Florence, Italy

Here we are in Florence.  The Adults took a day trip and came to visit this famous landscape.

This is the baptistry.

The ceiling was painted in many scriptural stories.

All revolving around Christ.

 Then we climbed the steps to the Dome of the cathedral.

If Europe has helped us in any way it has helped Robin overcome here fear of heights.

Or at least here fear of climbing more than 400 steps at one time.

We walked all the way to the top!

Statues outside the Uffizzi.

Here we are standing on a bridge that is filled with shops. Centuries ago they were butcher shops and they would throw all the waste in the river.  Now it is filled with shops of high end jewelry.

The palace of the Medici Family.

We only got a couple pics before they informed us that no pics were allowed.

The Boboli Gardens.

Caverns at the Boboli Gardens.

The doors from the Baptistry.

Another "Piety" that Michelangelo started, but never  finished.  We also saw his "David," but no photos were allowed.  I have to tell you that after seeing his "Piety" in Rome I see no reason why David is unclothed.  Michelangelo's talent is so great, he did a fabulous job with cloth and he easily could have put clothes on "David" and still had a masterpiece. 

Rome in a Day

While in Italy we took all the big kids to Rome for just one day.

This is old Rome.

These are the ruins from before the "sacking of Rome."

I think that is a good way to explain it.

Many old structures

Remnants from the times of Caesar and before.

These caves are assumed to be were Remus and Romulus were raised by wolves.

The Colosseum

Nato and Jacob

Side Story: On the drive to Italy Benjamin lost his second tooth.  Actually it is more accurate to say the Matthew lost Benjamin's second tooth.  You see, as we were driving the kids were enjoying suckers and Matthew reached over to Benjamin and just pulled Benjamin's sucker out of his mouth.  With the sucker also came the tooth and well, I wonder if dentistry will be in Matthew's future.

The "big"crew, Nato is behind the camera as always.

When Rome was "Sacked" the pope and his fellow leaders hid in this fortress.  They were able to escape to this fortress through underground tunnels.

Welcome to Vatican City

Michelangelo's "Piety"

Inside St. Peter's Basilica.

This is suppose to be were Peter is laid to rest.

Emma

Benjamin resting while we all learn MORE!!!

The Swiss Guard are the official protectors of the Pope.

St. Peters Basilica

Trevi Fountain

Make a wish!

The Spanish Steps

Nato and Ben on the Spanish Steps

Emma

The Pantheon from the inside,

and the out.

Here we are on the out.

So it was about three hours on a train both ways, and it cost a pretty penny for the babysitters we left the 6 little kids with.  But it was worth it.  The big kids really did well.  Benjamin was happy because he got to have gelato twice and everyone got to see Rome in just one day!