Rome: Days 1 and 2

The first day we arrived it was already 2pm, and we headed to our apartment near the Termini/train and Metro station. This is not the nicest part of town, but it was great for our family since we could hop on the Metro and get places very quickly and easily. Plus, the apartment we found had three bedrooms which is a must for our family on such a long vacation. If we have to skip naps, then we definitely need a good night sleep to get the kids through the long days.

Since it was January 1st and a holy day of obligation, we had to find a Mass. Lucky for us we were in the city with 931 Catholic Churches! Much easier to find a Mass in Rome than on our previous vacations in Europe. So right across the street from our little apartment was Santa Maria Maggiora (one of the first four basilicas in Rome, housing a portion of baby Jesus' crib). We recovered a bit at the hotel and headed to Mass. It was beautiful there, but unfortunately we didn't get any pictures because after Mass the kids were starving and we headed out to find a rosticceria and took food home. The food near the train station and our apartment was not the best in Rome. The kids didn't like much of the food (anywhere) at all. You would think pizza and spaghetti would be right up their alley, but it isn't the same kind they are used to. Genna was the pickiest. My girl who used to eat anything and everything in site has become quite the picky and slow eater. She is losing weight too. Isaac and her will weigh the same any day now, but I digress. That was it for that day. Brian and I were exhausted from our late night New Year's Eve the night before, early morning, flight, etc.

On day two, we got up and hopped on the Metro to Saint Paul Outside the Walls (Basilica Papale di San Paolo fuori le Mura), built over St Paul's grave and founded by Emperor Constantine and consecrated on November 18, 324. Here they had the chains that held Paul when he was in prison in Rome and his sarcophagus.

Here are the chains that held Paul used in the last days before his execution.

Isaac in the rose garden of the cloister.

The kids in front of St Paul.


After that, we headed out for our first gelato break in Rome, and Isaac slept through that. Then took the Metro back to the Colosseum and the Forum. I was not as interested in this, but it was amazing how huge it was. It made me want to watch The Gladiator. I have never actually seen that movie, so I am putting it on my renting list.

Pictures of the Colosseum...

Here we were victimized by this lunatic who grabbed Hannah, threw a helmet on her, and posed for a picture before I could even say anything. I was still saying no when she continued to insist and Brian, thinking I had agreed to this, got out the camera. She then told us we owed her money. What a nut job! We didn't let this happen again. Roman lesson number one: Italians are pushy.

The kids had a picnic here in Piazza del Campidoglio designed by Michelangelo where Isaac began his new obsession with birds, pigeons to be exact. He thought they were so cool to get so close to him. However, he would chase them screeching and then make his upset face and whine "Birdie" when they foolishly flew away. Didn't they know he just wanted to squeeze them and hug them and love them forever?

Pictures of the Forum...

The Mamertine Prison, where Peter and Paul were imprisoned, was closed unfortunately, but here is the front.


Saint Peter in Chains was on our walk back to the apartment, and it had the chains that fell off of Peter when the angel sprung him from prison.

Here is Michelangelo's statue of Moses.

Santa Prassede was on our walk back to the apartment as well. It holds Christ's scourging pillar...

...and amazing 9th century mosaics. These Mosaics inspired me to plan a craft with the girls that I hope to do in the coming week or two. We will make a mosaic with squares of construction paper which of course has been done before. I am always reinventing the wheel. I am debating whether or not to let them have free reign and design their own, or draw out a mosaic by number type picture of some religious picture. I told the girls about my idea while we were here and they were excited about it.

The ceilings were always so beautiful in these churches.

It was a long tiring day but so worth it. We had such wonderful family time which we so dearly needed after the last year. Here's Isaac at the end of the day at our apartment.