Best. Saturday. Ever.

Yesterday was best yet, favorite yet, tastiest yet, sunburnedest yet. I cannot get over how many cool things we did in one day! :)

1) Stopped at Cafe Magnolia for cappucino and my first cornetto (a hot, jam filled croissant, only 1.80 eu - jealous yet?). Up for bus and then a 45 minute TRAIN RIDE through Italy! We were all very tired, but I was just so excited to be riding a train in Europe!

2) Ostia Antica: where everyone needs an Indiana Jones hat. We walked through gorgeous little modern countryside neighborhood to Ostia Antica, what was once the main port for Rome and now is partially still standing. It was the most astounding experience -- sort of like the bunkers at Fort Worden, but times 50 for everything. Bigger, older, with more freedom to run around, explore, climb, and touch. We wandered in through the necropolis (dead people!) before crossing through the city walls. Lisa taught us about the bathhouses, and we saw the ancient and still-beautiful mosaics of Poseidon on the floors of them. The ampitheater was incredible (and partially filled with equipment for a modern-day concert there!) and definitely one of my favorite parts -- look at the view! We saw the Forum, and its own bathhouse, and climbed around the heating tunnels below it. Lisa was very excited to show us the public bathrooms, where the little toilets still stand! Found the forno (bakery) of the ancient Ostia Antica people -- do those funny shaped things look like ovens to you? It was incredible. I can hardly comprehend the age of the place.

3) Then we picnicked in some ruins. Yeaaah. FYI: Nutella + PB + Bakery ("forno") bread is delicious served both plain, and when served by the gorgeous Forum bathhouse, and beneath a shady tree.

4) We were very thirsty by the end of our adventuring, and spent a good half hour filling up water bottles at the only drinking fountain we came across. Italian drinking fountains are these little spigots in the ground that constantly run water directly up from the aquafiers down below the ground. ICE cold, 24/7. Very refreshing in my Kleen Kanteen. :)

5) Oh yeah, and then I SWAM IN THE MEDITERRANEAN. Because the ocean line has receded many miles since ancient times, we took another train ride from Ostia Antica to the BEACH! It was PACKED with people, all with tans at least 50 times darker than hours. It must have been our pale, glowing skin that attracted tons of souvenir sellers to our quite-obviously-not-from-around-here group. I actually enjoyed the sun (up to a point) and got a tiny little sun burn! Look mom! :) Best ocean water, waves, and beach experience I've ever had.

6) So much salt! Took train back, walked back, bussed back, and finally made it to the hot (hooray) shower in our little apartment. After nearly bleaching myself trying to get the super salty (and oily) MEDITERRANEAN off me, I ate a mozzarella, pesto, and Saltine dinner! Salty salty salty!

7) So much sun = exhausted Molly. This incredible ended in an incredible thunderstorm (see the big raindrops on my apartment window?), incredible gelato (vanilla and chocolate hazelnut!), and incredibly nearly falling asleep at the very tense USA vs. Ghana world cup match. Don't tell anyone but I was a little happy Ghana won. :) Underdogs all the way.

8) :) :) :) :)

9) I did laundry today! Look, it is air drying! I think Yuting thought I was very silly for taking a picture of my laundry. :)

9) Today is spent reading, eating, sun walking, and some more reading. Probably some gelato too. Gotta catch up on relaxation before the busy week begins! Vatican, here we come!

10) Miss you so much!