My Roman Holiday March 9-11, 2014

 

Last Fall, Heather came over for a minute to help me figure out how to bottle dill pickles. While cutting, she randomly asked me if I wanted to go to Rome with her to visit her parents. It took me a long time to decide (like a month) since it's a long time to leave my kids but I decided to do it. I'd live in Europe if I could.

 

 

This was in the plane over the Swiss Alps. I usually shut my window since I'm super creeped out to be that high in the air but this was worth opening the blinds for.

After traveling for 25 hours due to long layovers, we finally arrived around 7pm in Italy. This is Heather's parents. They are mission presidents in Rome.

Since the Colosseum was on our way back to their home, we walked around for an hour or so. We were tired but excited to see everything. People sold many cheap souvenirs around here and constantly approach you to buy something. Most were Nigerians. Heather's mom gave us these scarves at the airport since scarves are very popular right now in Italy (and America).

Arc de Triomphe. Many monuments were under construction at this time since tourist season starts in April.

Colosseum

The next morning at the villa. This is the mission home. I expected a tiny condo and to sleep on the floor. Ya, I was way wrong.

We went to the church/mission office the next day. It looks small but it's really quite deep. Notice everyone double parks here. You just honk if you need someone to come out and move their car.

Sister Sourer. Her son-in-law grew up by me. I never would have made the connection but I saw his picture on her board behind us.

Inside the church. This is the church her parents attend. Many missionaries were upstairs having a meeting.

Basilica of San Giovanni (St. John's) We surprisingly parked right next to this. There were many tour groups here.  Heather's dad referred to all of these as "Great and spacious buildings". Ha Ha.

We went to a park called Piazza Fiorenzo Fiorentini that overlooks the city and the Vatican. They had wild or "ornamental" orange trees there. The oranges looked so good, I wanted to try one. They tasted like lemons and were so bitter but my hands smelled delightful all day.

 

 

 

Holly, Heather and Anna Kay

A fountain in the park.

 

We went to another cathedral. A door on the outside was carved wood. It is the oldest known carving of Christ's crucifixion. You had to put a Euro in a box to make a light shine above it so you could see.

 

Santa Maria in Cosmedin. These are the relics of St.Valentine inside the gold box.

A man painting outside the Temple of Hercules.

 

Temple of Hercules.

 

Ponte Rotto or broken bridge. This is the Tiber River. This is the oldest Roman stone bridge in Rome. It was rebuilt (orinally wood) in 2nd century BC.

Circus Maximus. This is an ancient Roman chariot racing stadium and mass entertainment venue. It is now a public park.

Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. It was founded by the Emporer Constantine over the burial place of Paul, where a memorial was erected after the apostle's execution.

Paul's tomb is below a marble tombstone.

This carving had to be moved out of the public's reach because people were digging their fingernails into it to take a piece of it with them.

Mouth of Truth. Eat your heart out,  Audrey Hepburn.

We took a walk that night down the street from the villa. This is an ancient bridge over the river. Inside was a makeshift mural to Christ. People leave a candle lit there every night. People also put a lock onto things and a symbol of "locking their love". There were some in this. Heather's parents bought a lock to do this somewhere.

First pizza in Italy at a restaurant down the street. So good. Mine had mushrooms AKA "funghi". Heather's dad ordered potato pizza which was not my favorite.