We caught a glimpse of Paris on our flight home.
And extended the Italian vibes by introducing our own aperitivo.
Six months later, an espresso machine found its way under the Christmas tree. With one sip, we were sitting on that sidewalk cafe in Rome, marveling at the fact that salad was served with eggs, watching people nonchalantly evade certain death in traffic, and giddy with the adventure that was about to unfold.
We didn't know what to expect from a trip like this, and many parts seemed daunting, but we truly couldn't have asked for a better experience. We met great people in our group, ate fabulous food, and saw things that we still can't believe we saw. Our guides made sure that we got the most out of every locale. Thanks to Rick Steves Tours, this once-in-a-lifetime checked all of the boxes, and we are so glad we got to do it together. While we love living in a small town, we are so thankful to have been able to show our kids (and remind ourselves) that there is a big, beautiful world out there. Grazie mille, Andrea, Francesca, Annie, Francesco, Marcello, and Rick Steves! Molto bene.