This week is the mid-cohort break at school, so Guillermo’s parents flew into Rome, and on Saturday we took the high-speed train down to meet them. Pam did an amazing job of finding fun tours for us and the kids! The more history-heavy ones were a bit hard for the kids; it turns out our little ones aren’t as excited to walk around archeological sites from 2 millennia ago, or marble marvels from 5 centuries ago, as we think they should be. Guille and Vivi did really well, but Guillermo’s arms are still recovering from carting Vivi up and down the Colosseum stairs, and Melissa will never forget having to whisper-plead Guille not to pee his pants in the Sistine Chapel (he didn’t actually have to go; he was just overheated and tired of the crowd, and he figured pulling the “I have to pee” alarm would get him out of there. It was a strategic choice, but unfortunately there was no “out.”)

The best tour was the “golf cart tour” of Rome, where a very chill and knowledgeable local picked us up in an 8-seater golf cart (equipped with baby carseat) and drove us around all the major sites. We hopped on/off at our pace, took photos, ate snacks, and really had a blast. He showed us some sites off-the-beaten path, and dropped us off at a delicious, family-friendly restaurant just 2 blocks from the hotel where we had a surprisingly delightful 3hr dinner with the kids.

Next stop: Florence/Pistoia & Maranello/Modena

Guille’s favorite part of Rome: gelato
Vivi’s favorite part of Rome: meatballs