazy, but these hosts were THE absolute best! |
As we landed at BWI, I wanted to cry. We'd created a trip of a lifetime, sickness, homelessness, adventure and all. One-way ticket, 5 countries, 2 backpacks, endless memories.
Peaks
Janna: Rome was magical. The ruins, our hosts, the food, everything. I ate the best pizza I've ever had in my life. Sausage and potato pizza with no sauce. Who'da thunk it?Tiona: Our first night in Rome, our hosts made us an authentic Italian dinner. It was amaaaazing. Also, seeing the Colosseum in person along with other historic buildings left me in awe.
Pits
Janna: As far as Rome goes, I wish we would've been able to spend a longer time there. Our hosts were sad to see us go, and we were sad to go. Also, my Chuck Taylor's reached peak funkiness, and there was NOTHING I could do to hide the smell.Tiona: After re routing our trip, we had one less night in Rome. What a shame.
Aww so glad you guys had a great time in Rome compared to Venice! Such great hosts!
ReplyDelete