Roma

We battled the insane crowds in Rome to catch a glimpse of some pretty cool places. Got to walk around the Colosseum but tickets to go inside were booked weeks in advance. Saw the Forum but didn't go inside as that required tickets too! Had to wait in a long line just to go inside the Pantheon, our favorite building in Rome. 

We dealt with some rain, and enjoyed a wet, fancy, birthday dinner for Naomi. We tried fresh black truffles. On our last day we also dealt with some rain. Naomi and Abigail stood in the two hour line to get into St. Peter's basilica and a thunderstorm hit halfway through. Their small, broken umbrella didn't do much to keep them dry. Claire, Matt, Amélie and I didn't want to brave the line, so we found an amazing ice cream spot and watched the torrential downpour from inside. 

Our apartment worked out great, and it was really important to meet all the family in Rome and show our girls some of the sights. The crowds were out of control. The metro was unreliable. One time it took us two hours to get back to the apartment. Everything was damp and didn't dry. Glad we were able to recover a bit in Switzerland with Claire and Matt! We had some amazing food and enjoyed the sunshine, hot tub, and some nice walks. 

We got back home late on Friday night, and this weekend is all about getting settled back in and I am trying to wrap up the novel. I updated the print version, and now I need to order more proof copies. The ebook is just about finished. Once I check the proof copies I can start sharing it with people. 

Local birthday breakfast treats!

Why does a simple grocery store lunch in Italy taste so amazing?!

Fancy birthday dinner.

Fresh black truffles.

Squished by the crowds.

So busy!

Finally a bit of space.

Amélie loved the ruins.

Amazing that the oculus is 27 feet across!

The Vatican was packed.

Much better than standing in a thunderstorm!

Fun at Auntie Claire and Matt's!

A delicious lunch inspired by Roman street food.