Viva Italia!

Ciao!
Yep, you guessed it - I've been to Italy.  At the grand old age of, erm, 21, I finally got to the country that has fascinated me ever since I saw Helena Bonham-Carter in A Room With A View as a teenager - and it didn't disappoint.
I stayed in the small city of Trieste, near the borders of Croatia and Slovenia, with my mate Lisa and her Italian Stallion (ahem!) Simone.  It was beautiful, with two castles, a Roman ampitheatre and the largest public square on a sea front in Europe.  And, after a two hour train journey, I found myself in Venice too and, whilst I was very impressed by San Marco piazza, it was the tiny streets and meandering canals that blew me away.
The food and drink wasn't half bad either - I had some of the best seafood I've ever tasted, amazing pizza and glelato, and discovered Faranghina wine and the local tipple, Aperol Spritz.  Nom....
So, this week, I thought I'd share with you lovely people my favourite pics from my foray.  I hope you like...

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My first meal in Italy...

Either Lisa's legs have shrunk or her head got real big...

What? Almost 2,000 year old? Get away!

Viva Venetia!

Just one Cornetto, give it to meeee....

Buonanotte Italy...

Views of Trieste.

Ommm...

It's a hard life...

Italy goes green (sorry...)

Lunch... Italian style.

So, back here in the UK, I'm feeling refreshed and inspired - if a little bit anxious about my impending move to Walthamstow - and becoming a home owner for the first time.  Gulp!  Now I just need the vendor's solicitor to get his butt in gear so I can move in before my current landlord chucks me out...
Anyway, I'd love to stay and talk, but I have to go on Freecycle to find some packing boxes to move all my tut.  It's going to be an interesting couple of weeks...
Arrivederci!
P.S.  Read more about my travels (this time in the UK) on my Underground Overground blog here!