My Roman Holiday March 12-13, 2014

 

After an incredibly long line, we got inside the Colosseum. This is where barbaric entertainment took place. I can't believe the things they did here to people. It was started in 70 AD and completed in 80 AD. It could hold 50-80,000 spectators. It was used for gladiatorial contests, mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on mythology.

The view of The Forum from the Colosseum. These are the ruins of several important ancient government buildings and the center of the city. It was where elections took place, public speeches, criminal trials, gladiatorial matches and the center of commercial affairs.

Arch of Constantine

Holly, Heather, Anna Kay

One of the statues recovered in the Colosseum. We look really similar, don't we?

Riding the metro. I wish I could show you the entertaining elderly lady that sang the whole time and paced.  Many gypsies near the metro begging for money. They carry their kids with them.

Entering the Vatican. Here is our German tour guide that interpreted in English. I had a hard time paying attention to her, I must say.

Inside the garden in the Vatican.

This is where the Pope walks to his living quarters.

We went into the Sistine Chapel but were not allowed to take pictures. There were a lot of naked people painted on that ceiling.

We went to the Pantheon after. It was built as a temple to all the gods of ancient Rome. Built between 27 BC and 14 AD.

 

The Spanish Steps. It is the widest staircase in Europe.

 

 

Trevi Fountain. This fountain is at the junction of 3 roads that mark the terminal point of one of the aquaducts that supplied water to Rome. The Fountain was completed with this current design in 1762. Oceanus (the god of all water) is in the center.

You are supposed to throw a coin using your right hand over your left shoulder into the fountain. This is to ensure you'll return again someday. The money is used to subsidize a supermarket for Rome's needy.

 

The next day, we drove to Pompeii. This was a much larger and affluent community than I had realized. This is near the city of Naples. Pompeii, along with nearby villas, was mostly destroyed and buried under 13-20 feet of ash and pumice when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. These people appeared to be wicked so one has to assume this was an act of God. You be the judge. They had a pretty obvious brothel in the city.

 

Inside their colosseum.

Just outside their colosseum.

You can still see where their wagon wheels carved into their stone roads.

They plastered the bodies of some of the victims they found. Many of them were in positions that showed they were in distress.

 

 

This is on the opposite end of the Colosseum. This was their city center with a temple and government buildings.

 

On the outskirts of their city. We guessed this was a stable.

 

Some statues we found near their cemetery.

A plaster of a pregnant woman and some of their artifacts.

What's the first thing you do after touring an ancient village that was destroyed tragically? Enjoy a gelato nearby.

Reggia di Caserta. This palace was right next to our hotel. A scene from Star Wars was filmed here.

Hotel Jolly.

 

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.

 

 

 

January & February 2014

January and February are boring around here. This is New Year's Eve. Winston and Coleman checking out his new trainset.

We went to Casey's house with my family and had a dance party. Evy decided to color herself with markers.  Yes my kids stayed up until midnight. Bad mom alert.

Charlie's for ice cream. Coleman calls ice cream "gum" for some reason.

Bedtime selfies.

We went to the cabin for a weekend and talked Karlene into coming over and teaching me how to make cinnamon rolls.

Coleman turned 2! Poor little fella has a January birthday.

We got him Thomas the Train toys. He's obsessed with "choo choos".

He started his morning off with a cinnamon roll and then stealing mine.

Jump Zone AKA germ zone.

We had Casey's family over for dinner, "gum"and cupcakes. They brought over an asian family for us to meet.

This is the only time I can get Coleman to be still and quiet.

We are so stir crazy in the winter. We went to Lava Hot Springs for a day trip, then dinner after. My kids loved the pools. It was freezing when we got out and even more freezing for Evy when she barfed all over her clothes on the way home and had to wear some of mine.

A balloon for Valentine's day. Evy had to make Valentine's for her Joyschool and Preschool groups. Nelson made me a frame from wood he got in Colorado and put a picture of the temple in it.