Vacanze Roma (Roman Holiday)

When at last Kristine had to return to the States, we decided to extend our fun-filled time with her by accompanying her to Rome for her flight. It was pretty last minute so Kristine, who had just spent three weeks there teaching a class, made us a list of “must sees” that could easily be accomplished in a day.

We all woke up at 4:15 AM to shower, pack up our stuff and stop by security to get Kristine’s passport back and be at the train station in time to catch the 5:47 to Roma Termini! Our idea to spend €9,40 per ticket might have explained why the train was so full, so loud and so uncomfortable. Still, we each got about 5 minutes of sleep on the 2 hour train ride and considered it a smashing success.



Arriving in Rome was like walking into Times Square for the first time. People were everywhere! Running with suitcases, strolling with cappuccinos, smoking cigarettes despite the hundreds of “no smoking” signs. I guess those, like speed limits, are only guidelines in Italy. Once we dropped Kristine off at the train to the airport, Tom and I broke out our map and found out way to Vittorio Emanuele II Memorial. We got there right at the stroke of 9:30 as the gates were opening. Mouths open, we strolled the grounds in awe of the size, detail and magnificence of it all. After getting obviously price gouged, we took the elevator up to the roof and took in the sights of the city from a bird’s eye view. It was amazing! One of those moments that will be registered in my mind when I think “Holy Crap, I live in Italy.” It’s like the very clear moment in college when I realized “Holy Crap, I’m in college….” Somewhere between the stress and the overwhelming urge to cry when people are yelling at you in a foreign language, you come to the realization that you’re stronger than you think, more awkward than you’d like to admit and more determined to prove to the woman who you are pretty sure is talking about you on the metro that you’re not a tourist. I’m not there just yet, but give me two months and I’m determined that I will be.

The rest of the day is a blur of Piazzas, fountains, steps and crowds. I feel a little ashamed when people ask me “Did you see the Sistine Chapel?” No…. “Did you see the Coliseum?” No… But we saw what we could and by the end of the day were completed exhausted.
While it might not be the most iconic, I can honestly say that Saint Ignazio di Loyola Cathedral was the most magnificent thing that we saw all day. I was so moved, looking at each item, reading each prayer, seeing each devoted soul in that vast space that I actually started to cry. It was the most moving place that I have been in. I felt so overwhelmed by the dedication to God, the desire to build something in such a noble goal and yet the opulent waste of it all. Offerings for the poor when thousands of dollars of gold and marble had been spent on this building. It all was too much and I sat in silent contemplation hoping to make sense of it.
In preparation for our next visit, I’ve purchased “Rome for Dummies” which I will undoubtedly highlight, tab, dog ear and otherwise devour before we are ready. Once it’s cool again, we’ll do it up right and we’ll have to spend more than one day.

Love and hugs to all from Napoli. Keep us in your thoughts, as you are ever in ours.
Lynne and Tom
xoxo