Our Fourth and Final Day in Roma

We decided to spend our final day in Rome exploring the area around the Colosseum. Mom and I had the opportunity to explore the inside of the Colosseum on our previous trip to Rome so my aunties, grandma, and cousin took off to tour the interior and Palatine Hill while we spent time in the Roman Forum.

il Colosseo

Flower with il Colosseo in the background

Temple of Antoius Pius & Faustina
Built sometime between AD 138-161, Church was added later, This building was buried in dirt as high as the green doors until the 1800s.

We met up with the rest of the family around 1PM. Erik (my cousin) had to take off for points north and had a train to catch. It was good to see him and get to know him a little bit better. Growing up we didn't have many opportunities to spend time together. He is also a few years older than me and I think I probably was the annoying little cousin and he wanted to be left alone. Now that I've spent some time with him he seems like a really cool person, I hope to get to know him better in the future.

After Erik departed everyone wandered back into the Roman Forum. We weren't there long before our stomachs told us it was lunchtime and we went in search of food. We decided to eat at the cafe inside the Capitol Hill Museum and then explore the museum after lunch. From the moment we bought our tickets nearly every employee at the museum was extremely snotty. Their attitudes made me so upset that I nearly left without seeing any of the exhibits. Fortunately I stuck it out and truly enjoyed the pieces on display. And to make it even better I was asked to answer a customer service survey on my way out. Yep, they got an ear-full. Actually, I was very polite, but did say that most employees were extremely rude, but that I enjoyed the museum itself.

Boy Extracting a Thorn (Spinario)

Bernini's Medusa

Capitoline She-Wolf with Romulus and Remus (the symbol of Rome)

Etruscan from fifth century BC

A Piece of a Statue of Constantine from the Roman Forum

The hand (not including the pedestal) is nearly as tall as I am! Can you imagine how big the statue was when it was whole?

My aunt Cyndy disappeared somewhere in the Capitol Hill Museum. Tour guides throughout the trip dubbed her "the missing sister" because she has a way of getting caught up in her photography and either took off ahead or was left behind.

The rest of us weren't quite sure of what to do next. We figured that Cyndy was a big girl and would probably, eventually make her way back to the hotel. Grandma was tired so Chris decided to take her back to the hotel as well. That left mom and I on our own. I decided that we needed to explore the Trastevere section of Rome. Rick Steves has a walking tour of this area in his Rome 2007 book. We made our way that direction and some some really neat sights.

This church was built around existing ruins

The columns of a temple are still visible in the outer walls. I can't remember the name of the church but it was amazing to see.

The other side of the church, a better view of the old temple columns

Our walk took us over the Tiber River, first onto the Isola Tiberina (an island in the Tiber River) and then into Trastevere. We meandered the streets following Rick Steves' book and saw things that without his book we wouldn't have known or appreciated what we saw.

This building, now a restaurant, was a Jewish Synagogue 1000 years ago. You can still see a bit of Hebrew writing at the base of the pillars.

Our walking tour ended in the piazza of Santa Maria in Trastevere, one of the oldest churches in Rome. A string trio was playing in the piazza and they were quite good. I could have sat and listed for hours soaking up the atmosphere. Trastevere was amazing and very different from the touristy sections of Rome. I highly recommend checking it out.

Church of Santa Maria in Trastavere

We left the piazza much sooner than we would have liked because we told the rest of our family that we'd meet at a certain time for dinner. We had 15 minutes to cross to the other side of the city. We flagged the first cab that we saw and were on our way. Sadly, this cabbie wasn't the best. I think we got conned. One block before the hotel the meter said 7Euro. Suddenly when we stopped the meter stopped to 12Euro. We tried to figure out what happened but suddenly the guy didn't speak much English. Shocking. We just paid it and got on with our evening. It wasn't worth causing a scene.

We went on up to Grandma & the aunties' room and this is how we found them:

Cyndy-Lou-Who, Grandma-Lou-Who, and Chris-Lou-Who

Were they bored waiting for us??

We had more than a few laughs and then went back to il Pomodorino for dinner. We didn't eat nearly as much this time, but the food was still excellent.

After dinner we took a cab back to the flat and packed our suitcases. Our train left for Florence the next morning.

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Day Three in Roma

Our third day in Rome was earmarked to be spent at the Vatican Museum. The rest of our family had opted for an organized tour so Mom and I were on our own. We visited St. Peter's Basilica on our previous trip but didn't have as much time as we would have liked in the Vatican Museum so we wanted to go back and see a bit more.

Courtyard of the Vatican Museum

I think this is Bacchus (the wine god)

Belvedere Torso by Michelangelo, Hercules seated on a lion skin

The back of The Belvedere Torso
You can see the paw of the lion skin

Happy Horse Mosaic
On the floor in the Round Room, mosaic once decorated the bottom of a pool in an ancient Roman bath

Another Happy Horse Mosaic
The happy horses make me smile

Egyptian god Anubis

Another Sculpture of Bacchus (god of wine)
This one is significant because of the glass eyes. This picture was really dark because of the bright light coming in from the window. I lightened is up so you can see the glass eyes.

Map of Sicilia in the Map Gallery
I didn't realize the first time I saw this picture that the island of Sicily is upside-down.

After our visit to the Vatican Museum we headed back to our flat and met up with my aunties. They wanted to come see our "hood." It was Chris' birthday so we bought her a bottle of Barolo wine (something she wanted to try before leaving Italy) and a Sicilian Cannolo (FYI Cannoli is plural). The cannolo was a shared birthday "cake" for Chris and Cyndy. Cyndy's birthday was a few days before. We put a small candle in the cannolo and mom and I sang them Happy Birthday.

That evening we went back to hotel with my aunties. They had discovered a restaurant the night before and wanted to take us there. il Pomodorino was an awesome restaurant! The prices were very reasonable and the food was amazing. I can't believe the amount of food we all put away that night!

After dinner we returned to the hotel with our family for limoncello. My aunts had picked up a bottle while they were on the Amalfi Coast. I love limoncello!

The "minibar" in my aunties' room

By the time we had finished our limoncello it was too late to take the Metro back to the flat. We chose a cab instead and got a mini-tour from our friendly driver.

It was another great, fun-filled day in Rome.

Roma Day Two

After our late walk "home" the previous night, my mom and I both slept in and didn't get up until 9AM. The flat was comfortable and we spent the morning lounging, reading, and listening to church bells as the hours passed. Our plan for the day was to meet up with family at 1pm in Piazza del Popolo so we weren't in a rush.

Cyndy, Mom, & Chris in Piazza del Popolo

Once everyone arrived in Piazza del Popolo and took in the scenery we went in search of lunch. We headed to the opposite side of the Tiber River but there weren't many restaurant options in that neighborhood so we walked along the river for awhile. Eventually we ended up at a caffeteria/ristorante that Les and I found on our last trip. Really yummy food and very affordable. Definitely a place for the locals.

With full bellies we continued our walk along the Tiber River until we came to the Castel Sant' Angelo. We meandered across the Ponte Sant' Angelo and took in the sights.

One of the angels on the Ponte Sant' Angelo

Another angel on the Ponte Sant' Angelo

The Castel museum was open so we decided to go inside - something that we weren't able to do on our last trip. The massive structure has been used as a tomb, fortress, a hiding place for popes, and is now a museum. From the top the views of Rome are spectacular.

Looking down at St. Peters Basilica from the Castel Sant' Angelo

Looking across the Tiber River at the Rome Skyline from the Castel Sant' Angelo

As we finished exploring the Castel Sant' Angelo we decided to take a break at a bar near the top of the Castel. It was a great opportunity to get off of our feet for awhile, quench our thirst with some much needed water, people watch, and enjoy the view.

Ready to move on we crossed over the Ponte Sant' Angelo and headed for Piazza Navona.

Looking back over the Ponte Sant' Angelo at the Castel Sant' Angelo

The shop-lined streets between the Ponte Sant' Angelo and Piazza Navona are mostly restricted to pedestrian traffic making it a lovely place to walk and explore. Dusk was upon us as we entered Piazza Navona. We decided that it was time to sit for awhile and chat over a glass of wine while we people-watched. We chose an enoteca on the perimeter of Piazza Navona and ordered a bottle of wine.

Cheisa S. Agnese in Piazza Navona

We finished our wine and decided to head back to our flat. Mom and I parted ways with the rest of the family near the Pantheon and walked to the Spanish Steps to catch the Metro back to our flat. We ate dinner that evening at a Pizzeria near the flat. The food was delicious, but the service was a bit stand-offish. Maybe because we are American? Who knows. I made it my goal to win over our server - a crotchety older gentleman. I don't want to be one of those Americans that make the locals groan when they see me coming. I spoke to him only in Italian (my best attempt) and finally by the time we left I was rewarded with a smile.

We made our way back to the flat, a mere 1/2 block away from the restaurant. We finished the evening with a bit of gelato that we picked up at the supermarket and couple of good books.

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Day One in Roma

Tomorrow will mark two weeks since I left for Rome. My vacation flew by and I'm left wondering where the time went.

As I was sitting on the plane to Rome with mom it hit me that I hadn't been on a plane in nearly a year - my last flight was the one that brought Les and me to Sicily. I also marveled at the fact that I was on my way to Rome for the second time - just six months after my first visit. I was excited but missed my husband already. Since our move to Sicily the most time we've spent apart is one night.

We arrived in Rome without any problems, caught the train to Termini Station, and then the Metro to the flat we rented for four nights. The flat was great! I could live there. Two bedrooms, a bathroom, small kitchen, and a living/dining area. It even had the same entertainment center that I bought from Ikea in San Diego, that now resides in our Sicilian home.

We settled in and went to the supermarket around the corner to pick up some food for a late lunch and a few goodies to have on hand for breakfasts. Once back at the flat we feasted on bread, cheese, speck, apples, and a couple cookies.

After lunch we took off to see the rest of our family - two aunts, my grandmother, and my cousin. We took the Metro and met up with them at their hotel. It was so good to see them after a year of being away! We enjoyed a glass of wine at the hotel bar and chatted until a pianist decided to "entertain" the guests. He played so loud that we couldn't hear each other speak so we took off in search of dinner.

We ended up in tourist central - not my first choice for finding good local cuisine but by that time it was getting late and we just wanted to find food. We ended up at a decent but overpriced restaurant. In spite of the expensive and ok food I soaked up the company of my family. I miss family get-togethers so much now that I live so far away from them.

After dinner mom and I felt somewhat energetic and decided to save the cab fare and walk back to the flat. It didn't look too far on the map. We walked for over an hour and finally found our way back. It was a lot farther than we thought. Our feet aching and our bodies exhausted we fell into bed and slept like babies.

Western Sicily

Wednesday Les, my mom and I departed a bit before noon for the west side of Sicily. Les and I hadn't had the chance to explore that part of the island so I was really looking forward to seeing some new sights. I never ceased to be amazed at the size of this island. Three and a half hours of driving and we were only just past Palermo. About an hour later we arrived at Segesta - an archaeological park that contains a spectacular Doric temple dating back to 430 B.C.

Les & I standing in the Temple of Segesta

My favorite picture (that I took) of the Temple of Segesta

Another view of the Temple of Segesta

The temple is still remarkably intact.

As we headed down the hill from the temple I spotted a plant that I've been meaning to take a picture of. They are dotted all over Sicily and look like giant Asparagus and look like they are out of a Dr. Seuss book.

Les next to the "Giant Asparagus"

We departed Segesta late in the afternoon and made our way towards Trapani to find a hotel. We drove the busy streets for quite some time looking for something suitable. We finally found the old Baroque quarter of town, ideal for walking and exploring. By this point we were all quite tired and getting grumpy. We ended up staying at the first hotel we stopped at - the Hotel Moderno. It was a big compromise - Les & I shared a triple room with my mom (only room available), but it was that or let tempers flare out of control. We decided to take it. Our triple room was only 74 Euro. The room was sparse and frill-less, but very clean.

Once we were settled into the hotel we went in search of dinner and ended up at the Ai Lumi Tavernetta. It was an excellent choice! We tried a Trapanese specialty - a fish cooked encrusted in sea salt. It was absolutely delicious! I've never had fish so moist, and it wasn't salty like you might expect. Good food, a bottle of Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine), and a bottle of Planeta La Segreta wine later we were a much happier group.

The next morning we wandered a bit more and grabbed breakfast at a local bar.

Baroque Quarter of Trapani in the morning

We headed south from Trapani for Marsala. We passed the salt flats of Trapani with their beautiful Dutch-style windmills.

Mounds of "fresh" salt

A Dutch-style windmill on the Trapani-Marsala Salt Road

We didn't stay long in Marsala - we knew that the drive back to the other side of the island was hanging over our heads. We visited the archaeological museum and tasted some wine - I bought a couple of bottles of course! On the long drive home we stopped in a seaside village west of Palermo for lunch. We made it home in time for an easy dinner of leftovers.

Friday was my mom's lad day in Sicily and my packing day for our trip to Rome and Florence. It was a low-key day doing laundry and resting. I wish mom could have stayed with us longer. I love having her around!

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Cefalu with Mom

Monday night, determined not to let mom's missing suitcase ruin our fun, we decided to go to Cefalu regardless of whether or not Alitalia found the suitcase. Tuesday morning mom woke me up filled with excitement - her suitcase FINALLY made it to Sicily. We drove into the airport in Catania, picked up the suitcase and headed for Cefalu - one of my favorite places in Sicily up on the northern coast. To me, Cefalu is the perfect Sicilian beach town - clear sparkling blue water, beautiful old architecture, and not too many tourists.

Two boats anchored just offshore

Our first order of business when we arrived was lunch - we were famished. We found a cute little ristorante just across the street from the beach and feasted on pizza and Caponata while relaxing to the sound of happy beach-goers and watching the water sparkle in the afternoon sunlight.

After lunch we meandered along the waterfront and into the narrow streets of the town. As we passed a gated courtyard we heard running water. The gates were open so we peeked inside. We found a sight that I had seen on a Rick Steves video about Sicily but hand't been able to find on my first visit to Cefalu - The Washing Place/Il lavatoio. Some sources say that it dates back to Medieval times as a place that women went to do laundry. It was used for this purpose until just a few decades ago.

The Washing Place/Il Lavatoio

A view of the coastline from the seawall

Chiesa dell' Itria
I like this one because the blue sky matches the stained glass window.

After wandering the streets of Cefalu we went back to the car, changed into our swimsuits and spent a blissful hour or so floating in the Tyrrhenian Sea - a "must-do" on my mom's vacation agenda. Happy and tired we drove the two and a half hours home to have dinner with my hubbie.

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Catching Up

I returned last night from 10 days vacation in Rome and Florence. I shared my time with my mom, two aunts, grandmother, and a cousin. Prior to departing for the mainland my mom and I spent five days touring around Sicily. I have around 400 pictures to sort through and will be posting a recap of my adventures over the next few days.

Spending time with family is always a treat for me, but is even more meaningful since I hadn't seen my mom for six months and the rest of my visiting family for at least a year. I enjoyed my time with them immensely, but the preciousness of the experience didn't really set in until I was sitting on the plane coming home. Not many people can say that their mom visited twice in their first year living abroad, they walked through ruins in Rome with their cousin, wine tasted in Tuscany with their aunts, or wandered the streets of Florence with their grandmother. I am truly blessed to have shared those experiences with people who are dear to me.

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The Mom-Daughter Adventure Begins

My mom arrived in Sicily yesterday morning. I was incredibly excited. I saw her through the security glass and we smiled and waved. She motioned that she needed to get her luggage so we waited...and waited. Finally we noticed everyone standing around the baggage carousel moving away in a group. We waited for a few more minutes and then went to see if we could find out what was going on.

We saw my mom in line at the lost baggage counter, along with most of the other passengers on the plane. Apparently no one's luggage was loaded onto the plane. We called the airline several times yesterday and even got a friend's Italian co-worker to call for us today. The message continues to be "no news" and "call back tomorrow". Now we are at the end of day two and my mom still doesn't have her suitcase. She is getting tired of having to buy new clothes everyday.

This afternoon we decided that we were not going to put off sightseeing just because she doesn't have her suitcase. We decided to head towards Mt. Etna and see what we could see. We drove up through Nicolosi, a part of the mountain I hadn't explored until today. The drive up the mountain was gorgeous. Here are a few of the sights we saw...

Fixer-upper for sale, roof terrace has amazing view, solid foundation

Near the summit of Mt. Etna

Mom trying not to get blown off the edge of the mountain

The gondola in the distance takes tourists nearly to the top, then a short hike to the summit

Looking down on the valley

What a beautiful drive. The views were spectacular. I can't even imagine what it would be like on a clear day. I definitely have to go back and take the gondola up to the summit.

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An "Easy" Walk at Monti Sartorius

Les & I set out on Saturday for a day on Mt. Etna. We went with a tour group from MWR because the trip was described as an "easy hour-long nature trail" that would finish with lunch at an agriturismo. The hour-long part was fairly accurate, but it wasn't what I would call easy, or even a trail. We traipsed over centuries-old lava flows and through tall brush, up and down and around several extinct craters on Mt. Etna. The scenery was beautiful, but the hike (not easy walk) was more than I bargained for.

Sicilian Fall on Mt. Etna - the ferns change colors

A lone pine tree in the midst of lava rocks

My hubbie really enjoyed the hike, he loves being outdoors

Some of the plant-life on Mt. Etna

The view from the top

Ok, so this wasn't actually the top, but it was as far as I went. The hill was steep and the rocks were loose. Falling on pumice isn't fun. I went about halfway up this particular hillside. This picture shows mainland Italy in the distance, the Ionion Sea, Taormina and Castelmola, and the foothills of Mt. Etna.

Les on his way down the mountainside

Les made it to the top though, this is him slipping and sliding his way down on the loose pumice. He's the one with his arms out for balance toward the middle of the picture.

A ladybug among black lava rocks

Cool looking tree

My best attempt at artwork like Bev Doolittle

The hill in the distance is the one that Les climbed and I made it about halfway

After working up an enormous appetite on the hike we went to an agriturismo for lunch. An agriturismo is a small, family-owned farm that serves meals and sometimes rents out rooms like a bed & breakfast. We feasted on antipasti, two kinds of yummy pasta, mixed grilled meats, ice cream for dessert, espresso, limoncello, and of course homemade red wine. It was wonderful! After we ate I ran around trying to get a few good pictures before we piled in the vans and headed home.

Flowers at the agriturismo

More flowers at the agriturismo

Where we ate lunch with Mt. Etna letting off steam in the background

Even thought the hike was tough I really did have a good time. The scenery was beautiful and my husband loved it. I'm not very outdoorsy, but he is so I'm making an effort to do things he enjoys too. Our relationship thrives when we spend quality time together.