Rome Day 5 & Trip to Florence

By Leo Babauta

June 24, 2012

Today was a transition day -- we checked out of our apartment in Rome and took a train to Florence, moving into a new apartment. But that doesn't mean it was without its charms -- we had some fun on our last morning in Rome.

Eva and I started our day at a café a couple blocks from our apartment -- Rome seems very sleepy on Sunday mornings. We had cappucinos as usual, and used the café's wifi to check email and the like. Eva wrote a blog post and I published it along with some photos. We brought pastries back for the kids.

We packed and then headed out, saying goodbye to our charming apartment and the lovely Piazza Navona. We took a cab to our last sightseeing stop, Santa Maria Maggiore -- an amazing church built in the 5th century as a tribute to the Virgin Mary, after the Patriach of Constantinople claimed that Mary wasn't the mother of Jesus. The church is breathtaking -- huge, beautiful from the outside, but it's the inside that floors you. The ceiling is covered in ornate gold patterns, the walls have gorgeous mosaics that date back to the 400s, and there are statues everywhere. The church was filled with the smell and smoke of incense, as a mass was being held while we entered. Eva, btw, had to cover up as she was wearing shorts and a tank top -- she put on pants and a sweater to look decent enough to enter the church.

After spending a bit of time at the church, we walked around the neighborhood nearby, and settled on a small place called Non c'è trippa pè gatti. They didn't speak much English, but we got by OK (I've been trying to learn some basic Italian phrases -- molto bene!). The meal was one of the best we've had in Rome! There was spinach ravioli, penne with gorgonzola, pizza margherita, mushroom calzone, some tomato-based pasta, and one of the best bottles of wine we've had in Italy. Yum!

We then rushed to the Termini train station, but had to wait in line to validate our Eurail passes, and missed our train! Luckily we were able to get tickets for the next train, which was just 30 minutes later. The train was very, very nice -- there were stewardesses that brought drinks (complimentary wine!), and Internet and plush seats and tables. The ride was extremely smooth, and took just 90 minutes.

At the Florence station, I had a hard time using the phone to call the landlord, but a nice Italian gentleman helped me by dialing the number on his cell phone. Finally we took cabs to the apartment, where we waited a bit, but it was worth the wait. We're on the 3rd floor with a spacious, beautiful apartment with two bathrooms, lots of bed space, a big kitchen, a washer, Internet. Ahh. So nice.

We took a ridiculously long nap -- fell asleep at 5 pm, didn't wake until almost 11 pm! I woke Justin & Rain up and we went out on the town to watch Italy finish its soccer (football) game against England in the Euro 2012 quarterfinals. It was so much fun to watch the game in a public square with really enthusiastic fans cheering every play. Someone nearby was playing a booming loud drum everytime something good happened, and after Italy won the match on a penalty shootout, some of the Italian fans broke into singing and chanting.

The streets were filled with people roaming about in the middle of the night. Eva and the kids continued to sleep until early in the morning, and we skipped dinner. Florence is absolutely fantastic (the part I've seen so far) and I can't wait to explore more of it by foot.

Rome Day 4: Shopping Streets and Trastavere Nightlife

By Eva Babauta

June 23, 2012

This morning Leo and I walked to the corner of our narrow cobble stoned street to have capuccino at the Sali & Tabacchi RistoCocktailBar. Since we arrived here the cafe/bar has been our breakfast spot and Leo and I walk there every morning to use the internet and read a bit while the kids get ready for another day of walking. They join us when they've finished dressing for some pasteries before heading out to explore another of Rome's historic districts.

The Trevi Fountain was so impressive that the girls wanted to go back to see it before we made our way to a well known shopping area near the Spanish Steps. After a long walk window shopping and haircut (Leo needed a shave) we decided to have lunch at Montecarlo which is suppposed to be one of the best pizza joints in Rome. It was close to nap time for us so we walked back to our apartment and spent what was left of the afternoon resting.


In the evening we walked to Trastevere where we visited Via De S. Pietro. There were paintings of the Stations of the Cross along the brick wall going up the steps to the church. It is said that this church was built on the spot where Saint Peter was crucified. We read later that this was a mistake and that he was not hung there. From the church we walked to Piazzale Garibaldi where there is an amazing view of the city. While there we witnessed a young Italian gentleman propose to his girlfriend.They looked so happy and so in love! (We took some photos of them embracing after the proposal and later emailed them to the young man, Andrea.)

The walk back down the hill to Piazza S. Maria In Trastevere was nice. We ate at a little pizza place nearby and then had some gellato in the square while we watched a couple of grown men entertaining the crowd by break dancing. It was interesting. We were also fortunate to be able to watch a magic show! We were enthralled as we watched the performer stick a sword through his throat while making ahhing noises. Unfortunately, it was getting late and although the magic show had not ended we were tired and so we made our way back home.

Trastavere, and Rome in general, was packed with people going out on the town, having drinks and going dancing. It was quite a scene! Romans love their nightlife.

Rome Day 3: Colisseo, Trevi Fountain

By Justin Cruz

June 22, 2012

To start day three, we ate pastries at the cafe we had for the last two. Then we went for a long walk through the twisted, cobbled streets of Rome. Our destination: The Collesseum. Along the way, we made a couple of stops. First, we stumbled upon a street market in a little square not to far from our apartment. It wasn't unlike the farmer's markets you'd find on certain days around San Francisco, and just as crowded. Then, we chanced upon another nice surprise: the remains of the Teatro di Marcelo.

The first of a few relics we saw that day, it was already one the most impressive. After a half hour or so of admiring the remains of the theatre, we went back to the streets, and set out for our next checkpoint: Capitolini Hill. There, we found yet another unexpected landmark. The Piazza del Campidoglio. A beautiful square designed by Michaelangelo, sitting in one of the more spectacular parts of the city. Set around a statue of Marcus Aurelius, lying in front of amazing buildings, and surrounded by impressive sculptures, the Capitol Square was the highlight of the day.

From there, we went to the Collisseum itself. Even from afar it stood out as the most stunning landmark outside the Vatican, and none of us could wait to reach the aweinspiring beast of a structure. That didn't stop us from taking a break for some fruit at a stand on the roadside. Once we were finally there, we took a few minutes to take in the impressive sight of one of the world's great wonders, and to have a look at statues and archs in the surrounding area. Once we were ready to enter the Collisseum, we discovered the disappointment of the day: it was closed due to national strike.

Despite that, it was a wonder to behold, and I have to say that I'm glad we visited it, even if we couldn't actually go in. From there, we started our quest home, stopping for two things: lunch (which was delicious), and a parade. A strike parade, one that, once again, we didn't expect to find. As fun as it was to watch, our hunger kept us from staying long, so we went to look for a place to eat, stopping at the first resturaunt we saw. It was a small familly owned place, and while we didn't know what we were ordering (the waiter that took our order barely spoke any English), the food was fantastic.

Once home, still not set internally to the time zone, we all took a long rest, waking that evening at around 8:00. Then, out we went for an evening stroll, on our way to the Fontana di Trevi. Rome is one of those cities where no matter how impressive it is during the day, it's a hundred times better at night. The walk through the streets we go on every night is the part of the day I look forward to the most. The maze of streets coupled with the look of the city lit only by it's own light makes for a remarkable experience.

The fountain itself was was really something. Crowded as one would expect, but worth the visit. We all did the tourist thing to do and threw a coin over our shoulders into the water, each of us hoping that a return visit to the city would indeed be in our future. Then back home we went, and still tired from our long day even after our midday rest, we all went to bed, satisfied from a day of sightseeing in one of the world's most attractive cities, but also glad to be out of the heat.

Rome Day 2: St. Peter's Basilica, Sistine Chapel

By Rain Babauta

June 21, 2012

The 2nd day of our stay in Rome we went to the pastry place again. We had a very good time there just as before, as Eva and dad had cappucinos. Then after breakfast  we headed out to see the Vatican. First up was St. Peter's Basillica, the largest cathedral in the world. There were lots of people in the courtyard in front of the basillica near a big obelisk and some fountains.

As we headed to the basillica we saw the slightly long lines. We figured that the lines would probably get longer so we got in line quickly. We had to walk through a metal detector and put our electronics on a convayor belt like in airports. There was no entry fee so we were able to get to the cathedral quickly. We walked up the steps and entered the basillica.

Inside were lots of people crowding around the sculptures and artwork. There were also lots of tour guides leading people around telling them about it. Everywhere you looked you can see marble, whether it was a very beautiful sculpture of a saint or a naked baby or a finely carved column.  There were also tombs under the floors and metal bars that made sure you could see into it but not fall in. The ceiling very high up and was also covered in lots of artwork. There were many domes but in the biggest one there were stairs that led up to it and you could walk around the inside perimeter. There were also masses in session on the sides but you might have to pay for those.

Next we set out to the museum of the Vatican. The entrance was far away on the far side of the Vatican walls. We took a little rest stop near a gift shop that for some odd reason also sold granitas. We had strawberry and lemon flavors. When we finally arrived at the entrance there were no lines. Instead of going in we went off for lunch, figuring that the lines would still not be there when we got back.

We found a restaurant that was relatively close by only to descover they were out of pizzas! Despite their shortage we had a variety of pastas. There was risoto, pene, and a tomato sauce spaghetti that I don't remember the name of.  That restaurant was also where my dad and eva shared their anniversary lunch.

As we returned to the museum we faced noticed that the lines had gotten longer. We didn't let that bother us. We went in, paid for the tickets and passed through more metal detectors. Inside were lots of different sections that held different types of art. There were hundreds of unique paintings by a variety of famous painters. In another section there were Egyptian tombs, statues, and even one mummy. As we left the ancient Egyptian section, we saw a long hallway with lots of sculptures. Past that was yet an other long hallway but this time there were lots of paintings on the walls and even on the ceiling. The second hallway lead up to the Sistine Chapel. We were not allowed to take photos but the walls and ceiling were covered on lots of very beautiful pictures of different stories or scenes from the Bible.

After our long adventure in the Vatican we set off for our appartment to take a quick rest. When we woke up we went outside to eat dinner. We had these Roman-style rectangular pizzas that conveniantly folded into a napkin that we could each hold our own slices. We ate in Piazza Navono and gazed at the amazing Roman nightlife. There were people selling handbags and little toys with little lights on them that shot up in the sky and slowly decended down with two flaps like helocopters have. One person was so nice that he sold three of them to us for the price of two. We played with them for a good half hour or so. After we finished, we were exhausted and went to bed.

More photos of our Europe trip here.

Rome Day 1: Navona, Pantheon, Spanish Steps, & More

By Maia Cruz

June 20, 2012

On our second day of staying in the the city of Rome we woke up and got ready for the day and then we headed to the cafe near our house. We ate some delicious pastries and drank some juice and then headed out to walk around and check out the area. Around the area of our house we saw a bunch of fountains and cute shops and we passed by a beautiful church. After we scouted out the area we went to the Pantheon. The Pantheon was filled with really beautiful old paintings and sculptures and I learned that the building was more than 2000 years old.

In the Pantheon the dome shaped ceiling had square carvings. There were bunches of marble collums and everyone had a designed carving at the top it looked really lovely. We saw the outside of the tomb of Raphiel and beside it was a lovely sculpture which Raphiel's aprentice made. After we checked everthing out at the Pantheon we headed out. We sat on the steps at the outside of the Pantheon and took out our map to see where we would go next. After we looked at the map we got up and started walking to our next destination: The Spanish Steps.


On our way to the steps we stopped by this cart that sold fruit and granitas. I got a pineapple cup, the boys got watermellon cups and we got due (two) cups of lemon granitas. There was a fountain that resembled a sinking boat  and behind it was the spanish steps. The Spanish Steps made me feel like I was in Roman Holiday. When I started walking upthe steps I remembered the scene from Roman Holiday where she ate her gelato and put the cone on one of the steps and left it there. The steps were beautiful and packed with tourists.

We walked up all the steps and went to the Villa Borghese near the steps. In the Villa we found a clock fountain and Marble Busts of famous people in history. One of the busts we found was the famous artist Leonardo Da Vinci and we got a picture of dad next to it we also foun Marco Polo And Christopher Columbo.  We hung around the park for awhile and sat on the nearby bench. After that we went out of the Vills and walked around.

Ater we walked out of the Villa we started to walk around the area and we went to the river and walked along it for awhile. After we walked along the river we went to this resturaunt by the area and had lunch. We ate some pizza and pasta. After lunch we headed back to our house and there we took a nap for a long time. By the time we got up from our nap it was already the evening and very close to dinner time. We went out and walked to a gelato place near our house. We got some gelato cones and ate them by a fountain in the sqaure.

We walked along the river again and we found some stands with books and jewelry and when all the stands ended we found the Castel S. Angelo a huge old castle. We looked at the castle for awhile and hung out by the river and then we headed home again. We also saw the St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, really amazing. When we were walking home we went on the bridge on the river and we saw some really awesome statues. When we got home we went to bed and that concludes our second day in Rome.

More photos of our Europe trip.

European Vacation: The Long Trip to Rome

By Leo Babauta

June 18-19
What a long journey! It started a bit after 6 pm on Monday June 18 in San Francisco, when we left our house and took the J train to Civic Center, where we then caught BART to the SFO airport, then took the air train to the terminal. We ate dinner after going through security and barely made the flight!

The flight itself was really long -- about 11 hours from San Francisco to Munich. The plane was great -- lots of little touches to make you more comfortable, great service from the flight crew, free wine, hot towels and more. Lufthansa is excellent!

Munich had a great airport -- clean, modern, nice. We went through the passport security, ate some pastries and coffee and juice, after about 2 hours took our connecting flight to Rome. This second flight was 1 1/2 hours. Finally we were at the Rome airport, walked a bit to find the express train, took the train to Rome Termini station (about 30 minute ride).

At Termini, we had to try to withdraw more money and use a pay phone, which was difficult. Finally we got a couple of taxis (not without trouble) and 10 minutes later were in our apartment. René showed us around and we paid most of the fee, then settled into the place. By this time it was a bit after 10 pm Rome time on Tuesday June 19 -- about 21 hours after we left home. We were exhausted!

The apartment isn't luxurious, but it is in an amazing location in the heart of old Rome, in an old building from the 1800s, and is full of charm and character. No air conditioner, and when we open the windows to get a bit of breeze, lots of voices from the tiny streets below in the crowded area near Piazza Navona. Tomorrow, we explore!