WHERE MOM AND DAD had their first DD (diner date)

 

So WE ARE IN OOOOOH ROMANTIC ITALY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This week we lived in Rome!!, the capital city of Italy. Rome is the 4th most populous city in the European Union with more than  3.500.000 inhabitants.

 Not the Spanish steps but the Italian steps

When we arrived by train from Ancona it was raining ‘cani e gatti’(from Google translate) and there was a lot of chaos on the ferry and no taxis. We had to walk for 20 minutes in heavy rain hoping to be in time to catch the train. Rome was sunny and we had for the first time a nice friendly taxi driver who was happy to see us with our entire luggage. The apartment my dad booked was in the middle middle middle of the old city centre. Small problem, the WIFI was not working on the top floor so we were sitting on the steps of the 2^nd floor doing school and our home work. Our “contracting manager” also forgot to ask about the elevator!! He told us it is good for us to carry all our luggage up 75 steps to the top Apartment. So the agency moved us the next day to another apartment around the corner with WIFI and on 1^st floor in a cosy even smaller street full of terraces and a small market in front of our apartment.

Trevi Fountain

The first evening we walked around the corner and we stood on the PIAZA NAVONA and we saw the restaurant where my dad asked my mom for the first diner date when they were in Rome with a school outing. Mom thinks it was in 1983 and dad says it’s in 1984.Well at least somewhere around there. Of course they went out for a dinner for 2 at the same square, same street, same restaurant, SAME dripping candles and same waiter (well, leave out the waiter).

In China we already saw the same plazza on a painting in Costa Coffee near the Llama temple. They had a great time.

From the apartment we could walk everywhere and all the highlights and coffee shops (my dad’s highlight) were close by. One street away you could smell the bakery and the best ice-cream salon in Rome.  It was 2.50 Euro with the biggest scoops I've EVER SEEN!! MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.  

A little further away from the apartment there was a busy square YES, TREVY FOUNTAIN with loads of tourists making pictures and throwing coins behind their back. The whole pond was full of Euros!!! The water in the pond was very light blue and very clear! with beautiful sculptures

Outside the Colosseum through mum's glasses

Inside the Colosseum through mum's glasses

I was impressed with the huge building Palacio Venetia. It was very sunny and the big white building looked beautiful with only blue sky!! We just learned about Roman history and Julius Caesar and saw his many statues.

Napoleon's map

We went to the Forum Romanum and Colloseum and went inside. The outside was much more interesting than the inside. In the inside you could just see the paths were the lions walked through and where the people sat. I also liked a small museum where the very old maps of Napoleon were displayed. Walking a bit further, we visited Basilic St. Peter in the Vatican, a little state on its own, like Swaziland or Monaco. This is the country where the pope lives. The current one is pope Benidictus xv1. He was elected in 2005. We went inside the big church and saw beautiful rich golden ceilings.We also visited the Pantheon.

Julius Ceasa

We went to the National historic Museum of Rome. We expected a lot, but after the Acropolis Museum we were spoiled and it was confusing. So we went back to rent an audio guide, but this gave us right information on the wrong spot or the other way around. It was confusing, the map did not link with the audio guide. It was a puzzle tour probably! (not my favourite at all).

The last attraction/ museum we did was the Fake Madam Tussauds. We paid 9 EURO PER PERSON FOR SEEING  the Pope, Obama,  Brad Pitt, Napoleon, Einstein, Hitler, Julius Caesar, Picasa & Mao in wax. It did not look real at all!!! Only Einstein and Brad Pitt had hair on their head. We thought it was a real rip off. When we went out looking for our Dad who was smart enough not to come we whispered to all the clients DO NOT GO IN.

It was a hot day and we were all tired so time for a delicious PIZZA or PASTA. Yummmmmy and.... Again this nice Ice-Cream with the biggest scoops !!!!

Next week: (Florence, coconut, coconut crack ...)

Loes