Spring Break and Jet-Lag

So here I am, one lucky-duck. It's 2:18am on the first Monday back to work and I am wide awake, despite my slightly urgent need for sleep (12 hours of work later today!). But the combination of jet-lag and Paul's absence (he's in Warsaw), means not much sleeping is happening. I've tried all my secret tricks - reading French, counting in French, singing myself songs that signal sleep, meditating, and two hours later not a single wink. So what else should I do? Well why not update my blog?

Since I last posted, Paul and I had a lovely 4 day trip to Rome for a little us time before we spent the better part of the following 3 weeks apart. I posted some pictures on Facebook as we went along, but mostly our trip went like this: see cool stuff, eat, see more stuff, eat, find nice wine, eat, sleep, repeat. Rome is one of my favorite cities in Europe because of several reasons:

1) It is overflowing with history, you can't turn a corner without stumbling into something incredible!
2) The food and drinks are delicious and affordable
3) There is so much to see, you can go back multiple times and never be satisfied
4) Italian people are kind, welcoming and friendly
5) Did I mention the gelato? I think that gets its own, special category :)

These pictures include:

Food and exploring Day 1:
We had some lunch when we arrived, and avoided most of the protests. Then, we saw Trevi Fountain (too crowded!) and the Pantheon. We decided to eat in front of the Pantheon. How often do you get to do that?

Colosseum and Palatine Day 2:

Vatican Museums Day 3:

Cool architecture Day 4:

So after our little getaway, I came home for one day, tried to run as many errands as possible, and then flew to Chicago the next day. Flights were uneventful, except for the small problem that I booked my tickets under my maiden name Kircher (oops), not that anyone at the check-in desk or security seemed to care. So I arrived in Chicago, exhausted but happy. Once at my grandma's house, I found a pile of packages that had been arriving for me. It was like a big early birthday present (except I had bought all the things for myself!) One of the things was a camera. And not just any camera - a beautiful, mirrorless digital Olympus. After jet-lag woke me up at 5am, I played with the camera for hours. The rest of the pictures in this post are from that camera!

Kristen, my dear friend from CA came to visit me from Nebraska for the weekend. We got to do lots of touristy stuff, and it was a great time! I also got to see Dana, another close friend who I went to Miami with.

Cubs game, old Chicago public library (now cultural center), the bean, and then sushi out with Dana and Kristen! I am one lucky girl.

 

Day 2 of Kristen's visit - Breakfast at Chicago Bagel Authority (AKA Bagel and Deli!), Sear's Tower (now named something silly), then an architectural boat tour, then dinner with the fam bam. 

View from the top!

Our boat for the architectural tour.

Got to eat a bit more delicious food with my aunt and cousin David, and see my very adorable little second cousins. I miss my family!

 

My last dinner with these cuties and my cousin Miriam. 

Selfies with my baby cousins! Atara especially liked taking pictures together :)

 And then it was time to fly home.

The week passed in a blur, seeing family, shopping for last minute travel things for our BIG TRIP, and spending time just drinking tea and doing the crosswords with my grandma. There might also have been some naps in there. Oh, and this amazing thing called root beer beer. If you love root beer, you should go out and try it now. Thanks everyone for making my trip so special!