New Year's Surprises!!

Over a year ago when Keith and I started planning this trip we made the decision to spend our 2 weeks in Madrid instead of traveling around Europe - let me say, while staying in one place was great for spending time together and enjoying out company, Madrid is not a place you want to spend a 2 week vacation.

So back in October I asked Keith if there was anywhere in the world you'd want to go, where would it be? His response was Italy.

I'd been planning this surprise for months, so when New Years finally came around I was so excited! This was the 2nd part of his Christmas present.

So the 30th I secretly packed both of our suitcases and hid them in the closet. The 31st, I woke up at 5 am. Luckily Keith was passed out and didn't even hear my alarm go off. I goy up and finished the packing, got ready, and went to wake him up around 6. He thought we were going to the train museum, but once he looked out the window he realized how early it was. So then he thought we were going on an overnight train ride across Spain. He got ready and we grabbed our bags and headed to the airport. We eventually got there (after I rode the metro 3 stops in the wrong direction thinking I was going to school) and he realized we weren't going to the train museum. I got us through security and visa check without him finding out where we were going, so he then thought we were going to Krakow. I told him later he was crazy thinking we'd go there in December. Eventually when they called boarding for our flight I told him we were going to Rome!

I think he about died when he realized it! We got to Rome and I booked a really nice hotel for us (although I was really sad it didn't have a bath tub like in the pictures) - we had our own private terrace that was almost as big as the entire hotel room.

So for New Year's Eve we had a nice dinner with some champagne before we went down to the Colosseum to watch the New Year's show. There was a concert with famous Italian artists and then fireworks at midnight. We had a great view and were covered in champagne at midnight. It was amazing, and totally worth braving the millions of people around us. One moment that neither of us will ever forget.

New Years day we walked around and visited the Pantheon and the Trevii Fountain. We ate gelato and bought presents for our families.

Finally, the 2nd we went on a tour of the Colosseum before we had to head back to Madrid.