Culture Week '08

Well, after all the rain, thunder and lightning that made Easter so dramatic, Treva and I went home, changed into some warmer clothes and hit the road. The railroad to be exact. We had to hustle and make sure that we were in the terminal waiting for Mama Selvaggio and Frank as soon as they arrived. We met them at the airport and were very excited to see them!!

(EDIT: Graham was nice enough to start the post... I've come in, added more pictures, and will be finishing it, so please forgive the change in narration :) )

First stop on my parents' itinerary? Well, Pompeii of course!

It was raining, but we got in for free, so we didn't mind!

Good thing my mom had her hood :)

One of the few seconds when it wasn't pouring...


Taking a moment for a brake in an ancient home
He needs that extra step to feel bigger... Napoleon syndrome :)

The city of Pompeii was taken by such surprise that this dog was still roped to his post when he was killed by the enormous volcanic explosion.

Graham in the ancient amphitheater with great acoustic, and just think, this was centuries before Bose :)


Some of the only surviving frescoes in Pompeii can be found in, you guest it, the brothel! It was a virtual menu of what the ladies had to offer; basically point and pick a room!


A body cemented in ash...

Stepdad (Frank) looking ever so mafia :)

Pompeii after the rain

My man owning the Italian roads... in the fiat :)

Our beautiful sunset on the way home

The parents were tuckered out from such a long day... time for a nappy nap!

I brought my mom to meet my children and Livia, Enrico and Eduardo couldn't wait to meet her...... it didn't hurt that she brought them presents :)

Throwing coins in the Trevi

The view from Castel St. Angelo at sunset

The boys couldn't get enough of the antique weapons... go figure!

Roma a notte (Rome at night)

Bello San Pietro... this is why I love Rome!

Me and the mamma
The cute little door within the massive door, exiting Castel St. Angelo

Parents on the bus!

Graham and Frank were twins!

The drive through Tuscany on our way to Florence

Look! A castle!
Graham and the head of Constantine in the Capitoline museums (we took a museum detour while the parents hit up the Colosseum)

Big stinky foot :)
My two favorite men: Graham perplexed by the work of Bernini

La mia Bella Roma (my beautiful Rome)

Graham bonding with Marcus Aurelius

This was entirely his idea... I think :)

I had the camera, and was feeling artsy...

For their last day we had planned a trip to the Vatican Museums with the parents (Graham and I had yet to go inside), unfortunately Frank wasn't feeling well, so it was just the two of us and my mom...

Little did we know what the next few weeks would hold, and just how frequently we would be visiting those famous museums :)
Baby Bacchus with his original eyes...

Being sneaky in the Sistine Chapel... I now am supposed to dissuade people from doing this...


La Capella Sistina!

It was a lovely 11 days with my parents. I think we all learned a lot; they brushed up on Roman history and its gastronomic experiences; I learned how to be more patient and Graham learned that it is now one of his official jobs to help me be more patient :)