Viva Italia-Part 2

I am attempting to finish this today.  Wish me luck...internet is whacky, so I'm standing in the kitchen again and photo loading is going very slow...


Day 3: After we spent our wonderful day in Venice, we woke up and hit the road again.  We had about a 5 hour drive to Rome.


The drive was pretty quick and we found the hotel without a problem ( can you believe it?)  It was an okay hotel about a half hour by tram to Rome.  After settling in, Mike went to get info on exactly how to get tickets and where to catch the tram.  The tram station was only a ten minute walk away.   We decided to give it a try, since the next morning we would be on a tight schedule to get to our tour meeting point at the Colosseum. 

We took the tram and then the metro to the Trevi Fountain.  It was so pretty!!  It was so crowded!!  Did I mention that all the schools in Italy were out for spring break and that admission to all the museums was FREE!?   We just decided to go with the flow and enjoy Rome, crowds and all!

Trevi Fountain

After Travis and I threw our coins in the fountain guaranteeing our return to Rome someday, we walked down a side street filled with little restaurants and cafes until we found one that looked good.  We went in and had lasagna, pizza and spaghetti.  Delicioso!!   Then we made the metro and tram trip back to the hotel.

Day 4: We had a full schedule.  A three hour tour to the Roman Forum in the morning and then a three hour tour to the Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica in the afternoon.  The guides for both tours were very knowledgeable and interesting.  One was an archeologist and one was a classical art major.  

We left the hotel in the morning thinking "It's cold, but it will surely warm up by the time we get to the Forum"  Wrong!!   It was downright chilly and poor Travis had decided not to bring his hoodie, so he was freezing.  He was blue, his teeth were chattering and I was so worried about him.  The guide even offered him her scarf to wrap up in.  The sun finally came out about an hour into our tour and then he warmed up.

Brrrrrrrrr!

Travis finally getting warmed up by the sun!

Walking into the Colosseum

After our tour of the Forum and the Colosseum, we had to get to the Vatican for the next tour.  We had to take the Metro, change lines at the Termini and do it all in thirty minutes.   We made it in just the nick of time!   

The Vatican Wall and entrance

We met our guide and walked about five minutes to the entrance to the Vatican Museums. 
**Remember you can click on the small pictures to make them bigger! 

After seeing the sculptures, the tapestries and the paintings of Raphael, we then went into the Sistine Chapel.  They don't allow photos in there, but can I just say...it was amazing!  So detailed and colorful.  The guide explained to us how these aren't really paintings, but frescoes.  Frescoes are painted while the plaster is wet, which sets the color forever.  They do need to be cleaned every so often but they are never painted over, just washed and then the colors become vibrant again.  Both Michaelangelo and Raphael's paintings were breathtaking!

St. Peter's Basilica

The Jubilee Door opened every 25 years.

Michaelangelo's La Pieta, done when he was only 25!

We then went into St. Peter's and finally out into the square itself.  

It was a long day but we all really loved every minute of it!  I just kept pinching myself to realize I was really in Rome and tried to soak it all in.


We stopped by Hard Rock Cafe so Travis could collect another T-shirt and had some expensive burgers, then headed back to the hotel to rest our weary piggies.


Day 5: We were on the road again, this time headed for the our hotel that was about an eight hour drive away in the Italian Alps.  

Our hotel in the middle of nowhere.

We got off the beaten path and took a less traveled path that went right into the heart of the alps.  Our hotel was a really nice 4 star in the middle of nowhere!  We seem to like the middle of nowhere this trip (that is to say "the boonies" again)

In the Swiss Alps

The Swiss Alps

At the top of Simpon Pass

Day 6: Our final day, our plans were to go to Zermatt and the boys were going to ski on the Matterhorn, but by the time we got to the place where the road ends and you have to take the train the last leg from Täsche to Zermatt, we decided it wouldn't really be worth it because we still had a six hour drive home.  We did see the Mattherhorn and we really enjoyed the drive over the Simpon Pass between Italy and Switzerland.  It was beautiful!

The Matterhorn

We finally made it back to good old Spesbach and were happy to be home after such a whirlwind trip.  Lots of driving but worth every minute!!


Now we are back to the grind...seminary, school, work etc...  I feel like I just woke up from a wonderful dream.
Sweet Dreams!


love and miss you all,
-corri