Keith, Jessica, Matt and I just returned from a very spontaneous trip to Rome.  I thought we were going to just stay home, since Keith and I had barely returned home from the states, where we attended the blessing of Mike and Lacey's new baby, Kallie!  Besides Keith had a recruiting trip to Tunisia scheduled.  I was bummed out about that only because the kids had the whole week off of school because of  Eid al Adha.  He had just finished an intense shut-down, working 40 straight days under high stress and little sleep.  So when he told me his trip was cancelled and he also had the week off, we cooked up a plan.
On Wednesday, Matt and Jess choose Rome as our spur-of-the-moment spree.  Thursday, Keith booked airline tickets.  Friday he found an amazing apartment in the heart of Rome.  On Sunday night we left for Rome, flying through the night to arrive at sunrise Monday morning in Rome.  After dropping off our luggage we were off to see the city!  Just like that....we were in Rome!  I had to keep pinching myself to believe it was true!



 The sites in Rome are very close to each other. For the most part we opted for walking tours.  I must say we walked until our feet forced us to stop.  However, we booked a guide for the Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica, took a guided bike tour of the Appian Way, the Catacombs,  and Roman aqueduct.  We also had a guided tour of the "dungeons" under the coloseum and the Roman ruins nearby.  We enjoyed a full day in Tivoli, visiting Via d' Este and Hadrian's Villa.

Highlights of the trip:

• The Vatican Museum and Sistene Chapel
• St. Peter's Basilica
• Saint Angelo's castle
• The Pantheon
• The Colesseum
• Roman ruins
• Racing bikes through Circus Maximus
• Trevi Fountain 
• Spanish Steps
• Hadrian's Villa
• Via d'Este
• The Catacombs
• The Appian Way 
• Roman aqueducts and rennaisance aqueducts
• Local farm with homemade sheep cheese
• loads of beautiful churches and more churches!  
• piazzas and  more piazzas
• great Italian food!!! First trip without a fast food stop!

We saw the famous Pantheon.  Rebuilt by Hadrian around A.D. 125 it is the best preserved ancient monument in Rome.  A lot of granite was used to ensure the longevity of the building.  Originally dedicated to the gods, it was transformed into a church (Santa Maria ad Martyres) by Pope Boniface IV in A.D. 609.  The flattened dome is the widest in the world, an amazing feat for engineers of any day, let alone so long ago.  It is open at the top.  Since it was raining this day, there were a few puddles inside.
As you can see, we enjoyed delicious Italian ice cream almost every day!

We are on top of St. Peter's Basilica, looking down on St. Peter's Square, an oval-shaped  structure, symbolizing a "hug" or a welcoming of all people.  This was also a great overlook of Rome.

Standing on St. Peter's Square with St. Peter's Basilica behind us.

Atop St. Angelo's Castle, we had a beautiful panoramic view of Rome.  You can see St. Peter's Basiclica behind Matt, Jess and Dad.  This castle, built in A.D. 135, was originally constructed as a mausoleum for the Emperor Hadrian and his family.  It is right on the Tiber river.  We were lucky to be there at sunset!  We noticed every night, small birds or bats would come out and circle this area by the hundreds!  

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, another gorgeous edifice.

The Trevie Fountain in the rain.  The water is supplied from the Acqua Vergine Aqueduct. You are supposed to throw in a coin to ensure your return to Rome.   A church was built in this piazza, with a strange claim to fame.  It contains the hearts and intestines of several centuries' worth of popes.  This was the parish church of the popes when they resided at the Quirinal Palace on the hill nearby and for many years each pontiff willed those parts of his body to the church.   According to legend, the church was built on the site of a spring that burst from the earth after the beheading of St. Paul at one of three sites where his head is said to have bounced off the ground.   

Beautiful fountains at Via d'Este in Tivoli.

Jess, Janet, Keith and Matt at Via d'Este, a garden on a hillside with some 100 fountains of every shape and size.  Among the most beautiful gardens in Rome, it was magical.  

Keith and Jess on a path lined with gargoyles, and other beasts, each  with a fountain mouth.   

Speaking of fountain mouth, Matt was so overcome, he could not keep it in.

This fountain provided spectacular views from three different levels.  Any way we looked, it was beautiful.

The famous Spanish Steps

Mom and Jess at Hadrian's Villa ruins.  These ancient ruins are among the most impressive in Italy.  It was not just a "villa."  It was more like a mini city!  It was situated in a beautifully picturesque part of the country.  There were remains of pools or "baths" and libraries, not just housing,  with column and pillars lying all over the place.  We traveled by subway, then by bus to get to Tivoli.   Since we decided to take this adventure on Nov 1st, All Saints' Day, an actual Holiday in Italy, the normal buses taking visitors from Tivoli to the ruins were not working.  So we got more than we bargained for and got to walk through a local neighborhood to get to the ruins.  Getting enough exercise was not a problem while we were in Italy, and were grateful everyday for good walking shoes! 

Matt on the train with some cute old people.