Rome, Italy ... Dec. 18-21, 2008 (Day 1)

We decided since we were not going home for Christmas, we would head south and spend a few days in Rome, Italy. A few days before we were supposed to leave there was either a baggage or security strike, so the airport in Budapest was a mess. Many of our friends who were flying somewhere for the holiday ended up having to fly out of Vienna or leave a day or two later. We were a little worried, but fortunately by the day we were leaving, things had cooled down for the most part. We did get to the airport about 2 1/2 hours early, which is abnormal for us, but we didn't want to risk being told that we were too late to get on the plane. It turned out that this was not really that necessary, as having Ryan the charm with us basically put us in the front of the ticket line, the front of security, and the front of the boarding line (which for Wizzair is like SWA, an absolute circus with the free for all seating). The downside is that our flight was scheduled for a relatively late departure and then left 30 minutes late. We arrived into Rome around 10:00 PM, which admittedly, considering it was Wizzair, could have been a LOT worse! We took the train into the city to the main train station, hiked the few blocks to our apartment broker's office, obtained the keys, and got in a taxi to our apartment a block off of Campo di Fiori. At the point of arrival it was nearly midnight, so we obviously went right to sleep. At least for a little bit, as Ryan FINALLY had a rough night's sleep. He had to choose our first night in Rome and on a night we were late to bed, but since he is the perfect baby, we cut him some slack. He has a couple of teeth that are ready to break through any minute, so one can hardly blame him. He was still perfect during the day, but two of the three nights we spent in Rome he was miserable.

The next morning we headed out to get as much done as we could possibly do with three young kids in a three day span. The weather was perfect, not a cloud in the sky and about 55 degrees (my PERFECT temperature, if every day could be 55-60, I would be in heaven!). We were in the perfect part of town, about the same distance from St. Peters to one side, the Colloseum to another, the Pantheon/Piazza Navona/Trevi Fountain/Spanish steps to another, and Trastevere (across the Tiber river) to another. Not that the main attractions are THAT far from one another, but traversing this city with a 6 year old, a 4 year old, and a 7 month old could have been more difficult had we not had such a central home base.
We first hit the market at Campo Di Fiori, where we bought some great clementines at one of the fruit vendors. We then started walking…and walking…and walking. It is a great walk from Campo di Fiori past the Area Sacre (include the remains of temples and other buildings that were part of Pompey's theatre complex), past the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, to the Forum and Colloseum. We spent a few hours roaming the Forum and I played hide and go seek with the girls while Heather fed Ryan. Who would have thought that thousands of years after high ranking Romans were scheming the rise and fall of Rome, that we would be enjoying this area for far different reasons.We finished the Forum tour walking through the Arch of Titus and entered the Colloseum. We enjoyed imagining what it must have been like thousands of years ago, when gladiators battled lions, tigers, alligators, and bears (and other gladiators) to the death. Admittedly, walking the way we did and seeing the Colloseum in the distance did not have the same effect as the last few times I visited this site, taking the subway. As you exit the subway station, coming from underground, suddenly you see this immense, rock, awe inspiring structure. Nevertheless, this truly is an ancient wonder of the world, regardless of how you approach it.We were hungry by this time, so we set out to find a good Italian restaurant. We figured we would get closer to the Trevi Fountain, so we got on the subway a couple of stops (the kids needed a break from walking) to the Barberini station. We were reading a menu of a restaurant when someone from the restaurant next door, who I would assume to be the owner of that restaurant, approached us and told us that the food at the restaurant that we were looking at was not fresh, but "frozen only! SMALL portions!". So we succumbed to his prodding and entered his restaurant. Admittedly, the food was EXCELLENT! But it wasn't cheap for lunch, not necessarily because of the food charge, but the "table fee" and the "service charge" (that was not the tip, I discovered). Oh well, at least it was good. Unfortunately, it would be the only good meal we really had during our entire trip. I guess we just didn't know where to go?? Or is Roman food not really the Italian food one would come to expect??
After lunch we walked to the Trevi Fountain, the largest fountain in Rome. We followed the tradition of each throwing coins into the fountain, which supposedly guarantees a return to Rome. So far this has worked, as I have returned a couple of times (although technically you are supposed to throw it over your left shoulder)!We continued our walk from the Fountain to the Pantheon, perhaps the best preserved structure in Rome (and, while under debate, perhaps the best preserved of its time anywhere). Constructed around the first Century AD, it is a circular structure with a portico of three rows of corinthian columns (16 in all) in front with a rotunda inside containing a domed ceiling with a large opening. This opening is not covered, so it lets in light as well as rain! Originally this was a church celebrating "all the gods", but since the 7th century it has been a Catholic Church. Raphael is buried here (under the Madonna and child statue below) .

From the Pantheon, we walked to Piazza Navona, or what Heather and I like to call "the DOLLAR plaza" or the "Dollar store in the Plaza". Perhaps it was set up for Christmas (I think this is the case), but it basically looked like a Dollar Store selling a bunch of crap, crappy trinkets, crappy candy, etc. It ruined, in my opinion, what is a beautiful plaza, surrounded by wonderful Baroque architecture by Bernini (his Fountain of the Four Rivers sits in the center of the plaza) and Borromini.
We did take the time for a picture with this street performer (one of the many that make money just standing around).We finished our walk from the Piazza Navona to our apartment at Campo Di Fiori. We rested there for an hour before walking to the plaza for the WORST pizza I have ever tasted in my life. We made up for that, though, with some good gelato before going to bed.