Currency

In preparation for the trip and while bored in Detriot returning from a business trip I wondered who uses what currency now. With the Euro it makes it a lot easier traveling to different countries and dealing with exchanging money.  Greece and Italy are both using the Euro but Malta is still using their own currency,Maltese lira (LM).  January 1, 2008 they will convert to the Euro.  Not bad for a country that just joined the European Union in 2004.

Random thought of the day that has nothing to do with the trip.

"Has a baseball pitcher every got the win and the save in a single game?"  Think about it, it is possible, the pitcher pitches 7 innings and has the lead. He then gets moved to the outfield for the next 1 and 2/3 innings, and his team maintains the lead. Then he comes into the game at the end for the last out and succeeds. How is been done?

Alison's Preliminary Picks

Ok.....so I have only done some preliminary research....but number one is: RENTING SCOOTERS AND DRIVING LIKE MANIACS!!!!

I don't remember where that came from but it was something that I came up with one night while we planned our trip.

Anyway....my picks so far....
The Vatican (Including St. Peters and The Sistine Chapel and the Underground Tour)
Does anyone think it is strange that two lesbians are heading to the one place in the world that we can be sure they don't accept us? Oh well it is still history!

The Colosseum
The Pantheon
Maybe the Roman Forum

Certainly I want to eat ALOT! And maybe try some italian wine!

Rome, Italy

The first 3 days of the adventure takes us to Rome, Italy. The only thing we know we definitely want to do is rent scooters and drive around like maniacs.  Perhaps we need to read and follow the recently issued Driver's Ten Commandments by the Vatican.

The "Drivers'€™ Ten Commandments," are:

1. You shall not kill.

2. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.

3. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.

4. Be charitable and help your neighbor in need, especially victims of accidents.

5. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.

6. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.

7. Support the families of accident victims.

8. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.

9. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.

10. Feel responsible toward others.

While researching things to do in Rome I came across this list:

"Vatican, Roman Forum, Colosseum, Pantheon, Basilica di San Pietro and St Peter's Square, Sistine Chapel, Piazza Navona, Capitoline Hill, Trastevere, Tarpeian Rock, Catacombs, Spanish Steps, Piazza di Spagna, Keats-Shelley Memorial House, Palazzo Venezia, Church of San Marco, Vittorio Emanuele Monument, Piazza Sant'Iganzio, Stadium of Domitian, Palazzo Altemps, Piazza Campo de'Fiori, Jewish Ghetto and Synagogue, Temple of Portunus, Temple of Hercules Vistor, Arch of Janus, Ponte Rotto, Ponte Fabricio, River Tiber, Isola Tiberina, Capuchin Cemetery, Via Veneto, Trevi Fountain, Forum of Trajan, Palatine Hill, San Clemente, Esquiline Hill."

Danielle's top 5 in no particular order are:
1. Vatican
2. Sistine Chapel
3. St Peter's Square
4. Catacombs
5. Colosseum [pictured to the right]