Italy - Wednesday - travel to Ischia

We packed up and headed to the train station for our trip to Naples.  We had warned the girls to really watch their bags because pick pockets are the worst in the train stations... Gabby took this to heart and made us crazy asking us to watch her backpack (on her back) every few minutes. The train ride was uneventful except for the fact that Gabby could not access the wifi.

Feeling very Italian, drying clothes before we packed

On the way to the train station a formal send-off for us...

Naples cab drivers are amazing... don't slow down for anything including narrow streets lined with vendors and merchandise.  To cross a busy intersection they just inch their way across with traffic flowing around the taxi and somehow it just works. 

We had a short wait for the ferry to Ischia which was crowded and hot.  Half way through the trip Sofia was hot and not feeling well, luckily she made it but as we disembarked Gordon noticed the barf bags hanging at the top of the posts around the boat... noted for the return trip!

After some confusion we made it to our hotel where the girls were so happy to see a pool!

Forio port

A couple of Italian ladies commented about how 'piccolo' (tiny) Sofia was hauling her suitcase

Forio

View from the rear balcony of Monte Epomeo

Happy!

View from the top deck

The hot tub

View from our front balcony

Rome, Italy - Tuesday, the Colosseum

After waiting forever for a city bus (making us really appreciate the punctuality of Stockholm buses) , accidentally taking #46 instead of #64, we finally arrived for our afternoon tour of the Colosseum. The girls had been excited about the Colosseum but after the tour declared it creepy due to it's bloody history. 

On the way to the Colosseum... One of many city water taps

Accordion player during lunch

Gelato #5

Built from 70-80 AD

Used for 400+ years then abandoned

Materials were taken from the abandoned Colosseum for new buildings

The underground passages were small and dark, lighted only by torches which frequently caught things on fire

On the walk back to our apartment...

Rome, Italy - Tuesday - St. Peter's Basilica

Our last full day in Rome, we had to get in St. Peter's Basilica and the Colosseum.  As promised the girls actually were ready to leave the apartment at 9am so we sprung for a cab.  We decided to hike to the top of the cupola first.  Gabby said it would be cheating to take the elevator so we walked the full 551 steps up and 551 steps down... Sofia skipped her way up and down.  The girls didn't like the narrow, slanted steps at the top of the cupola and were ready to head down as soon as they arrived at the top. 

Gabby thought St. Peter's Basilica was a waste of space and more floors could have been added

 The girls did agree that the central canopy would be a great place to put a bed

The last thing we did was a quick tour of the catacombs... the girls thought they were creepy and freaky.  Sofia pointed out 'Pope, Pope, Pope' for each tomb we passed. 

Mailing postcards