Rome Day Two: A Fountain and the Colosseum

Our apartment in Rome is big and equipped with everything we need, except sound-proof windows. All night long, cars and scooters seemed to be zipping right through our bedroom (we are just a meter or so from the street) and at about 6:00am, drivers began honking their horns. On the bright side, the noise helped us wake up and get an early start on the day.

The hop-on-hop-off doubledecker sightseeing bus looked like it would take us wherever we wanted to go in Rome, and our first stop today would be the Trevi Fountain.

We crossed the Tiber River to catch the bus and took this photo of St. Peter's Basilica downriver. The tempestuous-looking skies were an omen of the bizarre weather we would experience today.

The recording on the tour bus gave us lots of interesting information. For example, this ancient structure was low-income housing. And it started raining.

The rain stopped just as we reached the Trevi Fountain, completed in 1762. Taming of the waters is the theme of this gigantic fountain.

A traditional legend holds that if visitors throw a coin into the fountain, they are ensured a return to Rome.

Approximately 3,000 Euros are thrown into the fountain each day and are collected at night. The money has been used to subsidize a supermarket for Rome's needy. However, there are regular attempts to steal coins from the fountain.

Some people think you have to throw 3 coins, citing the 1954 film Three Coins in the Fountain, but in that movie, three different people threw one coin each into the fountain.

Micaela, James and Emilie always say Rebecca looks like a grape in her puffy Dora coat. I just notice her cute smile in this one.

During our junior year abroad (David in Germany and I in France, and we didn't know each other then though we went to the same college), David and I both threw a coin into this fountain.

As we finished taking photos, the skies suddenly started pelting us with tiny snow balls -- a snowy hail if you will. Tourists raced to find shelter under awnings and we laughed and took out our video camera to capture the strange moment. A few minutes later, it turned to rain.

Making our way on foot to the next bus stop with the intention of going to the Colosseum, and following tourist signs instead of trying to read our map, David asked me, "What does that sign say?" I answered, "Piazza di Spagna. I think we need to go the other way." "Wait," David said, "Isn't that the Spanish Steps?" D'oh!!

The Spanish Steps link the Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Square) at the base and Piazza Trinità dei Monti above. The Spanish Steps is the longest and widest staircase in all Europe and in better weather is a busy gathering place.

For a while, in the 17th century, the entire Piazza di Spagna was considered Spanish territory. Apparently foreigners unwittingly trespassing into the area could even find themselves all of a sudden to be soldiers in the Spanish army.

Many of the 138 steps were tilted downward with wear. Em would not descend the stairs without holding on to my hand. And the blue skies would not last.

The Fountain of the Old Boat at the base of the steps.

At this point, the chilly weather were starting to get to the kids. Against our better judgment, we had allowed Micaela and James to venture out without their winter coats. My final word on the subject had been, "And you are forbidden from saying the words 'I'm cold' today." The temperature was dropping throughout the morning and as we walked away from the Spanish Steps, James said, "OK, Mom, I just can't help it. I have to say it. I'm cold!" And the rain didn't help.

We decided to get out of the rain and cold and even though the gelati at this little restaurant looked yummy, sandwiches were in order. Our little waitress greeted us at the entrance with a startled look, asking, "Are these all your children? Four? What a bellisima famiglia!" Ahhh, I can check another thing off my list. I would have been disappointed if not a single Italian had commented on our "big" family.

Italy, a country that adores children, has one of the lowest birth rates in Europe, even lower than Germany. Our waitress said that she herself is the youngest of five and isn't it wonderful to have a large family? But she went on to explain, sadly, that that is unheard of today. She herself would no doubt only have one child.

During our early lunch, I looked over our map and told David that we were only a block or so from the Capuchin Church of the Immaculate Conception, one of the sights on our list. Five of its chapels were renowned. We could pay it a quick visit and then catch the bus to the Colosseum. Alas, as we mounted the step to the church, we were told by a woman who it turned out worked in the chapels that they had just closed and would not open again for three hours. "I am so very sorry," she told us, but then said, "So, you should take your lovely family and go to a nice restaurant, enjoy a delicious lunch, and then come back!" David and I shared a look which conveyed, "A three-hour lunch? Right....."

Instead, we would get on the bus and go to the Colosseum. As we crossed the street, there was a flash of light followed by a loud, long rumble of thunder. Anyone who knows me is aware that standing out in the open holding onto a metal umbrella during a thunderstorm is one of my least favorite things in the world. If I didn't need to keep my cool in front of the kids, I would have been borderline hysterical. Thankfully, that was the only lightening we saw and we didn't have to wait too long for the bus.

Emilie posed next to this tiny car as we waited for the bus.

It didn't occur to me that this might be a drinking fountain until an Italian man stopped and took a long drink from it. Well, then, we just had to as well. After all, when in Rome......

The Roman Colosseum was completed in 80AD and is considered one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and Roman engineering.

These fellows saw us coming from a mile away. They pounced on us, "You want photo! You want photo!" and when I asked "How much?" I was ignored.


The gladiator in the red cape on the left waved his sword in front of David's....well, below his belt and shouted out, "Ahh...Tonight, barbecue!!"

These fierce gladiators demanded 70 Euros ($90) for posing with us, but when David threatened to delete the pictures, they settled for 10 without batting an eye.

Entering the arena

The Colosseum was covered in white marble in its heyday and there was a wooden stage covering the bottom. A partial stage was recently constructed.

Our tour guide did debunk some myths about the gladiators. It would not have made sense to get gladiators from prisons. The poor men would have been terrified and would not have put up a good fight with other gladiators or a lion. Gladiators were professional fighters who trained for a year and though they were not free men (they were under the control of their trainers and needed to buy back their freedom at the end of their career), they were well paid.

Also, it was rare that they fought to the death. What would be the point? To put all that time and money into training a gladiator only to see him killed during his first foray into the Colosseum? Instead, at first blood, a gladiator would be finished for the day.

The spectacles were put on by the emperor and were free to the public. There would first be gladiator battles, then a break for a snack, then executions (it was much cheaper to execute criminals than to house them in jails), then lunch, then animal hunts and finally, a gladiator versus some poor soul where the emperor would decide with a thumbs up or down whether the loser would be spared.

The doomed animals that fought in the Colosseum were held under the stage for days beforehand, in total darkness. On the day of the games, when they were raised up to the stage, the animals were virtually blinded by sunlight and chained to keep them from attacking the spectators. It was rare that a lion or other wild animal in the arena succeeded in killing a combatant.

The Arch of Constantine, dedicated in 315, seen from the Colosseum

We wasted an hour in the area around the Colosseum looking for another 4-D movie, but never found it. We were all cold and tired by this point.

Em and another little car

We found ourselves in front of the Colosseum once again being assaulted by those pesky little snowballs, which eventually turned into hail and then into rain (click on the photo to see the snow). It had been a strange day.

The kids were just about done. David and I figured they could stand a quick visit back to the interesting chapels and then we'd head home. We were greeted warmly by the lady back at the Capuchin chapels and asked only to give a small donation to gain entrance to the five chapels, where photography was forbidden.

The Capuchin Crypt is the final resting place for over 4,000 Capuchin friars, who died between 1528 and 1870. This room is the Crypt of the Skulls.

The ceiling of the corridor. No one is sure if an artist arranged the bones or if the monks themselves did. The kids were not disturbed at all by the thousands of skulls and bones surrounding them.

Crypt of the Three Skeletons. A placard in five languages declares "What you are now we used to be, what we are now you will be."

The center skeleton is enclosed in an oval, the symbol of life coming to birth. In its right hand it holds a scythe, symbol of death which cuts down everyone, like grass in a field, while its left hand holds the scales, symbolizing the good and evil deeds weighed by God when he judges the human soul.

The nice lady allowed each of our children to pick out a postcard for free (I had to pay for mine) and gave Becca a holy picture card, instead of a rather gruesome picture of skeletons.

Back on the bus headed home, Becca said she had to use the potty. So, right in front of the Vatican, we got off the bus and found a nice warm café that had bathrooms -- and gelati. And we didn't even have to pay a little old lady money to get toilet paper down in the bathroom, as I had to constantly all over Rome when I was last here.

David and I had nice warm cups of cappuccino.

Emilie's gelato couldn't have gotten any chocolat-ier.

Rome Day One: Arrival and a Movie

Day one of our Roman Holiday got off to a good start as we got up, took a taxi to the airport and were right away assigned seats on our flight. We are lucky that the rest of the Frankfurt area does not have their ski vacation until next week.

These Lavazza coffee ads were right outside our gate. The kids already know the story of Romulus, Remus and the she-wolf and we assured them we would see the famous fountain featured in the other photo.

Waiting to get on the plane

James at the Fiumicino Airport looking thrilled about experiencing the real flavor of Rome.

David had arranged for a cab to pick us up at the airport and the kids thought it was really cool to see someone waiting for us with our name on a sign. We checked into our apartment which was located right on the Tiber River, I found a small grocery store to buy cereal and milk for tomorrow's breakfast (and was very thankful that Italy uses the Euro and we didn't have to worry about changing money) and within just a few minutes were ready to do a little sightseeing. David found an ad for a 4-D movie called the Time Elevator that would fill the kids in on some of the history of Rome, so armed with a map, we descended onto the streets of Rome.

We came upon these ruins within minutes of leaving our apartment.

It was raining and there were people everywhere selling umbrellas. By the end of the day, we had bought 3 and lost one.

In a souvenir shop, we bought a few of these handbags (these city/country name bags are very popular in Europe) and the shopkeeper stroked Emilie's cheek and declared her "Bella!"

The National Monument of Victor Emmanuel II honors the first king of a unified Italy (1861) and was completed in 1935. It was Micaela's, James' and my least favorite sight in Rome, partly because it seemed to by trying too hard and partly because every time we lost our way, we would end up in front of it.

Trajan's Column was completed in 113 and commemorates Emperor Trajan's victory in the Dacian Wars (101-106), in what is present-day Romania.

The spiral bas relief depicts the Roman Army setting out to battle. If I were without kids on this trip, I would have spent easily 1/2 hour reading the history of the column and studying the sculptures up and down its 125 feet. With kids, it's a different story. All they had patience for was, "Hey, kids! This column was built in 113 so it's almost 1900 years old. All those sculptures are of the Roman Army going into battle. Isn't that amazing?" They looked at it for about 10 seconds and then said, "Yeah. Which way to that movie theater?" Time to lower my expectations a bit.

Scooters and SmartCars are the way to get around Rome, where parking is a major issue.

Finding our way to the Time Elevator, we realized that maps were only going to be so helpful. Streets in Rome twist and turn, and seem to change names every block. Plus, to quote my husband as he stared at our map, "It's impossible to figure this out. Every time we turn around, there's another ruin! They're everywhere!" In addition, what we would consider little alleyways were honest-to-goodness streets that small buses squeezed down. We needed to ask several times for directions, but we eventually made it.

Micaela, James and Emilie enjoyed the movie: Romulus and Remus, the assassination of Julius Caesar and gladiators in the Colosseum, among other things were dramatized. Becca was scared by the jolting of our moving seats and how critters seemed to bite at her, and I was reminded of why I need to avoid these simulation type of rides/movies. I felt quite nauseous during and after the movie.

We got back to our neighborhood around 6:00pm, and everyone was hungry for dinner. We wandered down a street and found a café and asked the owner if he served pizza. He answered, "No, but there is a restaurant around the corner that does. But they're not open yet." Not open yet? We asked when it would open and he replied, "7:00 or 7:30pm. It's not dinner time yet." Uh-oh. We'll need to plan on not being able to eat until about 7:30pm, Rebecca's bedtime and long past when the kids want to eat. Sure enough, we checked and the restaurant would not open for dinner until 7:30. We went back to the apartment where, surprise! Spongebob Squarepants was on TV in Italian and then made our way back out to eat.

The kids knew they wanted pizza, but David and I wanted something a little more adventurous. My courage faltered a bit as I scanned through the menu items and "cow's tail" and "spaghetti with octopus" caught my eye. David ordered spinach ravioli and I got tagliatelle in a a peppery-cheese sauce and we shared some bruschetta, which our kids would only try if we scraped off the tomato pieces. Did I mention we would need to lower our expectations a bit?

How not to prepare for a big trip

Tomorrow we leave for Rome, and as always seems to happen, we are unprepared. Every time we take a big trip, David and I end up turning to each other and saying, "Well, I guess we're winging it!" We end up having a good trip no matter where we go, but to be a bit better prepared would be a good thing. It didn't help that Emilie, Rebecca and I had the flu for almost the entire week before our trip and it really did a number on us. I hardly ever got off the couch. The idea of getting the entire trip planned was out of the question for me.

Ideally, we would have bought a great guidebook with excellent maps a month ago and come up with a plan for each of our four days there. Our 2005 trip to Disneyworld was a great success due to our pouring through an unofficial guidebook months in advance, reserving dinners and shows ahead of time, following itineraries that shortened the time we needed to wait in lines and learning little tricks of Disney veterans. We vowed to always prepare like that for trips. Unfortunately, we have never been so well prepared since.

Several people we know, however, have been to Rome with their kids and they gave us some tips on places to go with them. It's a good thing, too, as I tried doing some research on the internet yesterday and was discouraged when almost every site I visited said, "Rome is not a child-friendly city. Italians love children, but there's not a lot for your kids to do there."

Through friends, we got a link for rental apartments in Rome and reserved one and we also went to the Vatican site and got the last set of tickets for a guided tour of the Vatican Museums available during our stay. This morning, with the kids off school for ski holiday week, there was a mandatory viewing of The Lizzy Maguire Movie, which takes place in Rome. We wanted the kids to be familiar with a few of the sights they would see, and the movie actually was pretty funny.

We could also rely on what we remembered doing from our previous trips to Rome. David and I had both been when we were studying abroad separately in college (we didn't know each other then), but traveling as a single college student is an entirely different matter from traveling with four children. For instance, my friends and I stayed in a women's shelter that rented out empty beds. We also ate just 2 meals a day to save money. There wouldn't be any of that with four kids. And to make matters even more uncertain, we would be flying standby.

David and I turned to each other tonight, shrugged, and said, "Well, I guess we'll be winging it."

Girl Scout Cookies and Rootbeer

It's Girl Scout Cookie time and yes, we can get them here. As many boxes as we want. With so many Americans in Frankfurt and two large international schools in the area, we had no trouble buying some Thin Mints, Tagalongs and Samoas.

The youth group at our church held a fund raiser today where they sold submarine sandwiches with sodas and chips. Not just any soda and chips. Rootbeer and Frito-Lay chips (Doritos, Fritos, etc.) You can probably surmise by the fact that I did an entry on this that we cannot find rootbeer, Doritos nor Fritos at the stores here. You would be right. Not even anything resembling rootbeer, Doritos and Fritos. This simple dinner was a big deal for us and thoroughly enjoyed by all.

My guess is that someone from the youth group bought the drinks and snacks at one of the U.S. Commissaries in the area. Non-military and non-government Americans are not allowed to shop there. It is not unheard of for people to sneak in friends (I have been twice), but they are technically forbidden from doing so.

By the way, the youth group was raising money for its trip to Romania where they will build a playground and assist elderly residents with home repairs, and another trip to the Kalahari Desert in South Africa where they will tutor poor children who don't have the money to attend school.

You can't judge a book by its cover

Micaela is working on some scrapbooking pages of the Twilight Saga and in a store the other day, this TeenBeat-ish magazine caught my eye. Robert Patterson, a.k.a. Edward Cullen, was on the cover, and as I'm always one to enable a scrapbooker, I got it for her. It looked perfect for a 12-year old girl: Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers, Camp Rock and kids from High School Musical were all on the cover. There were even 2 "Best Friend" bracelets inside.

I had a few minutes before I needed to pick the kids up from school and decided to page through the Bravo magazine. Along with the many pictures of the aforementioned teen stars, there were articles about how to do better in school and how to be a good friend. Then, I turned a page and the world came to a screeching halt.

There were two pages of questions and answers on how bodies change during puberty, but I thought the featured question from a 16-year-old boy on how he is on his third sex partner now and is wondering why it "takes her longer" was a little much. The answer gave him hints on how to make it better for her. Gulp! Wasn't expecting that based on the cover of the magazine!

Then, I turned the page and there was the "Bodycheck" section. This is the section of the magazine where two teenagers or young adults pose naked and answer revealing questions about themselves. Totally naked from head to knees. Hello!!

I ripped out those pages and after double checking through the rest of it, gave Micaela the magazine. It was another moment where I realized that you can't take anything for granted.

But that's not all! Twilight just opened here a few weeks ago and Micaela had seen it with some friends at the foreign language movie theater in Frankfurt last week. Twilight was also showing this week for just a few days in English at our local theater, so yesterday Micaela and I went. We have both read the books and Micaela is a fan, but me, not so much. I couldn't help but compare the series to Harry Potter (as it is often referred to as "the next Harry Potter"), and found these books lacking. In a big way. But I had heard that the movie was supposed to be good, so off we went.

Beforehand, there were previews for Bedtime Stories and Inkheart. The powers that be obviously knew what audience to expect for Twilight: kids.

Then came a 3-minute ad for the German Film Academy. The first minute or so featured short clips from classic German movies. The second minute or so featured nothing but sex scenes. Graphic sex scenes.

I just sat there in stunned silence. I should have expected it. The week before I had seen Will Smith's Seven Pounds with an English friend and they showed that same ad. My friend leaned over and said, "Can you believe that? What would I have said to my son if I had brought him?" I just could not believe it when they started up the ad before Twilight. I froze and prayed that it would be a tamer version of the ad for this audience. Of course, that hope was in vain.

When it was over, I felt like I had to say something, so I leaned over to Micaela and whispered, "Well, that was an education, wasn't it?" She just rolled her eyes.