We had an amazing trip to Rome for Easter and were able to meet up with our friends John, Abby, and Alex Kerber and their friends Paul and Christine Bissler for some fun traveling company. Since Rome isn't the most stroller/pram friendly city, Eli rode in the sling with his daddy for the majority of the trip. Some highlights of our time:
Easter Mass at the Vatican-
60,000 people gathered in St. Peter's Square to watch the Pope celebrate mass. It really was amazing to see all the people and hear the Pope give his Easter message (even though it was in Latin and we couldn't understand him!). We also got to go back to the Vatican on Tuesday for a private tour and enjoyed hearing the stories behind the art pieces and more information about St. Peter's Basilica and the customs in the Vatican.
The Colosseum-
I think it must be every man's dream to see where the gladiators actually fought and Drew very much enjoyed going through the Colosseum. It was fascinating for me to think about all the people who actually walked through the halls there, including Julius Ceasar.
The food-
Our first stop after arriving at the hotel was a grocery store around the corner where we picked up some salami, mozzerella, crackers, coconut yogurt and a cheese torte to enjoy a snack in our hotel room. Our hotel had a nice breakfast, the highlight of which was the donuts and pastries filled with rich chocolate, fruit, or custard cream. Meals in Italy come in courses, with the meat being served in the course following the pasta, which was typically served in a much lighter sauce than we are accoustomed to in the U.S. The pizza was everything you could hope for and we especially enjoyed a few mom and pop pizzarias. My favorite part was dessert: gelatto, canolies, and tiramisu!
Other Sights-
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| The Pantheon |
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| Trevi Fountain |
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| Sistine Chapel |
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| The Pieta |
Traveling with friends-
Nothing beats having good company while seeing the sights of a new city. John and Paul studied abroad in Rome so they were very helpful guides and translated at meals and attractions. It was a lot of fun to meet Paul and Christine and get to know John, Abby, and little Alex a little better.
