Approved For Mailing: Vatican vs. Lord of the Flies

Oliver looking at Raphael's Transfiguration of Christ

Getting back to Rome.... I don't know if you can tell by now but the Rome trip was a real learning experience for our family. When it comes down too it there is only so much art and architecture a 6,8, and 10 year old can enjoy and even though me and Michael have a great desire to see these things in our lifetime our kids need a slower more relaxed pace so that they can enjoy them as well. Example B.) would be our trip to the Vatican. They did find the art to be beautiful but after awhile it got a little boring. I would be lying if I said part of me did not feel the same way! There is so much to see, so many statues and paintings that after awhile it's just well......another piece of carved rock. In fact if I had not taken art history in college I do not think I would be able to enjoy it nearly as much as I did. So after the Sistine chapel which thankfully we did get to see ( it had been closed right up to then for the election of the new pope) and St. Peters Basilica we made the day all better with more gelato and then headed back.

View of Rome from the Vatican

St. Peters Square

The next day we took a break from Rome and drove about 20 miles to the Mediterranean Sea expecting to see beautiful pristine beaches with sparkling blue water but guess what...... It looked just like crystal beach (which I love) but it was full! of trash and the water was only slightly bluer than our murky gulf coast. But there on the dirty beach the kids were in heaven. Eli was catching Lizards his favorite past time Stella and Oli were building sand castles with all the trash that had been so unthoughtfully dumped on the shore (they loved it.) By the end of the day it looked like a scene from Lord of the Flies they were all mostly naked running around the beach screaming while carrying large sticks. Maybe all those years we have let them grow up wild and free in the country bare foot just can never be taking out of them no matter how many cultured cites we tour.