first, here are a few croatia pics: http://s530.photobucket.com/albums/dd345/ursulove/
i haven't been able to upload any new pictures onto any computer, but i finally found somewhere to upload the rest that i had already put on my memory stick. so there you go. croatia seems like so long ago though, it's weird to think that it was even part of this trip.
alex and i have had our first full day apart today, which i think i really needed. it's not that we've been fighting, or even feeling unhappy with each other, i think just a bit overwhelmed. rome is where all of alex's studies and fantasies center, and my utter lack of knowledge (and often lack of interest) have been wearing us both down a bit. i figured it would be better for both of us to let him get his fill of museums while i did my own thing for a day. sooo, today i crossed the tiber into a neighborhood called trastevere, which used to be very poor and sad but is now intensely beautiful and more full of students than tourists. i bought a herald tribune (the international newspaper put out by the ny times) and caught up on the shit storm that has been hitting the world over. jesus christ, it made me happy not to be in the u.s. right now. yesterday i went to the u.s. embassy to make sure i get to vote, and after a few hours of italian-style delays and nonchalance i do believe it will all work out. fingers crossed, as i sure would like to get to utilize that one little power i'm afforded. while yesterday was focused on ensuring our rights as americans, the day before was pure roman. we decided to hit all the biggies, starting with the forum and the ruins surrounding, then heading to the colloseum (or the flavian amphitheater, as alex tells me it should properly be called). for these sights it was indeed nice to have alex around, because, as emmeline commented, it was like having a free guided tour. simply walking through this city is like taking a tour through history, however, with little placards on every other corner describing what happened here in the 16th century, there in the 2nd, over there in the 3rd b.c.e. whew, it's a lot to take in. but i'm feeling happy and refreshed after a lazy day, and ready for our trip out of town to the old city of ostia tomorrow morning!