Italy Day 1--Cozette's first day in Europe!

We said goodbye to Lee Ann and Ricardo and flew to Rome. We have been to Italy before but what made this trip special is that Chris's mother, Cozette, was meeting us there! This was her first time in Europe and we planned to show her Rome and the region of Le Marche in style. After a delayed flight we got to Rome just in time to eat a late dinner and settle in to our great b&b in the Trastevere neighborhood of Rome, the Arco dei Tolomei. I highly recommend this bed and breakfast. I am very picky when it comes to where we stay while traveling abroad and this place did not disappoint. I found it through my most trusted traveling companion, Karen Brown. If you are not using a Karen Brown guide when traveling to Europe then you are doing it all wrong, I must say. We have stayed at many of her recommended properties in France, Italy and Spain and have never been let down. Her driving itineraries are wonderful too. Karen has my dream job!

Our bed and breakfast was located on a tiny street through this ancient archway

From 12/20/11 Italy Day 1-Rome

The best thing about our bed and breakfast was definitely the owner, Marco. The reason we choose to stay in b&b's is because you get personal interaction with the owners. We enjoy getting insider tips on places to go and definitely places to eat. Marco has lived in Rome his entire life and sent us to restaurants he has been eating at since he was a child in many cases. We have never had such luck with great food in Europe as we did in Rome these few days. The last time we were in Italy we weren't as impressed with the food as everyone told us we would be but this trip made up for it!

All the restaurants Marco recommended were in Trastevere just a few meters from the b&b. By the way--Trastevere is definitely the place we will stay if we return to Rome. Specifically southern Trastevere. It is not very touristy and we loved all the restaurants.

Marco sent us to Ristorante Antico Carlone on this night

From 12/20/11 Italy Day 1-Rome

I had the ravioli with carcofi (artichoke) on Marco's recommendation. Amazing!

From 12/20/11 Italy Day 1-Rome

Kern River Audubon Preserve

Spain Day 3: Segovia and Avila

On our third day in Spain we drove to Segovia for traditional cochinillo at Segovia's oldest restaurant, Meson de Candido (opened in 1786).

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

Segovia is best known for its well preserved 1st century Roman aqueduct.

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

Some shots of Segovia:

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

Shana, there is a store named after you!

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

The Segovia Cathedral, built in the 1500's

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

The Alcazar of Segovia

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

After leaving Segovia we drove to Avila, which is a town best known for its 11th century walls.

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

Other photos of Avila:

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

Spain Day 2: Patones de Arriba and El Escorial, Spain

Our second day in Spain we drove north of Madrid to the little town of Patones de Arriba. Destroyed during the war, there are a handful of restaurants and mostly steep streets made of slate along with stacks of rock that used to be homes.

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

We had a delicious lunch and then drove back through Madrid to El Escorial, one of the historical residences of the King of Spain. Today it functions as a monastery, among other things.

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

A beautiful sunset from El Escorial

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

We walked over to the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial for churros con chocolate. This is exactly what it sounds like: churros dipped in warm chocolate. We need this in the US!!

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

As we were leaving for the night I caught these great shots of El Escorial

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

Spain with Ricardo and LeeAnn! Day 1

Our friends, Lee Ann and Ricardo de Abiega live in Madrid, Spain. We made a long overdue trip to see them in December 2011. How interesting to see a country from the eyes of a local!

The first stop we made in Madrid was Mercado de San Anton. This was a multi-level market/eating establishment where you go to have tapas.

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

We walked to the center of Madrid, the Puerta del Sol, to find that it seemed every other person in Madrid had the same idea. Lee Ann said she had never seen that many people there.

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

From Puerto del Sol we walked toward the Plaza Mayor. It felt like Times Square on New Years Eve. Shoulder to shoulder people shuffling along the way!

From there we walked past the Almudena Cathedral

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011

Our last stop of the night was at the Palacio Real de Madrid

From Spain Day 1 and 2, 2011