Archive | January, 2012

On our second day in Rome we took a trip to the Vatican, the world’s smallest country.  The art and architecture within the towering stone walls of the Vatican amazed me.  Some artistic highlights were Michaelangelo’s Pieta, Laocoon and His Sons, and of course the magnificent Sistine Chapel (no photos allowed), all of which have been on my bucket list to see sometime in my life.  Such beauty and history at every turn!  We spent several hours wandering from one highlight to another.

Elliott imagines taking a bath in this gigantic marble tub.  My family takes in the sunshine in Vatican Park with the “Sphere Within a Sphere” sculpture behind them. 

 Elliott found our little town (Motta) on a map of Sicily in the stunning Gallery of Maps.  This room was my favorite part of the Vatican; it’s much brighter and more striking than the Sistine Chapel.  (Am I allowed to say that?)

 Happy baby, wonderful uncle.  A view from inside St. Peter’s Basilica.

 Swiss soldiers in fabulous uniforms guard Vatican City.  Would you like to send yourself a postcard via the Vatican Postal Service?

 In St. Peter’s Square outside the Basilica.

 

 

 That afternoon we boarded a train bound for Venice and then drove from Venice to Zagreb, Croatia.  
Our story will pick up there tomorrow…

 

After Christmas in Sicily with my family, we flew up to Rome for a couple of days.  We did a lot of walking in those two days!  So many things to see that we had read about and studied all our lives.  All my siblings and I used the Calvert School curriculum for K-8, and every Calvert student takes Art History in 6th Grade, Sculpture in 7th, and Architecture in 8th.  We loved reviewing those textbooks together mentally as we traipsed about Roma!

The four Green siblings inside the Colosseum.

Which tourist does not belong?  As in… does not belong in this century??

 Smiling babies and carrot sculptures.  (Unfortunately Calvert School did not cover carrot sculptures.)

The Roman Forum, the old center of Rome.

Lena’s new favorite game.

With Romulus and Remus and their wolf-mother!

 Italian military policemen (carabinieri, or “the carbs,” as some lightly refer to them) wear uniforms designed by Armani.  These two had some special get-up, though, even for carabinieri.

 

Biggest jars of Nutella I have ever seen.

 Exploring the Roman subway system and snacking on a Nutella-filled crepe.

My mom watched Lena one evening so that my sisters, Elliott, and I could go out on the town for wine and antipasto.  Delicious!

 

After Christmas in Sicily with my family, we flew up to Rome for a couple of days.  We did a lot of walking in those two days!  So many things to see that we had read about and studied all our lives.  All my siblings and I used the Calvert School curriculum for K-8, and every Calvert student takes Art History in 6th Grade, Sculpture in 7th, and Architecture in 8th.  We loved reviewing those textbooks together mentally as we traipsed about Roma!

The four Green siblings inside the Colosseum.

Which tourist does not belong?  As in… does not belong in this century??

 Smiling babies and carrot sculptures.  (Unfortunately Calvert School did not cover carrot sculptures.)

The Roman Forum, the old center of Rome.

 

Lena’s new favorite game.

With Romulus and Remus and their wolf-mother!

 Italian military policemen (carabinieri, or “the carbs,” as some lightly refer to them) wear uniforms designed by Armani.  These two had some special get-up, though, even for carabinieri.

 

Biggest jars of Nutella I have ever seen.

 Exploring the Roman subway system and snacking on a Nutella-filled crepe.

My mom watched Lena one evening so that my sisters, Elliott, and I could go out on the town for wine and antipasto.  Delicious!