November 1st, 2016…Happy November Everyone!
Do you know what Roma spells backwards? If not, take a moment to think about it. I think this is quite fitting and descriptive of how we felt about the Eternal City after our visit back in October…LOVED it! Mein Mann was the catalyst for this trip. After learning of Pope Francis’s designation of a Jubilee of Mercy from December 8, 2015 – November 20, 2016, he wanted us to go and experience Rome and Vatican City. When I found a four-day holiday weekend that aligned with an incredible deal on Ryanair, I booked the tickets and started planning.
We heard sooooo much about the crowds in Rome that I was worried how to navigate it all with two young boys. I spent hours reading books, blogs, websites and maps about Rome in the hopes of creating a child-friendly and crowd-tolerant itinerary…if there was such a thing! I even watched Roman Holiday with Audrey Hepburn. I found the entire movie on Youtube! We booked an apartment near the Spanish Steps, bought our Vatican Museum tickets online, hired an affordable, family tour guide for the Colosseum & Forum and reserved tickets for Mass at the Vatican with Pope Francis through the Bishops Office (the tickets are free yet still advised in light of the crowds). At O’dark hundred on Friday morning, October 7th, we boarded our plane to Rome. We landed in Ciampino airport in time for breakfast, allowing us a full day to start our adventures.
After checking into our apartment, we found a market in the neighborhood for groceries. Eating breakfast in our apartment, bringing snacks in our bags and having the ability to cook dinner makes an apartment our preferred lodging option. Shopping in Italy gave me the opportunity to use my limited Spanish seasoned with a couple of Italian words I know. Sometimes, we found ourselves responding in German to a question (Nein) and then speaking English to completely confuse things! Sadly, we are only proficient in one language but yearn to be more.
In the afternoon, we walked to the Bishops’ Office to pick up our tickets for Sunday Mass at the Vatican. We were called “pilgrims” upon our arrival and given a full orientation about what to expect at the Papal Mass by a young nun with a beautiful smile. She spent some individual time with me afterwards to pass on some kid-friendly tips. We felt cared for and welcomed!
The Trevi Fountain was a short walk from the Visitors’ Office. Even in the midst of an amazingly LARGE crowd of people, we were able to make our way to the front and toss in our coins. According to legend, tossing a coin into the fountain guarantees you will return to Rome. The Trevi Fountain receives about 3,000 Euros a DAY through the wishes of tourists. The money is collected daily by the Roman Catholic charity, Caritas, and used to help the needy.
To sweeten the experience, we ordered our first gelato of the trip at a nearby Gelatoria!
Our next stop was the Spanish Steps, just around the corner from our apartment. This famous stairway, comprised of 135 steps, was renovated and reopened to the public about two weeks before we arrived. At the bottom of the steps is the Fontana della Barcaccia (“Fountain of the ugly Boat”). The boys enjoyed getting a sip of the fresh, drinking water. We walked to the top and enjoyed the view looking down.
A beautiful church, the Trinita dei Monti, sits at the top of the Steps. We peeked in, lit some candles and admired the art. There was an incredible sculpture of Jesus after he was taken from the cross. The expressions of his friends and his mother were deeply moving.
To give the boys a chance to run around, we walked to the Villa Borghese Gardens. What a refuge from the crowds this lovely park was! As we walked down the tree-lined paths, we passed a gentleman reading on a bench with a bust of Machiavelli in the background. The past and the present.
We rented bicycles and a go-cart for E and spent an hour riding around the park, attempting to verbally steer the boys away from obstacles (human and otherwise). The boys LOVED it and beyond the occasional close call with said obstacles, we did too!
Our ride was quite enjoyable until our oldest attempted to make a sharp turn while going downhill and ejected himself from his seat before our eyes. There was lots of tears, a bloody nose and scraped skin. We were INCREDIBLY fortunate it wasn’t worse, especially in light of what we witnessed. He ended up with a few band aids, a tender nose and quite the story to tell. He recovered remarkably well and even rode the go-cart in a MUCH more controlled manner back to the rental area. I think he bounced back quicker than I did. I rode away with more grey hair!
As the sun made its slow descent in the sky, bathing Rome in a golden hue, we made our way back to our neighborhood. We passed an artist selling his work. I purchased a painting for our travel wall and asked if I could take his picture. He was kind to oblige and thanked us for supporting the local arts.
We walked back down the Spanish Steps in search of a place where we could load up on Italian carbs. I love getting to travel with these boys of mine!
Many restaurants seemed to pour out into the streets with outdoor seating. After accepting an invitation to dine at one, we devoured our dinner while cars slowly drove past the tables when they needed to get by…a memorable experience in and of itself!
With full tummies, we headed back to our apartment and turned in for the night. We clocked over four miles on foot for our first day! It was definitely time to recharge.
Buona notte…Goodnight!
