Ostia Antica,

The reason we decided to take our November visitors to Ostia Lido, was because we had been there just a week or two before they arrived. We discovered the beach town just after we had gone to Ostia Antica, where some of the most extensive ruins are. Aside from that, its just a really quaint town, with picturesque streets, a small castle, and a nice little old medieval Catholic church.

We got of the train  and tried to get our surroundings, but this map, was all we had. And there was no "You are here". Or English. Oh well.

We explored the town for a little, and I'll just let the pictures talk for themselves.

Said Castle. Only open for one hour on Thursday

The medieval church was completely without frills. It was the first that I had seen like that. Just

Say a little prayer for me

The one picture in the church. Very beautiful.

And of course, more playground shots.

It was a pretty hot day so we went to the beach....if only we had swim suits with us!

Traditional Italian Tiki Hut

That's pretty much it...not much to it. (I'm just too behind here)

Emma's 3rd Birthday!

 Happy Birthday Ems!

Emma's favorite birthday present! Visitors!

Due to technical difficulties, I am I at least a month  behind in putting up our photos. So we're going to take a trip back in time, into early November. Grandma and Pop Pop came for Emma's 3rd birthday. We started the morning opening her presents and playing with them, especially the remote control car.

Stella's really rooting for the car

 As usual, it's really hard to watch a kid who has no idea how to work the controller keep running into walls, but we retained ourselves and let her have her fun.

You can probably guarantee we just set that right in front of her for the 20th time.

Stella needs her morning milk before she can have any endurance for this.

One happy girl.

 Then we hopped the train station to go see the ocean... Well, its actually the sea. Because in November, it's still warm enough to swim in. If your from Maine.

Best seat in the house. 

 We had to take some sketchy elevators.

"Hold on for dear life!"
OK, it's not that bad. Just very "decorated".

We're definitely from around here.

 Once there, we hit the first playground we saw, given it was her birthday and all.

Emma is quite the climber. And now, a month later we see that Stella was getting her practice here. She now uses her skills on the kitchen table.

Little Miss Long Legs. 

Already a speed demon

I love that little smile

Say Cheese!

 After walking the streets, hitting a market, and looking at the sea (not swimming *sigh*) we needed some lunch. The town seemed like a deserted beach town, because well, it was. Some restaurants were open, but a lot of the places were shut down for the season. We did find one, where we could shoot outside, even though it was surprisingly cold that day.

Leon getting serious.
Granmama, "Hmmm. I see. Yes, yes."

 Of course we needed a birthday dessert... Some  profiterole fit the part.

Then I punched out her tooth... Wait, that's just chocolate.

"Seriously, what's in this cream puff, man?"

"I think my face is numb from all the sugar."

Then Emma got some professional clean up help from Pop Pop.

"Just keep it coming Granmama!"

Pleased as Punch with dessert

"I'm sexy and I know it."


It was really pretty windy, but still a beautiful day. Not a bad birthday. Next year we'll actually do some swimming. :)


 Take 1

 


Until next time...

The Jewish Ghetto and Church of the Sky

Back in October (5th) when my little red-head was still 2 and a half, we went with some friends of our to the Jewish Ghetto and a nice long walk around the city. And I'm just getting around to the pictures now :)

This turtle fountain is one of Emma's favorites, and I think mine too. In fact I may buy one of those turtle rings I see on the streets when I see them again. They're just so cute! (BTW, street vendors for me and my stroller are like drive-through's for a mom with a kids in a car. Very convenient and very tempting.)

We also saw a bunch of restaurants that served Jewish food. Or so I think. I don't really know what Jewish food is, but I know its out there somewhere. After a while we decided that our calves were much too happy and that we should tackle over 200 stairs with said double stroller. (We took the kids out for this one)

Look at those men work.
No, not the ones on the left. They're wimps.

 I think I remember Emma kind-of whimpering/complaining as she went up all the stairs. On the inside, I was doing the same thing.

What a trooper!

 I can't remember the name of the church now, but I think it was the Church of the Sky, or the Church of Heaven, or something that meant, the Church that will burn off the last few meals you've eaten, or Reeaaallly Reaaaaalllly High up in the Air Church.

Here's the view from the top

  Everything is either connected to building next to it, or only a few inches away from it. The building on the left is connected and it overlooks this cool piazza.

Add caption

 As usual, the inside of the church was beautiful. I think its the oldest church in Rome? (this is why I need to post sooner.)

Love it. Two nuns with a backpack saying their prayers to Mother Mary.

I don't think I had ever seen so many glass chandeliers in one church. they were gorgeous!

Emma and her friend Viola had fun lighting candles with their intentions (aka playing with the candles)

The back of the church, and a corner of the ceiling. Ceilings may be one of my favorite features in a church.

Emma touched too many candles so we sent her to confession.

Again, there was some significance to the bees (help me out Leon!) but I don't remember them now. Sooo, cool bees, huh?

Actually, they might  be the bees referred to in the Easter Exultet text.

The floors were so worn, but the mosaics were still very neat. They also had what looked like carven pictures of the Popes or others' in the ground, which made it a little hard to walk on.

Emma tries really hard not to smile sometimes

 She was proud to recognize our Mother Mary.

Here's a picture of one of said tombs. The faces and details are worn away by people walking on them through the centuries.

These three were holding hands and going to all the different altars to kneel and pray. It was very cute.

Here, (sorry, not turning it) you can examine the beauty of the carven ambo or the beauty of my husbands face.

Eventually we released the baby and she wanted a closer examination of the Marian altar. It's so huge next to her

She was loving her freedom. While it lasted...

Which wasn't long.

We were up so high, it was freaky. Especially as I watched Stella toddle around out on the balcony. Just look at how close we are to the clouds!

 Ahhhh, that's better. Safe in Daddy's arms.

This didn't really give me much comfort either. But she never was that succesful scaling the stone fortunately.

She and Giacomo were really quite the team when it came to daring feats.

Then the treck down!

We soon stopped for a snack. And only ate with our most delicate manners.

Those two girls almost look like they could be related. They all had a good time together.

 Then there was Stella, still trying to escape.

 But doing it in a very cute fashion, as usual.

 We all sat on some benches and watched the kids make rock castles and listened to the drum core that was performing somewhere in one of the lower piazzas. It was another lovely day in Rome!

:)