Italy

We crazy Americans decided to drive (gasp!) the 10 hours to Rome (we made it in just over 12) and then Tuscany for a 10 day visit.  It was not easy to travel in our little car with the 4 of us and all of our stuff, but we made it.  We saw the Colosseum, ate wonderful food in Tuscany and fought the crowds at Pisa.  Laura really enjoyed seeing all the sights from the backpack, but I think her most profound memory of our time there was "blinky lights".  Rome abounded in sirens and we were a block away from a hospital.  She still (a month later) is talking about blinky lights and is thrilled each time she "hears" them.  Bwinky wights, go-ing doc-tr, Mama!  She might remember gelato as well...we ate lots of gelato...

 At home trying yet another bakery's macarons.  I still have not found in in Switzerland that are up to par with the ones I've found in France.  I even prefer the ones we make to the ones I've found here!

 We walked and walked and walked.  The first day we made it to the Old Town - behind Andrew and me is the Forum.   Crazy to think of how something so magnificent in its time is now just crumbling ruins, rocks and dust.

I couldn't stop wondering how many Christians (as well as countless others) faced their deaths inside those Colosseum walls.

 Another run around/lunch break for Larua.

 Andrew slept a lot.  Here he's sleeping in front of the Temple of Vesta.

 Constantine's Arch

 Tom liked the Circus Maximus - where the chariots used to race.

 Castel Sant'Angelo and the Tiber River.

We took a day off site-seeing and took Laura to a super cool kid's museum.  There was a kid sized bank, kitchen, supermarket, garden as well as a huge water center and various other things.  Laura loved it.

I was blocking the sun from Andrew's face...too bad...it would have been a good shot of him and the Vatican! 

Laura likes to come lie next to Andrew and ask for us to take their pictures.  We usually oblige :)

 She's cute even when she's grumpy!  I'm not sure what caused this face or this photo to be taken.

 Making homemade ravioli at Fagiolari in Tuscany.  Ahh....

 She was tickled pink to be taking pictures with Daddy's camera.

We stopped in Pisa on the way home for the obligatory leaning tower shots and some lunch.  It was super crowded, but I did enjoy seeing the tower.  Yes it was a tower, yes it leaned, but I still am glad we went. 

Our photographer decided that the sidewalk was more interesting than the tower. 

 

More to come when we get the photos off the other camera!