10 Hours in Rome

After a heartbreaking departure from my mom and dad at the airport, we headed to our separate gates. They were bound for Zurich, New Jersey, and Denver. We were bound for Rome, Johannesburg, and Windhoek. Before the big 10 hour flight, we had a big 10 hour layover in Rome. Mark had been talking up the history to David, who got to choose where we would go. First stop: the Colosseum with everyone and their mother, and their mother's mother. And hundreds of tour guides, tours, and military police too. The two hour line to buy tickets landed us in the shady side of the Colosseum where we froze and I managed to lose my hop on, hop off ticket with the Big Red Bus. One of the touts gave my children "free stuff" and when we refused to pay them money, he grabbed me in protest. Perhaps it was during this that I lost our 85 Euro family pass, perhaps not. Either way, it sucked when I realized it happened at all. 

Onward in the line, we crept until we finally reached the ticket office. Onward in the line, we crept to the bathrooms too. FINALLY, we hustled up the stairs to enjoy the glory of the Colosseum. It was just as awesome as the last time we saw it. The tales of re-enacted water battles, and people fighting animals in the center ring enthralled David's imagination. When Mark asked him what animal he would be willing to fight he said "a ferret."

The Forum line was too long for any one of us to care about enduring, so after navigating a smug and unhelpful Big Red Bus representative about our lost ticket (yes the brochure and website does say if you lose your ticket, too bad so sad), we called customer service to troubleshoot and immediately got onto the next bus with a fresh ticket. Thank goodness. 

We hopped off at The Vatican stop, David's second pick. Mark talked to the kids about the complexity and power of religion, and he and I pined to be the ones climbing up Saint Peter's. We did know that a visit there means an early arrival and long lines, and our time was extremely limited, but it didn't make it any easier to walk away from one of the most beautiful, sacred buildings in the world. A brief and pricey lunch, followed by gelato, a visit to the Pantheon, a bottle of wine, and another gelato stop, Trevi Fountain, and a jaunt through the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and the Martyrs did take most of the disappointment away.

With that, our ten hours in Rome were over. We took the train back to the airport and said goodbye to stifling-cold-Rome-unless-you're-in-direct-sun, hello to uncomfortably-hot-Africa-still-wearing-wool-socks-but-can't-unlock-my-bag-to-get-sandals. 

Three weeks with my amazing, adventurous, and entertaining family was great. I miss my mom and dad so much. But man, it's wonderful to be home.

Pistachio.

The Vatican 

Pantheon 

Trevi fountain on a light day

Sunset view from Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and the Martyrs.
Credit: Mark

When in Rome...

Grandpa and Grandma Schlink kicked us out of the house. Without a child or dog by our side, what were we going to do? "Rome, if you want to" was the general gag response, so Rome it was. Pretending Wizz Air was just a lovely social experiment for Romanians to assemble courteously onto a plane, we joined the crowds for a quick weekend of historic excitement, sweltering walks, and some token Schlink romance. The moment we hit the city, I was kicking myself for not having come here sooner. While I realize everyone and their mom has been to Rome, it still felt like we were uncovering incredible stories just waiting to be told. Rome is just that cool; even among the thousands of tourists that jaunt through the cobblestones, armpits to asses, you still feel alone!

I think we played our timeline well, thanks to a great NY Times article: http://travel.nytimes.com/2006/12/17/travel/17hours.html?pagewanted=all (we made 6 of his 11 suggestions) and added some extra excursions, not entirely on purpose either. We just kept finding cool things to see. I mean, there aren't too many places where you literally run into 1000 year old pillars and walls just hangin' around.

The best part of all: as the Roman stories unfolded, the historic men and women I imagined looked exactly like those camera-ready sexy folks from HBO's Rome. It was exciting and actually interesting to see where it all went down. There literally wasn't a thing I was disappointed in. (Well, maybe the broken AC unit we had to jimmy with a screwdriver at our hotel. The housekeepers were mortified a 22 week pregnant lady would desire her room to be less than 23C. Ha!)

Fountain of Trevi, 19 BC. STILL powered via aqueducts! 

Pantheon. It's just huge. 

 Galleria Borghese. Get tix ahead
(capped at 250 peeps) to see TONS Bernini sculpted
breasts, men with fruit, and merry Marys.

Randomly crave citrus? Just look around,
they are everywhere!

Have something to confess? The priest is: IN
Santa Maria Maggiore. The floor plan designed by
miraculous snowfall. No joke.

Basilica di Santa Maria delgi Angeli.
It's bigger on the inside.

Of course, the Colosseum. How could you not?

A funny thing happened on the way to the Forum.
But it was so hot, I forgot what it was.

Just some simple mosaic work, a mere 393 feet
up in the air. St. Peter's.

If you don't shell out the mere 5 Euros to hike up
St. Peter's, you're crazy. Totally worth
the sweat. And tears for some.

Everyone talks a big game of delicious food and wine to be had in Italy, but these two restaurants totally have their A-game in play. Both are Michelin/Zagat/Fodor's/Frommer's/NYT/ect reviewed for total awesomeness. Both are family owned, and both are worth making reservations. Highly recommended.