We drove into Rome really late.
On our way in, I mapped us to the new temple in Rome, and we stopped off for a quick visit.
It was huge and so pretty.
When we got to our hotel, we were so excited that it was a suite and really big…and as a result….we slept and slept!
Until Dash took it upon himself to finally wake us all up!
We finally got ready and headed into the heart of Rome…and for the first time in my life…I took a double-decker sight-seeing bus. Over the years and vacations, we have discovered that we are not a sight seeing family. It just isn’t our favorite thing. But I guess when you are in the mecca of cool sights…you sight see.
The Colosseum was insane…and boiling hot!
Pippi skipped all over the grounds. About four people stopped to ask us about her age and tell us how cute she is. She really was darling as she sang and skipped!
With everyone else in the universe, we admired the Arch of Constantine.
When you really think about when these monuments and structures were built, it is incredible.
The Spanish Steps saved us with a few drinking water fountains at the base of them.
At the top of the Spanish steps, some crabby Polizia informed us that “This is not a beach! This is a monument.” We asked if he was sure…because the sand and waves were mystifying us. The guy was on one because Pippi had walked in a drained fountain that looked like part of the walkway…so he freaked. We were sincerely apologetic the first three times he lectured us over the same offense. But on the fourth, I refused to go on the emotional roller coaster with power-hungy Polizia Pete. So I gave him some sass back, when he told me to come with him. The kids all thought I was going to be arrested (PTSD from Micah’s Tijuana days), but he just wanted to show me the sign that reiterated that these were monuments. (Remember that it was a five year old who took two steps where she wasn’t supposed to, and we quickly got her out.) Thus ends our second run in with the cops on this trip.
But be warned…..When you go to Rome…remember…”This is not a beach!” (Our favorite tag line the rest of the trip!)
The Roman Forum was awesome. This is an excavated site, where Roman temples, squares and government buildings date back over 2000 years. It was pretty amazing to recreate their world in our eyes.
Altar of the Fatherland
This is a monument that honors Italy’s first king and World War One soldiers.
And of course…the Trevi Fountain.
We all tossed coins in — One for a return to Rome in the future. Two for love. Most of us tossed two, because between the heat and the crowds…we wanted LOVE.
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After sight seeing, we found a yummy restaurant that had the best bread we have had on the entire trip.
We also loaded up on baked goods from their sister bakery — that included that bread!
When we hit our beds in our big room…we slept really hard.
The next morning was eventful, as a man died outside our hotel door. Literally 15 feet from our door, the paramedics were trying to revive a man who had gone into cardiac arrest. It was right when we needed to check out, so my kids got a first hand viewing of death. It was pretty insane. Moments later, my boys were outside kicking the soccer ball back and forth, when Scout kicked it too high and too hard, and took out one of the hotel’s globe lights. I had to go in and take care of that one.
By the time we were leaving Rome and the heat….we were ready to go.
Arrivederci!
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