When in Rome...

So it might be a little after the fact... ok so it's a lot after the fact, but I want to let you in on the amazing time I had travelling through Italy and Switzerland in my last week in Germany.

It started off as the worst trip ever.  Something went wrong with the electricity in Hannover, which meant that the trains stopped running.  So after waiting at my transfer station for close to 45 minutes, I started frantically running around the little tiny stop of Pferdemarkt (literally 'Horse market') looking for a bus, a cab, a lost pony... anything that would get me to the airport within the next 15 minutes so that I didn't miss my flight.  I FINALLY found a cab and got to my gate with minutes to spare.  Phew.

The first stop of my trip was Rome.  It was... amazing? incredible? astonishing? beautiful? breathtaking? Take your pick...

Triton Fountain

the Spanish Steps

Only moments before I took this picture, I dropped my camera - hard - on the cobblestones.  I was so relieved when it appeared to be just fine.  That only lasted another couple of hours.  Then it totally cut out on me.  I was SO ticked.  Here I was, in ITALY, and my camera broke on the first day.  Luckily, I met some incredible people at my hostel and they shared their pictures with me! :)

my newest friend!

inside St. Peter's Basilica

Vatican City was awesome - not only did I walk there (crossing 'walk into another country' off my bucket list), but I got to see the Sistine Chapel (breathtaking, but overrated - ask me about it sometime) and St Peter's Basilica (the most beautiful inside of a church I've EVER seen).

And those Swiss Guards... oh boy

words fail me...

St. Peter's Square

oh you know... just hangin' out by the Colosseum...

me, Kiersten & Brie in the Pantheon

Trevi Fountain

the Roman Forum

After Rome, I jumped on an overnight train (longest 6 hours of my life, squished into a compartment with 5 other people) to Venice!!  Getting lost there was the best thing that ever happened to me.

St. Mark's Square, St Mark's Basilica, the Doge's Palace

peace!

one of the many many MANY canals I walked by... so gorgeous!

After Venice, I hopped on another train to Milan!  This time I got to sleep in a real bed, which made the following day much much better.  

the Milan Cathedral

I took yet another train through the Alps, unfortunately, we went through most of the snow-capped peaks.  But what I got to see was stunning.

Before my overnight train home to Germany (in a compartment with much more room, but a lady who snored like a freaking chainsaw!) I got to spend 2 wonderful (albeit wet) hours in Zürich.

See?  Pretty!

And that concluded my travels through Europe.  I got home completely exhausted and with only a few more days to recuperate before I hopped on a plane and flew back to Canada.

My next adventure has already started, but you'll have to wait to catch up on that!!

'Till then!

Sandy