Day 3: Rome

Rise and shine. 5.30 am and we were all awake ready for the day.  I'm not sure if that's excitement or jet lag but it feels pretty good to be ahead of the day.  We set off around 7am and were swallowed by incredible buildings within minutes.  We walked past the Piazza del Quirinale on the way to the Trevi Foundation.  It seems most of Rome were still asleep, as we were the only people there.  Sadly its closed for renovations but it was surrounded by perspex barriers so you can still see everything clearly.  The size of it is just amazing and really imposing because its set amongst other buildings being apartments I'm guessing and not at the end of a grand "via".  It was beautiful, very white and just magic to have it all to ourselves.  How on earth did they carve that stone so perfectly?  I am just in awe and cant stop pinching myself that we're here in this incredible place.  On to the Pantheon via a series of gorgeous cobblestone streets that lead us past some enormous columns that were just tucked in behind another building.  Random, I have no idea how old they were but they were again mind blowing. The outside of the Pantheon wasn't so compelling in comparison to many of the other buildings we've seen, and sadly its starting to deteriorate particularly at the back.  We were there before opening time, so we sat at a café just opposite it on Piazza del Rotonda and had a coffee and some milkshakes that the kids didn't like.  Again it was quiet and so easy to sit and soak up the experience.  I pinched myself again. We played tip with the kids while we waited, and then died at the cost of the experience - 35 Euro, but hey, when in Rome.... The Pantheon was incredible inside.  How did these people get to be so clever, so many years ago.  The ceiling is really simple but beautiful, like a beehive almost.  And the floor is just old, and divine, and marble, and amazing.  I could just sit here for hours.  Maxie said he was bored.  Typical.  So we sat and said a prayer together and thanked the gods for our lot in life.  We set off for the Museo Nationale del Palazzo Venezia and Basilica di San Marco.  We passed some ruins unearthed alongside a street.  We got lost and walked around in circles.  It was 37 degrees at 11AM and the kids were starting to get over the walking by the time we arrived in the centre of the Capitoline Museum.  I bought a book to help with explaining stuff to the kids, thinking the more interesting I make it, the more compliant they'd be.  But, typical, I picked up the Italian version and non capito anything. Stupida la mumma.  A quick drink and a relax in the shade, we were off in the wrong direction again, which took us to the Roman Forum and I was speechless.  OMG, I cant even begin to describe how numb I felt.  How incredible is this place.  Sadly Rick said we needed to keep moving as we have tour on Monday, so best we see other things.  We took some happy snaps and jumped into a cab as the Garbin's and Agresta's had arrived and were meeting us for lunch in Travestere.  The cab driver took us on the "scenic" route, past the Colosseum and some more of the Roman Forum.  It was the most expensive cab ride yet, but hey who's complaining in this heat.  Back to the same place for lunch yesterday, just because it was easy.  We had a beautiful creamy risotto with scampi and squid ink as the highlight.  The 30 Euro charge for bread that we didn't ask for wasn't so impressive and we had to send Nonno into battle when the bill came to sort it out.  Regardless, it was great to be together and much celebration will be had once they have a shower and get over their jet lag! Gelato's all round and a walk back along Via del Lungaretta past the porchetta shop to check out the prosciutto and hanging meats. We all headed home to seek refuge from the heat and will catch up in the morning.