Celebrating My 50th Birthday In Rome, Italy ( 2 years Late) Journal Entry Day 2
Breakfast in Rome with my girls
We’ve been back in Chicago for a few weeks now and boy do I miss Italy. I went to a coffee shop today and had trouble ordering as I wanted to order the way i did in Italy. I tried to order a “caffe Freddo” which is an Iced coffee, but NOT an iced coffe like we have in Chicago. It’s a little glass of delicious ice cold coffee ( sometimes sweetened) AND with no ice. It’s simply chilled coffe and it’s just delicious. I stumbled on my words over and over today and settled for an iced latte , which hit the spot. I’ve missed the coffee, the food and of course The Italian way of life…
I talked about our journey of traveling to Italy in last weeks Blog Post. As a divorced mom of 3, traveling to Rome, it was a huge accomplishment for many reason,s and I look forward to more international travel with my kids.
Day 2 in Rome : Sistine Chapel, The Vatican and Extreme Heat
My oldest and I left early in the morning to see my daughter who’d been in Rome for a month now. We were able to have breakfast with her before she headed off to classes. It was amazing to have breakfast with my girls…and in ROME! We headed back to Airbnb to get my sister and my son for our Sistine Chapel and Vatican guided tour . Absolutely amazing for so many reasons . I can’t explain how much I’ve learned and my heart was so happy to see what I’ve only seen a million times in history books .. and for my children to experience it all along side me was just something special . To look up and see the original art by Michaelangelo - overwhelming , I felt it deep in my soul , (while being totally silent as they ask you to remind quiet and no pics allowed ) was overwhelming . Dress code enforced as well (shoulders and knees covered or no entrance )
The heat here is something I’ve never experienced .. like Orlando and Las Vegas in august combined with a hot flash ladies!!! .
… we packed appropriately and are still just dripping sweat daily and have chafed thighs .( temp was 106 )
We had an amazing lunch and then walked to Prati . ( the food ) My son purchase a Lego to remember his trip here and my sister and oldest daugher shopped .
A long walk back to the Airbnb .. grabbed my first gelato …and my son at 6pm was showered and in bed for the night .
My sister and daughter went to the local neighborhood restaurant , where not a drop of English was spoken … however they ate very well , had wine and made new friends and some Italian men brought them roses to celebrate the Americans enjoying Rome .
Everyone is friendly , everyone appreciates our horrible Italian (as we are at least trying ) .
Grateful is an understatement
