Buona Sera Venetto!!!

1_GoingToVenice, originally uploaded by travis_prowell.

At the train station in plenty of time...
Feeling good about our easy travel day...
Platform 10, assigned seats, 1.5hrs to go...
Get on the train and move up and down the train to find our seats...
Someone's in them...
And their tickets say seats 52-57 too...
But theirs say Venice!!!
and the train has since lurched into a departing clip,
going the complete opposite direction.

oh well, so much for an easy travel day.

We spent the next hour riding to Bologna in the stairwell, then caught a slow train from there to Rome for which we spent the first half in the stairwell again as it was overbooked. Finally got some seats for the last 2 hours of the ride and everyone managed to keep the whole debacle in a humorous light.

The problems of the early afternoon disappeared as we finished our gelato and strolled a few blocks toward some ruins that we saw while getting to our apartment. Ahhh, the Forum. Looking only semi-impressed with the large pile of rubble in the middle of the city, Parker quickly perked up as he looked up the street and exclaimed, "the Colosseum!"

The sight of the colosseum had an amazing impact on everyone. Huge and towering, familiar yet ancient, and drenched in stories of epic battles.

Tired and weary, but great to finally be in Rome!

(click here for some images of the day)