dramatic post

i thought i was going to die.

looking back, i don't think i was in that much danger...

but when you hear an engine accelerating and don't feel the train moving

then you see smoke and sparks and the lights start popping

and the italians start freaking out and running to the front of the train

you panic slightly

i was scared, but i was excited about being with jesus forever if that train exploded

i guess i'll hang around here until He's really ready to take me

tuesday we went to the american cemetery & memorial in anzio

front entrance

there are over 7,861 american ww2 soldiers buried here

which accounts for only 35% of the men who died trying to liberate rome

nostalgia is building up

haven't seen the homeland in over 80 days

dear madalyn, maybe you could recite the constitution to me with your "we the people" skills when i get home

this chapel lists the names of soldiers who were never found 

3,095 missing

many headstones were unidentified

 next we went to the cost for the afternoon
the same beach that the american troops landed

wednesday night mary lou taught us how to cook a south african dish

it's called...bobotie

ground beef + rice + almonds + bananas + cucumbers + peppers + raisins + jam + coconut + a lot of other things

surprisingly, it's so good.

wednesday night we went to a ballet at the caracalla baths

(the ancient thermal bath ruins in rome)

 cool venue, eh?

the italians say, "termal bats" 

we saw swan lake
it was beautiful

we also saw this one of a kind jacket there

why. why. why.

that's all for now!

barcelona coming soon...

ciao