Italy
Athenaum

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    • Day 95–99

      Rome

      December 3 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 12 °C

      Capitale de l'Italie, Rome est une ville qui a parfaitement réussi à garder son patrimoine antique, médiéval renaissance et moderne sans pour autant être une ville musée. Bien sur, il y a quelques rues avec des enseignes internationales surtout de luxes, mais ça reste une ville très populaire avec des quartiers au caractère très affirmé.
      Nous avons beaucoup aimé cette halte (la plus longue pour l'instant dans notre année sabbatique !) dans la cité éternelle qui clôture notre chapitre italien.
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    • Day 45

      Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele

      July 31, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

      The Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II is a monument built in honor of Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of a unified Italy. It is located in Rome, Italy and was completed in 1911. The monument is known for its grandeur and opulence, featuring a large equestrian statue of Victor Emmanuel II, as well as numerous other sculptures and reliefs. Inside the monument is the Museo Centrale del Risorgimento, which houses exhibits on the history of Italian unification.Read more

    • Day 1

      Turkish fligh-Istanbul to Rome

      September 11 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 81 °F

      I think I like flying Turkish Airlines. The service is absolutely stupendous! Safe and sound in my spacious amenity laden pod. I have had 6 flight attendants, and 1 chef come by to greet me. My drinks and meal is underway. Wow….This is service! Did I mention free WiFi?Read more

    • Day 3

      Rome, Italy

      October 30, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

      Rome! That city where every ancient stone seems to have a story, and coffee or gelato seem to be on every corner. This trip was just us grown-ups (thanks to my brave Dad for watching our girls back in Germany), soaking up the Italian sun and hanging out with some friends from Texas who know their way around Italy quite well. They were super helpful, giving us the inside scoop and even booking stuff for us.

      Our place in Rome was this cute apartment super close to all the action. The best part (besides the location)? The espresso machine - the lovely smell and perfect intensity level - Delicious. Yep, our mornings started with the kind of coffee that turns you into a morning person (although I already am a morning person - haha), kicking off our days of wandering, eating way too much gelato (seriously, the best I've ever had), and just living the good life.

      We took it easy, strolling the cobbled streets without a care in the world (except for the two moms kept wondering how their kids were doing back at home), just taking in the vibes of the city. From the long line at Vatican City that was actually fun thanks to our friends, the warm sun (which Germany has much less of) and the stunning views, to craning our necks up at the Sistine Chapel and being left to wonder about Michelangelo's genius—it was an amazing experience. And let's not forget all the fun people watching! I do have to admit that through much of the museum we all took turns laughing over the things. Why did the artist do that? What were they thinking? I am amazed by the skills and effort of the artists, but not cultured enough to stop giggling and questioning the reasons behind why they did what they did. I should probably research more to understand their perspective, but nevertheless we thought we were funny.

      One of the quirkiest things we stumbled upon was a particular staircase in Rome where you're not allowed to sit—not even for a second. We found this rule hilarious, so we took a break to people-watch more and joked about being the 'stair police' from a top balcony. There were literally stair police! Watching tourists almost instinctively go to sit down, only to be scolded loudly by the Italian policeman - LOL! These small unexpected things make trips all the more memorable and fun to me. P.S - We thought we were climbing to a famous highest point of the city. Nope just another random long set of stairs, but we got more steps in and really all views here were unique.

      St. Peter's Church is massive and so intricately detailed. I am short and the ceilings seem to reach immeasurable heights! Walking into this monumental basilica, I was struck by the fact that Peter ministered in this city and gave his life for the cause. I am always encouraged when reading about Peter, because he walked so closely with Jesus and yet struggled with his flesh. His life is such a wonderful testimony. Peter grew in his faith and made a huge impact for God, despite his faults. Every corner, every altar is steeped in art and history, telling stories of faith that span centuries. All the things about this place seemed to encourage reverence. Such an interesting perspective of the church as it began to form.

      But the moment I found most profound was standing in the Mamertinum Jail, the very place where apostles Peter and Paul were once prisoners. It was a powerful reminder of all they faced while still spreading the message of Jesus. The deep, dark cell was typically reserved for the worst of the worst. What incredible strength and conviction these two men had. To be in the same space where they once preached, lived, and perhaps even questioned their fate, yet never wavered in their belief, was deeply moving. It added a sweet depth to our adventure pointing my thoughts back to Jesus once again, both humbling and awe-inspiring.

      After that experience, we were hungry! And let's not forget to mention the food—oh man, the food! Pesto pasta that made us want to lick our plates and pizzas that were just art. I love that each pizza place seemed to have its own secret recipe creating such a variety. Seth also ate some meat that was unidentifiable, but he said it tasted quite good! And the coffee breaks? Just the best coffee everywhere!

      One evening, we ended up at a small local opera, I was skeptical at first. I love music, but can be picky sometimes. I ended up being totally blown away. It was so moving that it brought me to tears. The vocals were overwhelmingly skilled and the songs were sung with all they had. Definitely, a must-do in Rome. I mean really no words could describe this well enough.

      As we wrapped up our trip, we were already making plans for the next trip to Italy. I still want to tour more of ancient Rome and eat more gelato! Big thanks to our Texas friends for making this trip not just a visit to another city but an unforgettable adventure with friends.

      We brought home memories of amazing espresso, unbeatable gelato, and stories from a place as old as Bible times. Can't wait to see more of the beautiful country of Italy!
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    • Day 5

      Naar rome

      November 10, 2021 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

      De treinrit verliep vlot, ik was tegen de middag in Rome en op wandel naar het hotel dat vlakbij lag. Na inchecken was het eerste dat ik wilde controleren mijn huiswerk, ik had op voorhand opgezocht waar ik een foodhal kon vinden en er zou eene naast het station moeten zijn. En ik had gelijk, net als in florence heb ik een foodhal op amper 10 min wandelen.

      Na een hamburger met pint ben ik de stad in gewandeld om te ontdekken dat rome nog niet zo veel veranderd is sinds meer dan 20 jaar geleden. Auto's rijden en parkeren nog altijd overal, en bij elke toeristische attractie zijn er oplichters met bosjes. Net als in florence is er een hoop in restauratie, wat ik nogal onozel vind bij ruïnes. Beter de volledige tempel herbouwen in plaats van alles doen om een paar zuilen recht te houden.

      Na een pauze bij een ierse pub ging ik wat lezen op hotel, ik was gewoon moe, en dit bleek uiteindelijk de laatste actie te zijn, op nog eens pizza eten in de foodhal na. Het weer was plots omgeslagen naar regen, waardoor mijn plan om de stad te zien bij nacht tot morgen moet wachten. Ik zit hier nog twee volle dagen, dus tijd zat.
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    • Day 1

      Walking in the steps of the Romans, Rome

      October 3, 2023 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

      In what had become our system for choosing our next destination, we jumped onto Skyscanner.com and looked at where the cheapest flights would lead us next. Our loose plan was to head towards Turkey and from there spend November travelling around Israel, Egypt and Jordan. These three places had been on my bucket list for years. I was excited because the season would be perfect for visiting. The extreme heat of summer would be over, and it would be the shoulder season for tourism. I only had 24 days left in my 90-day Schengen visa. So these places were perfect for me. Conveniently located between Morocco and Turkey is Italy. We had talked about going to Italy a few times so when we found a cheap flight to Rome, it made our decision for us.

      10 years before I’d been to Rome and knew it was a must-see for Jessie. To try to keep costs down, we figured we could hit the highlights of Rome in 2-3 days. And from there head out to the regions where prices would be more cost-effective for our budget. Rome is a city where almost everywhere you go there is something that will blow your mind with the historical significance. The city is basically a permanent working archeological site. There are buildings and ruins dating back thousands of years scattered throughout the city. We booked tours of the Colosseum and Vatican that needed tickets and left ourselves the remaining time to wander the streets. Jessie’s experience in hospitality over the years, especially the very Italian-themed Dolphin Hotel made it all the more exciting to experience the food and wine scene first-hand. We set out on our first afternoon to find an aperitif on the streets and soak up the Italian atmosphere.

      Our stroll took us past the Colosseum and down to the Piazza Venezia. One thing that always amazes me is the layers of various centuries all set amongst each other. Modern roads pass over archeological digs that have massive Roman and pre-Roman era structures and ruins. Our time in Rome became a journey of pizza, apéritif, gelato and wine for the next 2 days. Time well spent which by chance also took us to the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Roman Forum, St Peter’s Basilica and more. Besides all the popular tourist spots, our absolute highlight was discovering a Salumeria next to the Pantheon. I went into the store to get us each a beer to go. While there, I saw a private dining area in the back. In a back room, small tables were set. The room was surrounded by cured meats, cheeses, an entire wall wine rack and an old guy preparing charcuterie boards. Being about dinner time spent the rest of the night enjoying an incredible selection of all types of meats and cheeses. With the bill coming to almost $200 it was definitely an indulgent experience but one that the memory will be worth it.
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