Visiting The Vatican And The Trevi Fountain

Remember that Italy trip we went on at the beginning of June? Well with all the craziness that's been going on over here I realized I never shared our visit to the Vatican and the Trevi Fountain. Better late than never, right?

Let's see, I left off with our time in Rome and all the exploring we had going on. Oh yes, and who can forget all of that gelato. The boys still ask about going back to get some, but their fix is being met with all the ice cream and frozen yogurt they've been consuming this summer.

If we would have done a little more research our time here probably would have went a little smoother, but you live and you learn. For starters, if you really want to visit the Vatican museums, they have an early access pass that you can get. You get to go at like 6am before it's open to the public and I hear it is a lot more enjoyable. We tried to get that pass, but it was sold out for weeks. If we would have known, we probably would have booked it months in advance. Also, every Sunday the Pope does a short speech from his window where he addresses the people around 12 noon when he's in Rome. Had we have known that ahead of time, we would have attempted to go. Even though we aren't catholic, I think it would have been a once in lifetime thing to see. We paid for jump the line passes when visiting the Vatican museums because seriously, that line was the biggest line I have ever seen in my entire life. Little did we know that if you have children 6 and under you automatically get to jump the line with them. Womp, womp. Had we have known, we would have never paid extra for jump the line passes. It also would have been nice if the tourist site we ordered them from would have disclosed that, but I guess that's how they make their money.

Anyway, we headed there bright and early and decided not to do a tour and just explore at our own pace. When we got there, there was seriously more people than I could have ever imagined. Actually, it was the most people I have ever seen in one space and the workers were saying it was a slow day. I would not have wanted to see what it looked like on a crowded day. Now I've never been to time square on NYE, but I'd have to imagine that's probably a comparable amount. My goodness, there were tons, tons, I mean tons of people. Eric and I just kept praying and saying that if anything were to ever happen he would take both the boys and I would follow as best as I could. It's sad that thought even crossed our minds but you just never know.

It was hard to really enjoy all of the beauty this place offered because we were literally crammed like sardines. On top of it, there is no air conditioner in there except for in the Sistine Chapel, and out of respect, you needed to have your shoulders covered and women need appropriate attire past their knees, as well as men. I had a jean jacket over my dress and Lord forgive me, when I got to a certain point I ripped that thing off and had my arms out. The last thing I wanted to be was a pregnant passed out woman laying under one of Michelangelo's sculptures. I did of course put my jacket back on when we went into the chapel.

The boys surprisingly were amazing. Eric held little nugget the whole time (there was no way a stroller was getting in there) and A held onto the strap of my backpack and stayed right by my side. They had fun looking at all of the cherubs booties and asking a lot of questions. Overall it was a beautiful place to visit and spend some time, but it's just really hard to enjoy it with that many people. If you can do the before access pass I would highly recommend it.

After we left the Vatican we were all starving and needed a break. We headed to lunch and of course for some more Gelato. Our last stop was going to be the Trevi Fountain and we were really glad we got to see it. I've seen the replica in Vegas but it was even more special to see the real deal.

The detail that went into this is so amazing. You just don't see things like that around here. I loved all of the old world charm and history behind it. We all made wishes in the fountain and some of them have since come true (I'm not superstitious but it's cool to see what was really on the boys hearts is coming to be). We tried to get a stranger to take a picture of all of us. Bless their heart, some do such a great job and others seem to always cut Eric off.

We finished out the day by hitting the streets and doing some more exploring. Every corner that you turn there is a restaurant, store, or ancient ruin to see. I really loved the dress I wore for the day and even got compliments from locals saying, bella, bella. They sure know how to make a mama feel special. My yellow color is currently sold out but they have it available in pink and navy, and guess what? It's on sale for $13.99! That's less than what I paid and now I'm thinking about it in another color. I'm wearing a size 2 and it's non-maternity.

We relaxed the rest of the night and got our things together for the airport. Our flight was a smooth one but once we landed back at home we had to wait over an hour on the runway for a ramp to open up for our plane to unload. That was interesting with it being after midnight by the time we landed and the time difference. The plane also had all of the lights on so there was no sleeping for the boys. They did get a little antsy but so was everyone else on the plane. Aside from that, they were great little travelers and I would definitely pack the family up and take them on another European adventure. until next time, Italy! 

When In Rome And All The Gelato

Our Italy trip at most points felt like nothing short of a dream. The views in the Amalfi Coast, the culture, the food in Naples, the memories, all of it was just amazing. Our final stop was heading back to Rome to spend a few days there and take in the sights and sounds of the city. 

It was a lot busier than the other areas we visited (well Naples might have been comparable) but it felt, and was, a lot bigger. The amazing thing about Rome was all of the ancient ruins and history just out and around. You're walking down the street, oh look, there's the Colosseum. I mean, I have been very blessed to visit a lot of places, but I haven't come across the preserved artifacts like we did in Rome.

Of course we had to do some touristy things and visit the Colosseum. We chose to do an hour long guided tour with a jump the line pass (I would highly recommend a jump the line pass). They have tours that you could seriously spend half the day there, but with the kids, and it ended up being so hot, we knew we did not want to be with a tour all day. One thing about us, when we travel we like to do a lot on our own and see the highlights. We don't try to conquer the world in one trip but do what's important to us and make sure we also have time to wind down and relax. Especially when you're traveling with kids, you need to be flexible and realistic.

The boys really enjoyed the Colosseum and were giving us their best lion roars and looking for lizards on the pillars (go figure). A was also really into taking pictures and wanted to use my camera but I'm still really nervous about him dropping it. We have a GoPro Hero 5 that's pretty indestructible so it was perfect for him to take around and snap away. Some of his pics came out really good and I loved seeing his perspective.

Of course one of our favorite things in Italy was eating all the gelato. There were some days we spoiled the boys and let them have it after lunch and then again after dinner. They loved it. Every time they ate it, it would drip all over them and they would just savor every bite. When they got to the end they would drink it like a milk shake. Good till the last drop.

One of the things I make sure to do when I travel is wear things that are functional and comfortable. That goes from my clothes to my shoes. A basic cotton dress was so perfect to walk around in, like this one c/o PinkBlush. I also made sure my sandals had straps on them since the ground there can be very uneven and there are many different hills and turns to take.

I shared this on my instagram, but it was really cute because while we were away A told us he came up with a name for his baby brother. We asked him what he was thinking and he said, Roman! I loved that he thought of it and was so happy to share it with us, but I wished that I loved it more as a first name. We are seriously tapped out of boy names. Maybe we'd consider it as a middle name, but how cute is he to think of that?

We had a lot of fun exploring the city and still have more to share with our time at the Vatican and the Trevi Fountain. Until next time...  

Traveling The Amalfi Coast

Ah, the Amalfi Coast. There's something extra special about this little slice of the world that gets me excited even typing this out. We loved visiting Italy and the other cities we ventured to, (you can read more about our time in Naples here) and I still have to share our stay in Rome, but, the coast, well the coast has my heart. 

Maybe it's because I'm a beach girl at heart and being by the water just gets me happy, but there is something so breathtaking about this place that it almost feels like you're walking through a dream when you're down on the beach and look up at the all of the houses and beautiful colors on the side of the mountains. We'll talk more about that dreaded trek to actually get down there, but let's start where I left off with our stay in Naples. 

We had just finished tasting some of the best pizza in the world and packed the car up to make the hour drive to the coast. Driving in Naples was absolutely crazy but an experience nonetheless. I have so much more respect for Eric's driving skills and his ability to drive a manual car. Seriously, he's kind of awesome. Thankfully this drive felt like nothing and was mainly on the highway. When we got off at our exit you could feel the difference. If any of my local friends are reading this, it's like hitting that bridge to get to the shore and driving over it with the water under neath you, and you just know a good time's about to be had.

We couldn't help but stop and pull over to take in the views as we made our way into Sorrento. They were just as pretty as I'd imagined. There was a man with a small cart selling lemon water ice, so you know we couldn't pass that up. All the lemons, so many lemons.

We made our way into Sorrento and checked into our hotel. We stayed in Sorrento, and since we had a car we made the short 20 minute drive into Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello. We loved Sorrento. It was easy to navigate, much different than Positano, as in it didn't have as many steep cliffs or tiny streets to wind through. But with that, it also didn't have the views that some other areas adorned. Our hotel was a cozy stay and conveniently located to all the restaurants and walking to the beach.

We visited Marina de Puolo beach and the boys were so anxious to get their feet in the water. We didn't mind laying out and relaxing either. There is a public section or an area where you can pay for a chair and an umbrella. Of course some random dog found Eric on the beach and made itself very comfortable in his lap. The boys thought it was the funniest thing and we learned the dog's name was amour, super cute. It's a very interesting walk to get down there with winding curves and some steep inclines. They did have a lift (an elevator as we like to call it) that you could pay to take. We paid on the way up because this pregnant mama tried to save her legs as much as she could. And let's be honest, the journey up is always much harder.

Sorrento has so many great restaurant options, shopping, and a beautiful strip with views of the mountains. There are lemon trees, and orange trees all mixed in with the palm trees. It really adds to some beautiful scenery.

We spent 4 days on the coast and each day made our way around to where we wanted to visit. We drove into Positano three different times and really just loved it there. Everyone warned us about the driving and how it crazy it was being on the side of a mountain, but you know what, that was nothing compared to the craziness in Naples. Sure it has twists and turns and you were winding all around, but if you're ok with being in a car and don't have a weak stomach, the drive was really beautiful. You seriously can't beat the views, but I will give my honest opinion about the beaches because I can always appreciate when someone gives the good, and the not so great. I'm not even calling this the bad, because it wasn't bad, just different.

Ok, so to get down to the beach...I certainly do not miss the three hundred some steps (at least that's what it felt like to get there and that's not an exaggeration). You have these breathtaking views from up above but you need to get down to where the beach actually is. Aside from the steps there is also a very winding street that you can take (along with some steps) to get there. We did it, and multiple times, but it is not for the faint of heart. Once you're down there you kind of forget about all of the craziness it took to get there (that is until you wake up the next morning with sore legs) because it is that beautiful, the scenery that is. You have the Mediterranean water splashing in front of you and mountain views looking up. But the beach itself, I feel bad saying this, but I've seen nicer. Here's the thing, in my opinion it's hard to beat the beautiful colors of the Caribbean ocean and that soft white sand. Here it's just different, and we knew that going into it. The sand is a lot like gravel and it's very rocky. Like you need your flip flops to walk across it or you are doing all kinds of crazy moves with your body to take pressure off of those spots you are hitting on your feet. We definitely saw some funny body moves from people who tried to rough it out.

Rocks and sand aside, the beach is still a beautiful place to be and really relaxing. The boys had the time of their life and pretty much didn't leave the waters edge. They collected, and threw, all the rocks in the water. Had a great time finding tiny pieces of seaglass and seeing small fish swimming at our feet. Every day they asked to be at the water and weren't the happiest when we told them we needed to leave. Thankfully it was usually to get something to eat so knowing that gelato was on the horizon did help a little. I mean, sometimes a little bribe is what you need, right?

I'm really sad because I had my first international sponsor lined up for a private tour to the island of Capri that was canceled due to really rough waters and high winds. We did hear that some of the most beautiful parts that you can swim in are only accessible by boat, so I can't speak for the grottos and other areas. Unfortunately we couldn't work out a different day because it was our last on the coast before heading to Rome. Eric and I just keep saying we'll have to go back (which we really would) and this time we will make it to Capri. It was still such a great day (just extra windy) because really, is there a bad day in Italy?

We also visited Marina da Praia that was a small beach with a lot of locals and some great places to eat right on the water. A lot of the beaches are smaller in size and not all of them are accessible by car, mainly because there is absolutely no where to park and there isn't much of a shoulder to walk down the street. I would have loved to see Fiordo di Furore but once we got there and realized there was no where to park, and the walk down was even steeper than any of the others we saw, we didn't think it was a good idea for us to try and attempt it. Maybe if it was just Eric and I (and I wasn't pregnant) we could have done it, but this time around we passed.

We spent most of our time at the famous Spiaggia Grande and Fornillo beach. We loved being right on the Spiaggia Grande and having access to all of the restaurants and shops. It also had some of the most amazing views in my opinion. It's also where the water taxis and the excursions leave from. We had a great meal at Le Tre Sorelle and if you ever get the chance to visit, try to the stuffed zucchini. It's one of the best things I've ever eaten and we even went back from more. When you think of Italy the immediate thing that comes to mind is pasta and pizza, but being so close to the water here, the seafood was amazing. It's caught fresh and most restaurants have it sitting out on ice for you to pick from. The boys sure got some entertainment out of seeing that and little nugget tasted things I can't even think to stomach. We also loved the gelato and lemon sorbet at Ristorante Covo Dei Saraceni. Seriously, how festive and cute is it to be served out of a lemon.

If you're planning on spending some time at the beaches I would recommend to pack a bag and have it with you for the day. We were advised to do this ahead of time by friends who previously went and it couldn't have made things easier. We wore our beach clothes and then had a change of clothes for after so we could stay and enjoy dinner and walk around. Out of our whole trip, I think Eric and I agreed that we would definite go back to the coast and from there look to visit other cities like Florence or Venice. Basically all of Italy was amazing but there is really something special about this place.