Entry #1 Italy : May 29 - June 6, 2023

 Ciao from Italy 

We’re finally on the road again!  It’s hard to believe that we are writing this blog, sitting in a hostel, looking out on the streets of Rome, after spending a week exploring the Eternal City.  

The pandemic stole our original plans, so the anticipation for this follow-up Zwaigen Family Adventure 2.0 has been building and bubbling for a while now. It feels wonderful to make this dream a reality. 

The old adage is true; it’s like riding a bike. Starting this long-awaited, three-month journey has felt like slipping into our favourite pair of comfy shoes.  Navigating transportation, settling into new places, walking for hours, meeting new people, discovering, learning, exploring, and the joy of it all, is a familiar high; one that we’ve been pining for.  We couldn’t be more grateful.  

Here’s what’s happened so far…

An overnight flight took us to Rome and proved that the kids can tough it out even with the strain of losing a night’s sleep.  

We checked into a comic book-themed hostel, which was a perfect setting for our kiddos.  Well, almost perfect.  The life-sized superheroes were entertaining for Jamie but terrified Jessie.  

We had to request that the enormous Batman statue that perched over our bed be removed from the room.  The looming presence of the Dark Knight didn’t inspire confidence in our little girl, who, ironically, slept like a log in her bunk bed under the portrait of the Joker.  

Otherwise, there were so many wonderful perks about staying in this playful guesthouse.  It came with an in-house arcade machine and a PS4 - so it was a heavenly place for Jamie to have his downtime.  The shared kitchen and common spaces also ensured that we met many other travelers and had room to feel right at home. 

We gave ourselves a whole week in Rome so that we could take our time as we checked out all the iconic sites of this ancient city.  However, we lost no time in getting started and headed straight to the heart of Rome. 

Our gateway to the centre was Piazza Popolo, and we immediately felt the romantic aura of the grand square with twin churches, the towering obelisk, and cobblestone lanes fanning out in front of us.

One of the first major landmarks we encountered was the Pantheon.  The immensity of this 2000-year-old, once-pagan dome of worship is truly gasp-worthy. Entering this religious cavern took everybody’s breath away.  

We kept moving and little laneways directed us to the fountain-filled Piazza Navona. 

While appreciating the Four Rivers fountain, we were struck with a moment of MAGIC.  In the sea of tourists milling about the Piazza, I found myself locking eyes with a long-lost friend - my high school bestie, Elyse!! 

Despite living in the same city back home, we hadn’t crossed paths in almost a decade!  Yet here, on the other side of the ocean, in a scene that looked like a Where’s Waldo illustration, the universe brought the two of us together!  It was the best hug!  It was such an emotional reunion!!  It really felt magical and I couldn’t have asked for a more memorable first-day experience!

Over the course of the week, the magical moments kept coming, in the form of visiting famous sites with thousands of years of history, seeing incomprehensible feats of construction, being stunned by mind-blowing artistry, and indulging in delicious Italian food.  

Lee and I had each visited Rome some 20 years ago.  That trip had a different vibe… and more nights out drinking.  We realized that we finally feel mature enough to appreciate the places that we had initially visited, (speedily and hungover), mostly to check off our bucket list.  This trip allowed the awe to sink in.

The kids, on the other hand, definitely had a lower threshold for awe.  Let’s just say the 2 hours long guided tour of the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel was NOT a highlight for them.  I know it sounds heretical to say, but after about 45 minutes of ooooo-ing and ahhhh-ing at the statues, paintings, mosaics, tapestries, arches, and ceilings, we were all ready to duck out of the holy city. 

However, St. Peter’s Basilica was a worthwhile finale and gave the day a larger-than-life, lasting impression.

The looming presence of the Coliseum made it an instant winner, as far as historic sites go. It helped that we made Jamie watch "The Gladiator" recently, and Jessie had also been learning about the savage sports that took place in these ruins. Our visit gave those stories substance and really captured their attention.

However, it was still necessary to take a break before heading over to the Forum.

We have to give Jamie and Jessie lots of credit though because they were consistently energetic for the hours and hours of walking we did every day, attentive and patient with the endless dates and details in the many audio tours that accompanied our strolls, and stayed (fairly) positive even if they were baking in the heat.  

All they needed in return was the promise of daily doses of gelato, which we were happy to provide. 

We also lived on a steady diet of pizza and arancini.  Nobody wasted their time ordering a salad, (unless it was caprese :).  

We also got a special treat being in the capital city for a national holiday, Republic Day, (the day Italians opted for a republic to replace a monarchy).  We woke up early to catch the military salute of jets streaking colourful smoke through the sky in honour of the day.  

It was a great day to check out Rome’s expansive park - a green oasis in the city - just like New York’s Central Park.  We had lots of fun finding interesting ways to zip around the winding paths around Villa Borghese. 

By the end of the week, we felt as if we had conquered our touristy goals, and then some.  We had a very complete collection of selfies, smiling in front of the Trevi Fountain, over the ring of the Coliseum, in the crowds on the Spanish Steps, under the domes of several churches, in the colourful laneways of the city, and at the tables of delicious meals.  

Before embarking on this trip Lee and I were secretly nervous that Jamie and Jessie wouldn’t be as interested in this type of travel as they had been 4 years ago, now that they are older, more involved with their friends, and helplessly addicted to screens.  We have been so happy to discover that they are as enthusiastic as ever! 

They have even kept the complaints to a minimum when it comes to homework time. 

It helps that we get to go slow, be silly, and just enjoy the simple pleasure of hanging out together.

They have truly been so much fun to travel with and we feel so lucky to be making these memories with them.  

This first leg of the trip has felt like a complete success and has only made us more excited for what’s to come.