Rome!

The last week of February was a vacation week for the kids, so we decided to go to Rome. We found cheap tickets on Ryan Air and booked at the cheapest hotel we could find. We stayed at the Hotel Magic, seen here. The Hotel Magic is three flights up and your basic European hotel. Just right for our needs. (It's recommended in Rick Steve's book on Rome.)

After checking into our hotel, we decided see some sights. We caught a bus (the hotel is right next to the train station), which proceeded to head in a different direction than we thought we wanted! No problemo! Found ourselves dropped off at the Coliseum. It was late, so we decided to save the full Coliseum tour for another day, had gelato, and strolled past the Forum, and many other great monuments! Eventually we made it to the Time Elevator Roma, which is a historical joy ride (like the Star Wars ride at Disneyland). Very educational and fun, and gave the kids a little more context for our visit.

We had dinner at a little pizza cafe and then walked to Trevi Fountain. It is said that if you throw a coin in the fountain you are sure to return to Rome. We each threw in a coin and fought off the con-artists who hang out at Trevi fountain (Kevin tossing a coin here.). Also met a very enthusiastic choir from the states, which reminded Laura of her choir tour of England and Wales in high school. The fact that these folks were in their fifties didn't mean they were any less energetic! It was especially beautiful to be at the fountain at night.

On Monday morning we set out to ride the "Archeobus." While waiting for the bus, we visited the Victor Emmanual monument, and drank from one of the local fountains, found all over Rome. Unfortunately, when the bus showed up they reminded us that most of the museums along the bus route were closed because it was Monday. Again, no problemo! Off we went to find the Pantheon. On the way to the Pantheon we came up the Church of Il Gesu (seen below). This church was built by Saint Ignatius of Loyola, who founded the Jesuits.

What seems like just another church on the outside is an amazing work of art inside. Laura had read that there is a chapel in the church in which the paintings change perspective as you change your position. Well, the chapel wouldn't be open til 4:00 p.m.! No problemo! Ellen discovered on her own that the paintings on the ceiling in the church look like they are three-dimensional. It was our favorite sight on the whole trip. We just couldn't believe how the paintings changed and came alive as we looked at them. As you may know, we are big believers in travelling with children because of the things you see and experience that would never be there for two adults (like the time four-year-old Will spotted a grizzly outside our car in Yellowstone!) Ellen proved the point again!

Can you see how the angels in this painted ceiling seem like three-dimensional sculptures? They seem to be climbing out of the painting. The church was built in 1568 as a plain, white-walled place of teaching. It was later decorated with the Baroque art of the counter-reformation. Eye candy! Between our trip to Rome and studying Rubens here in Belgium, Laura is finally starting to understand how the reformation and counter-reformation affected the art and architecture of Europe (and vice-versa!) Too bad it didn't sink in during those valuable hours in high school!

Click here for more of Rome.

Click here to go back to the first page of our website (from there you can get to other pages..