All roads lead to Rome (but we still don’t recommend driving here!)  What a fantastic and unique city.  There were so many important places that we wanted to revisit with the kids, so the last couple of days have been pretty full.

We arrived on Thursday afternoon.  By all accounts, we got very lucky and probably should have arrived much later (we missed an exit – go figure).  For those of you that haven’t driven in Rome – DON’T!!!  It was a crazy experience that tested our composure, but we made it to our parking garage in one piece (and still married).

Thursday evening was spent touring around Trastevere, on the south side of the Tiber River.  Maureen and I did not explore this area the last time we were in Rome.  It’s a very lively Roman neighbourhood with lots of restaurants and excitement on the streets (buskers, spray paint artists, street comedians).  We strolled through the streets and alleyways, and tried more gelato flavours.

The next morning, we went straight to the Forum and the Colosseum.  Greg and Brianna seemed pretty amazed by the history of both places.  The ruins in the Forum are so fascinating, and we picked up a book that shows before and after images of the ruins.  We spent close to 4 hours in this area.  Next we made our way to the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps (Trinita dei Monti church), and the Pantheon.  We walked everywhere (20,200 steps on Mo’s iPhone) and by the end the kids were spent, but glad we had filled the day up visiting these historic ‘must-sees’.

This morning we woke up to the sound of chanting outside our window.  When we looked outside there was a procession of about 100 priests and monks, along with a Roman Bishop and Cardinal strolling past our apartment (filling the narrow street).  They were followed by hundreds of worshippers who were also singing and chanting.  It was such a cool experience to witness.  Very powerful and moving.

After breakfast we made our way to the Vatican.  We wanted to see the Sistine Chapel, but the lines were too long.  Instead we explored the Basilica (St. Peter’s Cathedral) and St. Peter’s Square.  We were very lucky to experience a Mass inside the famous Cathedral and see a cardinal up close for the second time today! So much history in that building to learn about – our favourite was the Michael Angelo sculpture called ‘La Pieta’.

The afternoon was spent strolling through the streets and piazzas by the river. It was 23 degrees and not a cloud in the sky.  We stumbled upon an interesting event.  A group of young priests were mingling with the locals; they had set up a net and turf (about 14×20’) and were playing ‘soccer’ in a piazza outside a chapel.  Then some of them were playing guitar and saxophone in the streets and others were singing in the chapel and handing out candles for special intentions to be placed on a cross on the floor. It was all very easy going and the kids were given candles to go set in the church and Greg played some soccer with these priests who were excellent players to put it mildly.  They said they practice soccer, basketball and volleyball as their 3 main sports while in the seminary.  One gave Bri a rosary and Greg 2 medallions to keep. So, overall we had some religious ‘experiences’ today to say the least.

Today was a great day! We started the day in the central market where we met an old student of my parents. He told us a little bit about his story after he left Switzerland which is where him and my parents had last seen each other. He told us a lot about his accomplishments like how he started his own music company which Pitbull was involved in and how he has just started a dessert business in Miami which is why he was in Florence researching Gelato making! He also told us about many different experiences he has had such as living in different places like Columbia, Oakville ON, The Cayman Islands, and Miami, Florida. It was very nice to see him again, because it helped open my eyes to all the different options there are in the business world, but it was also amazing to see an old friend again. After our lunch in the market we left for Pisa to see the leaning tower. Brianna, my Mom, and I climbed it, but not my Dad because he hates heights. After that we started driving to Lucca,but couldn’t stop there due to an unexpected (and severe) thunder storm, so we decided to just drive straight through and back to Florence. When we arrived back, we heard that a big earthquake had hit Rome and it could also be felt in Florence! We missed it while driving in the storm! Tomorrow we leave for Rome! Here are some pics of Pisa!

GW

It was hard leaving the  quaint canals and bridges of Venice to move on to Florence. However, once we were driving the countryside, Chris and I remembered why we love Tuscany so much! We’d never been to Florence but it doesn’t disappoint. It is magnificent with it’s rich history and grand buildings. We have so far only explored Florence by night because we arrived at 5:00pm yesterday and after settling into our apartment, we went for a walk through the historic centre and a late dinner. Then today we woke and drove to Sienna for the day (LOVE Sienna), returning in time to walk into the centre again and explore new areas. We ate a late dinner outside the Academia Gallery with all of the beautiful sculptures around us and music playing in the background. With 23 degree weather, it was truly a relaxing place to be for this time of year.

It is such a treat having 2 weeks holidays in October, which by the way, seems to be a very civilised idea now that we’re experiencing it. 🙂

We also ran into a famous ‘star’ that Brianna knows from different movies – Rebel Wilson!!! She was walking on a street close to our apartment (with one other lady) and Brianna noticed it was her.  No one else was around so Bri felt brave enough to run back after we had passed her, and ask for a photo together. That was exciting and kept the kids buzzing for a while! Chris and I on the other hand get excited about Ponte Vecchio and all of the amazing architecture and history around us. So it was another beautiful evening in Florence!

Tomorrow we meet an old friend for lunch (well, he’s young, but we knew him many years ago). Hugo Cardona was a student in my grade 2 class in 2001 (Switzerland) and he has kept in touch with us since we found each other on Facebook a few years ago. Chris taught his sister and both Cardona’s have messaged Greg and Brianna over the past couple of years.  Hugo saw that we were in Florence and he is too, so we arranged to meet!  We also hope to go to Pisa and Lucca tomorrow with the car. Keep checking in…Rome is around the corner!

Giambologna’s art

Rebel Wilson! OMG!

MW

Brianna’s Post:

Just around the corner from our apartment in Venice, is a Fish therapy place where you can have ‘kiss’ fish eat the dead skin off your feet. It was scary when I first put my feet in the water…it felt like many little nibbles all at once, and it was so strange to see fish squirming around your feet and eating from them! Then it actually felt relaxing. After 10 minutes I dried my feet off and put an ‘enzyme’ cream on. They were sooooo soft from the ‘Kiss Fish’ (actually Garra ruff fish).  Here are a couple pics of me getting this weird pedicure!

BW

Hello from Venice.  Man, it has been too long since we’ve been to this beautiful spot on the globe.  This was a really cool experience for Maureen and I because the last time we were here, the kids were very small.  In fact, Brianna learned to crawl when we were just pulling out of Venice on our cruise to Greece.  This experience has already been much different, and just as special.

We began our vacation at Gare du Lyon in Paris, and boarded the ‘Thello’ overnight train.  Although it was a tight fit, the four of us managed to catch a few Zzz’s.  The trip to Venice took 14 hours, but because we were asleep much of that time, it seemed very manageable.

We’ve been booking most of our accommodations through Airbnb, and have we ever lucked out.  Our first apartment is very comfortable and located in a stunning location, right beside a picturesque canal and very close to a gorgeous square.  We spent our first day getting lost in Venice, and ended up at St. Mark’s Square.  We had a late lunch outdoors, and the kids were both served wine (which we quickly grabbed off of them), and the best pasta and pizza we’ve had in a while.

Maureen and I were commenting how much easier it is this time with the kids this age, and they are enjoying their time exploring.  Breezy is excited to see all of the brand name, designer shops (Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci etc…), and Greg is loving all of the amazing food around every corner (seafood pizza!). Tonight the girls are thinking of going to have a pedicure by ‘kiss fish’ (fish therapy). They have these cool looking tanks of fish to put your feet in and the fish eat away at the dead skin.

(Hmmm? stay posted)

CW

Some food bits:  There is this amazing fact that beer and wine in France are cheaper than juice and milk. So, it is tempting to pick up a $3.50 bottle of wine every time you go to the grocery store. My librarian is a wine connoisseur and today I asked him for the name of a good (but inexpensive) wine here and he pulled a bottle out of his mini fridge in the library!! But of course!! Doesn’t every teacher librarian keep a bottle of wine in their library?? He saw my eyes widen and responded “Mais Oui! You live in France now!”  …It is true that Chris and I were a little shocked to see tables of wine bottles and cheese wheels etc. all set up on Open House night and both teachers and parents drinking together!  Wine has been at every school function…:)

Food has been an interesting learning curve here. Most grocery store items are familiar (with a heavy emphasis on breads, cheeses, sliced ham and smoked salmon), but it’s tough cooking without a BBQ and meat is very expensive anyway, therefore, we have to get creative . For most of us Canadians, ‘no BBQ’ is a real challenge in itself. Also, it requires me to read all package information and instructions
 in French which takes some getting used to. We try to cook mainly with all fresh foods, but again, this means shopping every 2nd day and planning meals carefully so that you only buy the ingredients needed with the smaller refrigerators used in European apartments. We also shop at outdoor markets once a week. Our town has one every Wednesday and Saturday.

Besides the ‘NO BBQ challenge’ and ‘WINE & BEER everywhere dilemma’, I have been on a mission to find coffee cream.  I have bought 3 different things I thought could be coffee cream, but it was never quite right. I’ve asked different grocery workers for coffee cream and they all shake their head, and say (in French) – “We don’t put cream in our coffee.”  The only sure fact I know is that they do have little tiny coffee creamers that have a brownish UHT (non-refrigerated)   cream in it, and that is all I’ve seen used at parties. There are other products called ‘fleurette’, ‘creme fluid’ and ‘creme lite’ but the cream blobs out kind of lumpy and the taste isn’t quite right. Needless to say, it’s hard to make a coffee that is anything like home,…unless we go to Starbucks of course.  🙂 Which we do whenever we can! Most people have their own Espresso machine at home here, so there are no ‘Timmy’ line ups in Paris, and we don’t miss that!

MW

The entire Wayling family hit Belgium this weekend to play volleyball, with mom and dad coaching…and Greg and Bri playing against the International School of Brussels (ISB) and St.John’s International School. ISB was having their big homecoming weekend, with bands and events for the alumni.  There were volleyball games, soccer games, and an American Football match.  Lots of people in the stands, and lots of school spirit being shown on both sides.  Overall an incredible atmosphere for the kids and their teams.

Greg’s games were streamed live on YouTube at:  https://youtu.be/6WUqewsEzJM  so if you copy that URL to your web browser, you can see him playing. His team starts a game at the 2:33 time point. You can see him limping around (as the captain) trying to pump up his team – he and #6 have foot injuries so they are taped.  Two of their other top players are out with injuries as well, so Chris’ team did extremely well with what they had. Brianna’s team wasn’t live streamed, 😦 …but they played very well also, and we all had a great time at the adjoining gyms for Friday night and Saturday.  Chris and Greg’s team went 10 for 10, winning every game this weekend; and mine lost to ISB but won every set against St. John’

The players roomed overnight with members of the other team (but they house in pairs, with a teammate) and the hosts provided them with dinner that night and then a packed lunch or money for lunch the next day! That means after the game, the players go off (in pairs) to a stranger’s house, and the coaches go to a hotel and out for a very nice meal, paid for by the school.  So, it is  quite a system. The Athletic Director drives the coaches to their hotel and picks them up in the morning an hour before game time. It all works out perfectly. Chris and I had fun at this one tournament together, disappointed now, that we won’t be at another one together possibly.