SURVIVING ROMAN ROADS, WHILE TRAVELING WITH BARBARIANS

Is it possible to infuse a little ancient Italy into the Barbarian hoard and not revisit the fall of the Empire? Is Rome really worth the worth risk of travelling with children?

From the potential brain damage- to yourself from a wine-addled attempt to drown out the “I’m hot-tired-hungry-and bored-with-churches,” voice of descent that emerges from the husband before the kids have even started; to the young ‘uns, stroller-bound and bounced from pizza across cobblestoned piazza to good-behavior gelato? And then there’s that difficult age when they are walking- lasts until late teens. Is there really enough in Rome to keep everyone happy?

Is the Pope Catholic?

Si! Si! Si!  Rome is worth it: and here are a few handy hints to help your trip go as smoothly as the well-worn Roman road, while travelling with la famiglia.

1)   ROME WASN’T SEEN IN A DAY…

I remember very little about school math and recently, whilst doing homework with my son, had to google, ‘What is a prime number?’ “Aren’t adults supposed to know this stuff? He queried, noticing my furtive keyboarding. One equation however, that I never forget is this: while travelling in Rome with kids: location + location = vacation.

Even for a few extra Euros per night, book a hotel walking distance to famous sights, restaurants and shops. This will minimize wasted turn-around time from room to roam. And for short stays, a hotel beats an apartment because the front desk is great to have on hand for English directions, restaurant recommendations, taxis etc.

Research is key- be closest to the things that YOU most want to see or do. In Rome your best blackmail buddies- gelato, pizza and red, red wine, are always close at hand…

Remember too- jetlag can be your best friend… leave the husband and kids in bed with their zzz’s, while you duck out to spend some $$$’s. Quietly thank God for Italian coffee and head for the seven hills.

Ciao Bambino is a great website that has advice on all things family-friendly and for well-located hotels in Rome, follow this link:

http://www.ciaobambino.com/search_results.asp?reg=rome

For shopping follow this one:

http://www.tours-italy.com/rome-about-shopping_in_rome.htm.

2) KNOW WHAT YOU REALLY, REALLY WANT

Don’t save the best spot for last!

It helps if you hit the cobbles with your own personal wish list ordered both geographically and in order of diminishing importance. Even with lavishly applied feminine guile, generous helpings of bribery served semi-frozen and fruit flavoured- sadly, somewhere, compromise may be needed. So slide your churches, frescoes and breathtaking architectural masterpieces in between… the more popular ‘family’ options.

3) Gore, Guts, Bones and Blood- The Winning Family Combination.

That’s the great thing about the ancient Romans- they knew long before Quentin Tarantino, that kids and adults alike love this stuff. Remember the 3 C’s!

Colosseum: Doesn’t need much introduction, but it’s good to know it is smack-bang in the center of Rome- just east of the Roman Forum. Hide the fact that it is one of the greatest examples of Roman architecture and engineering and focus on the evil Emperors, gladiators and fierce man-eating beasts. AND- here’s something I recently discovered on line that my kids will definitely be enrolled in next time we hit Rome: Gladiator School! It’s a two-hour private lesson conducted by members of the Historic Group of Rome. One of the great things about having kids (I know- it’s not a very long list) is getting to try out these things one’s self. I will be gearing up. Can’t wait! Note, it is located on the Appian way. www.viator.com/gladiator-school.

Catacombs of Rome: There are about forty dark, ghoulish and creepy ancient underground burial tunnels or chambers under Rome. Don’t mention this to the kids, (unless they are into art) but the Christian and Jewish catacombs are extremely significant for their examples of early fresco and sculpture art history! The two best known are quite close to each other on the Appian Way. The largest, the Catacomb of St. Callisto (Catacombe di San Callisto) dates from the 2nd century A.D. and has colorful early Christian symbols and graffiti (fun for kids to detect). Highlights include the crypt of nine popes. Closed on Wednesdays and all of February. The Catacombs of St. Sebastian (Catacombe di San Sebastiano) are not far away in a basilica built by Constantine. Both Saint Peter and Paul’s bodies were hidden here for a while. Inside the catacomb is a marble slab imprinted with Christ’s feet (hmm). And there are also many early Christian mosaics and graffiti here too- the walls are covered in images of doves and fish. St. Sebastian is closed Sundays and half of November and December. Lastly, the Catacombs of Priscilla, are among Rome's oldest, and are located on Via Salaria- on another of Rome's ancient roads leading to, Porta Salaria, and the Adriatic Sea. The bigger passages might make them less scary for younger children. Closed on Mondays and in January.

Crypt of the Capuchin Monks is tucked beneath the Church, ‘Santa Maria della Immacolata Concezione’ right off the designer-chic shopping street Via Veneto. The crypt contains bones of over 4,000 monks, some stacked to form ‘furniture,’ others dressed in their earthly capuchin robes, most arranged in strangely compelling designs- winged skulls and artistic crucifixes…even light fittings! The final small chapel reveals the true significance of the gastly art- not so much macabre, but a reminder of the swift passage of life on Earth “As you are, we once were. As we are, you will someday be.” Closed on Thursdays…. And for God’s sake, carpe diem!

Suggested Itineraries

ONE) Trevi Fountain (Piazza di Trevi). I have my suspicions that the seed for my deep and abiding obsession with ‘getting back to Italy’ just may have been planted one long ago summer, when I nudged my way through the July crowds to cast my coin with determination. Sure enough, the hues of that Tuscan summer- vivid in muted colours, moved right on into my soul and made themselves permanently at home. Now, a hopeless addict, I must get back to that darned fountain- just in case! Interesting fact: 3000 Euros are collected a day and given to charity, so clearly I am not alone. These days the kids have fun too- although it’s more of a coin throwing competition! And my husband- well he saves his coins for the wine at lunch… Then explore in and around the Pantheon, which sounds and looks rather Greek. Its recent incarnation was completed 126AD! 2000 years and it still the largest un-reinforced concrete dome in the world. Piazza Navona is lined with cafes, artisans- oh yeah and a Bernini fountain!  Nearby is the ‘oh lets look in there’ moment, at the church of San Luigi dei Francesi (mark it on your personal map so you know which way to head from Piazza Navona), with its dramatic Caravaggio paintings of St Matthew. Campo de' Fiori and the adjoining Piazza Farnese are great spots for lunch, if a wee bit touristy. Try to follow the Italians… avoid restaurants with people calling you in is a good start. You can also ‘happen upon’ Via del Governo Vecchio's vintage shops. Perfetto!

TWO) The Vatican: Let me tell you! I have never felt so much like a ‘yummy mummy’ as when I got turned away at the Vatican for being dressed inappropriately- shorts were (just) above the knee. My husband thought all his Christmas’ had come at once (for avoiding the Vatican not- sadly- for seeing my knees. In fact if I recall correctly he asked “Are they new”?). Anyway, I have found when I am in Rome (could be my positive ‘new age’ frame of mind when I am there- could be the alcohol) where there’s a will- there’s a way! And holy hawker! W

Wouldn’t you know it? A guy was selling sarongs to similarly attired yummy mummies nearby! Motto: hems down, shoulders covered, scarves at the ready when visiting the Vatican! And oh yeah… have faith!

So it was, that at the Vatican museum, the children saw wild animals and men with broken willies- masterpieces in marble. And better yet, in the Vatican Necropolis, (one of the holiest sites in Rome) they saw tombs of famous popes and saints including St. Peter. The Sistine chapel was slightly lost on them – but where there’s life in me and art in Italy, there’s the hope of symbiosis for my barbarian children! The jury is still out on what Daddy saw… but he washed it all down with that much longed for wine at lunch! The dome is well worth the climb up- as much for the energy burn off as for the magnificent view over the Eternal City. (There is always a queue, but it moves).

Avoid queues as much as possible by booking in advance- this site is excellent (for all bookings): http://www.tickitaly.com

THREE) Ancient Rome and The Spanish Steps: Ancient history in Rome is layered like the tiramisu, sweet and guaranteed to pull anyone sleep-walking through life, out of their wasteful stupor… No city on earth is so full of reminders to grab your life by the horns and live in the ‘now.’ Ancient Rome probably makes much more sense with a guide- next time we will have one! Bocca della Verità , the legendary ‘Mouth of Truth,’ was a real highlight for my expectant family as they waited for each other’s hands to be gobbled up. The Colloseum. The Spanish Steps: Europe’s widest staircase. Someone still managed to hit me on the head with a red rose, which I took to be an auspicious sign… (Mind you- I’m still waiting for the auspicious-ness to manifest).

There is so much more- but this is a start. You can be sure there will be updates! I LOVE Rome. The sacred and profane are so close in this city that you feel you can stretch out your arms and touch both simultaneously with your fingertips. Chaos and structure, ancient ruins and modern traffic, lovers and lovers at war- it feels OK to be flawed and human here, it feels OK to have barbarians here, it feels OK to be me here.

A MAGICAL MYSTICAL ITALIAN REAL ESTATE TOUR.

“When a person really desires something, all the universe conspires to help that person to realize his dream.”

Paulo Coelho

Hey, call me delusional- but trying to believe the hell out of being beautiful/abundant/successful… it can’t hurt! And never has this particular Universal directive been so directly effective than on an Italian villa-buying adventure…

Believing in a God that is much, much more than the sum of all the love, connection and possibility we can imagine… And believing in miracles and in the ‘like-attracts-like,’ law of attraction, has taken me on many a fine quest- both academic (degree in Religious Studies), and speculative (Ashram, cave-meditating in the Himalayas). And surprisingly- even to the remnants of the cynic in myself- it was also very helpful on my quest to find a place to call ‘second home.’

Like many of life’s pivotal moments- this love affair was unheralded, unexpected- and preceded only by particularly banal bandying around of words such as ‘investment,’(eek), ‘return’ (huh?) and ‘retirement,’ (blagh). Really the mastery is in pretending to be interested- let alone understand such things. Leaving husband- all furrowed brow and number crunching- to work out “where we could afford,” it was time to get some real work done. Eyes closed and mind open, allowing myself to go to a place that ‘felt’ how I wanted to feel… smelt, tasted, looked. You get the idea… there was Tuscany, all historical and green- all vineyards and oozing olive oil. (Fabio the plumber, downing his plunger to proffer a platter of perky pecorino and an opened-bottle of red-black Brunello, did not enter the picture. I swear!) Not letting the fact that I’d never been to Tuscany- or knowing that one’s other, more practical-half, would say ‘way out of our budget,’ hinder us... we were going!

Before Italy, there were plenty of places that rocked my world- but nowhere that stopped it completely. That all changed standing on a hilltop in Cortona, with its medieval façades and vibrant cobble-stoned piazzas whose life grows out of foundations that date beyond B.C, to the elusive Etruscans. In the distance Lake Trasimeno shimmered watercolour through misty morning light. I swear violins began playing- OK- probably in my head. Smitten, struck by the veritable lightning bolt from the blue- it was love! Like a bear with a honey pot (an alcoholic with wine, my children with pizza) I gobbled up the beauty of that view- gorging until my belly was fat with colours and light; bulging with distant Umbria’s hilltop-villages, basking cappuccino-creamy in the sun. I wanted and needed that day to sustain me through the famine of city life.

That was just the beginning- it was to be an adventure that would lead down roads-less-travelled the length and breadth of Tuscany and Umbria. Like the best of adventures, it was not all plain sailing... My husband, budget in hand, did his best to convince me (poor guy) that Northern Tuscany was the place for us. Knowing he was motivated more by 'bang-for-your-buck" than bolts-from-the-blue, I did dutifully abseil down mountain passes and orienteered remote goat tracks to view houses, until he finally conceded: until this chic got the house with a 'click,' time was wasting! Finally (and somewhat suspiciously) a small "Call me" advertisement in the Financial Times caught his eye. It was the hidden clue! He found our fantastic agents Francesca and Titti, at The Italian House (www.theitalianhouse.com). They lead us to the perfect holiday home- would you believe it... right back to Lake Trasimeno- actually Umbria- hey- I’m a flexible kinda girl...

There is only one thing I know for sure- there is more to life than meets the eye(s)- especially when you’re a stubborn git whose got them open!

Bella is Beautiful in Italiano

Helena Rubinstein once said, “There are no ugly women, only lazy women.”

So does that make me incredibly motivated- or just plain vain?

Curious thing about vanity- or at least my version of it- is that it has less to do with actually being beautiful, than it has to do with just wanting to be perceived that way. Mine is not the divine providence variety of ‘bloody-skinny-bitch-eat-anything-and-never-so-much-as-glisten-on-the-treadmill’ kind. Or even the ‘my-eyes-and-nose-are-the-perfect-symmetrical-ratio’ kind. But the kind of beauty my vanity aspires to, wants to say- “She has it together.” With an alchemical application of lipstick, a magical waving of the mascara wand and hey presto there stands someone to be liked, listened to... loved.

Before visiting Italy, this worried me a bit. After all, it’s a bit superficial- let alone diminishing to have to apply self-confidence with a lip-gloss stick. Oh how I longed to be capable of oozing assurance whist turned out naked faced, flatly-shod and with a pony tail more ‘slap it back’ than ‘casual chic.’ Frankly, after Italy, I don’t wish that anymore!

Thank God, for Italian women… OK not ALL Italian women are beautifully turned out- but wow- a lot are! God bless them, it doesn’t seem to matter a jot how far this or that side they are of the ‘five kilo’ barrier, their proximity to 20 or 70, or even what God gave them at birth. They sure make the best of it in a way that shouts, “I am a divine feminine creature unashamed of making the best of myself.” I love and appreciate them- never knowingly under bling-blinged, never knowingly under coiffed. They are great… and finally I found somewhere to blend in.

Thank God too, for Italian men… because it seems to me, that the effort is valued. Not in that furtive, I’ll quickly-look-away-before-you-notice-me-noticing-you way. But an overt ‘You-may-be-old-enough-to-have-born-me//young-enough-to-have-been-begot-by-me, but damn you look hot, and I appreciate it kind of way. On the daily evening ritual of passeggiata (slow stroll- heads and heels high) through centro-storico everywhere in Italy, there is a palpable, “I feel therefore I am,” sexy vibe in the air. It is contagious. (Most women I know will bare testimony to the fact that anything on the appropriately displayed lust-spectrum- from overt to surreptitious- is much more of an aphrodisiac that oysters or-God forbid- rhino horn)

As contradictory as it might sound, for me, there is something liberating about the underlying expectation to look good. It doesn’t matter what one has planned for the day- chopping back overgrown shrubs and planting rosmarino, or and throwing the kids in lake Trasimeno between the endless cook-wash-bed cycle of life- it’s OK to be bling! Never was this bought home more profoundly than when, while wrestling with wild-boys, balancing an enormous wisteria plant on my right shoulder, and a left-arm full of blooming plants, while stressed, tired and a head full of all the things that still need to be done… a local ol’ boy sitting at the bar- after wordlessly watching me pass sweating, mid-mother-madness for days finally looked up and said, (to the unanimous agreement of his card-buddies) “Che una bella donna con i fiori!” “What a beautiful woman with the flowers!” Apart from making me very glad that I had, like most days- especially in Italy, ‘made an effort’ the best thing that happened in that instant was that suddenly I was truly there- in the moment. I could see myself dressed in bright orange and pink, wisteria draped through my hair and bright yellow blossoms in my arms. My skin teased golden brown by the Italian summer, glistening, makeup assuredly running. The most beautiful thing about that moment is that I could let go of all the madness in my mind- and just be. Be happy to be alive, about to be digging in my little slice of Italy’s deliciously rich soil, living my dream. I learnt there, in that moment, that it doesn’t matter how much effort we put into accomplishing our dreams, keeping up, or doing what we have to do in order to feel loved- unless we actually stop for a moment every now and again to be present- to recognise ourselves- and others for efforts- the true beauty in life will be missed. I hope I never again forget to take time to smell the rosmarino!

DRIVING IN ITALY. A SCARDY-CAT DRIVER'S GUIDE.

I will admit it. Driving has never really been 'my thing.'

And strangely, looking back, there has always been someone close at hand, ready to dance with my doubts and fertilise my irrational fears. All male and all closely related by birth or marriage... and all with that same stricken look any time I suggested, "It's my turn to drive."

Not that I am deferring blame- not completely. There were those confidence-jarring early run-ins with the parked car, the hidden ditch and an unfortunate long-haired beau (he survived). And then there's the obvious question: would I rather drive... or be an 'active navigator'- observer of sweet rolling hills, eternal cities, and on fortuitous occasions, the odd high street shoe sale... the answer is obvious. Well- until children added a whole new dimension to my self-designated, and if I do say so myself, gifted-at-map-reading role when suddenly 'chief keeper-of-peace, locater-of-play areas and worse of all, dumping-ground-for-all-blame' was added to an already full job description. It was then that I first observed myself looking jealously at the wheel, longing for that swear-with-impunity-testoserone-freedom that only the open road can offer. Fear still had me in its debilitating grasp however...

Lucky then that finally there was no choice...

On the border of Umbria and Tuscany one is smack-bam in the middle of very best that divinity and humanity have conspired, over centuries, to offer. From tortellini to Toscanini, Signorelli to San Francesco- everything exists on ley-lines leading directly to the heart. There is no way to conveniently get around without a car, however. And as there is no fear on earth that should stand between anyone and their slice of Italia-time, it was time to cowgirl up and take the drivers seat, to rise up and meet the road... 

If you have to face a fear why not go the whole hog- no cheating with an automatic- in Italy they are 2-3 times more expensive to hire. No cruising down wide boulevards... some of those streets could make a toothpick feel fat. No slowly easing into speed- they drive fast... every time you look in the rear-view mirror there is someone waiting to take you from behind. Actually I didn't mind that bit so much.

Mantras helped a bit, "anydrongocandrive, anydrongocandrive," deep slow breathing helped even more, but the holy bondage of marriage was the least help of all. Helpful clenched-teeth tidbits such as, "In Italy- they drive on the right," and the odd near-miss bowel incident was the extent of it. The car wasn't overly obliging either- when I used to drive there was a handbrake... what sort of an idiot replaces the satisfactory pull and crunch with a pathetic button that requires a degree in lateral thinking to work out? Combine that with an unwillingness- that said spouse could never explain- to start whenever it happened to be me turning the ignition key, and you may begin to see the level of dedication required…

D day of solo-flight arrived just after midnight with the world’s worst anxiety attack. I was no more 'ready' than before my dubious lessons up and down Umbia's unused white roads.

With bleary-eyes and a dry mouth I dropped my husband at the station. How was I to negotiate the traffic lights on Chiusi’s vertiginous hill alone with a mere button between me and accident hell? Praying, affirming, sweating and breathing intentionally slow, I slowly turned the key. Niente. I pushed in the brake, pulled on the door, played with the gear, applied lip gloss- and still I got nothing.

Left with nothing but choices my mind was the only thing in overdrive. Should I?

A) Retrieve travel-anxious-and-thus-far-not-overly-helpful spouse?

B) Take a taxi and go and get a friend.

C) Throw myself on the mercy of a passing stranger.

Really option C was the only viable one. In times of crisis we cling to the slivers of hope that life often offers at such times. And there was mine in front of me- the bar, full of morning work-a-bee men knocking back their morning cappuccini.

Never knowingly under-cleavaged, bravely I entered the bustling bar. Eyelashes all aflutter I shimmied into a grammatically challenged explanation of my ridiculous predicament. Drama loving, my Italian male crowd stood captured, enraptured and completely silent. “There is nothing actually wrong with my rental car- but it will not start." I said, jiggling and wiggling to indicate my efforts with the key. As if frozen in disbelief, no one moved.  Finally honing in on one guy, spell broken, he trailed- the entire bar dutifully tagging behind. Soon my impotent engine was swarming with a mass of testosterone. A couple of passing cars even stopped to watch the show. It wasn’t until the bar owner, wondering what spaceship had abducted his clientele, came out and took charge that the mystery was finally solved… the clutch needed to be pressed down while turning the key (even with the gear in neutral). Patiently he showed me and even watched me while I started it on my own…

As time went by there were a few more lessons learned about driving in Italy: “Stop” signs mean 'slow down,' “No Parking” means 'park creatively,' and wonderfully (especially for a rusty driver) it is ‘brutta figura’ to use an angry horn. The best lesson of all was to remain my first: while driving in Italy it sure helps to be a woman wearing lipgloss!

I Need a Screw.

There is just a certain something about Italian.
It pours like a great pumping aorta- straight from the heart. It flows with an easy passion, so that words with meanings from 'mundanity' to 'madness,' glisten seductively like gloss on plump and pretty lips. Italian words drip with a seductive promise of pleasure, winking, "I just loooong to be spoken."

There is too, a certain something about Italians. They generally seem to be having such a great time speaking- that it is impossible not to feel left out. From the in-depth and mutually-relished questions and explanations of hungry-guest-and-proud-waiter, to villagers celebrating the fruits of their labours and the many blessings of nature at festas, to folk simply shooting the breeze, on benches, in piazzas, at ristorantes everywhere.

My first trip to Italy I stood outside alone. Pockets, deep but empty- the poor kid staring in the window of the candy store. Inside there were people who seemed unafraid to speak their mind- they seemed fearless with their emotions- as if anger, desire, love, pain were actually a valid part of the big human toffee apple. As if it was safe to be themselves.

How could I not knock at the door and ask to come in?

In my first attempts to join the party, I was greeted with what I like to call the 'lick-sip-suck.' Faces contorted and frozen at that exact moment when the lemon, salt and tequila combine, pulling all the living-daylights inwards. Faces knotted, not cruelly, but in a desperate attempt to understand...

So imagine my joy when finally, having groped around in the dark with diminishing brain cells and excessive verb structures, with all the finesse of a toddler, I could finally understand and be understood! It was a joy that lasted all of three days and decreased in direct relation to how much I couldn't comprehend.

The nail in the coffin of my my joy, some what appropriately occurred  at "Canada" the hardware store. "I need... I need..." I needed so much that I didn't have the names for! A drill (un trapano), paint (vernice), something for moss (muffa) and of course, a hammer and nails (un martello e i chiodi). Somehow we waded through the masculine waters of deep Umbrian hardware. Me in my heels and frills, Tony in his man-apron. It wasn't until I needed just one last thing- gesticulating furiously with fingers and thumbs, Tony's eyebrows widened. His cheeks turned red and he seemed to falter- "You don't," he said in perfect Canadian vernacular, "Speak English, by any chance do you?"

"OH YES! (Thanking God) And I really need a screw."

Planning Your Trip.

Whether you are a family of one, or of one-too-many, planning is key. And the more selfish your plans are- the better.  Before you even open the internet, think about the experiences most you want from your time in Italy. (Learning to cook, swimming naked in Lake Trasimeno, eating bread for the first time in five years). Write a list in order of descending importance... prioritise.

Once you know what you really want to see and do, have done your research- then remember who you are dealing with... one’s personal happiness (especially post marriage- definitely post kids) often comes down to dash-ings of deception, cups of creative thinking, and large helpings of outright bribery. A road trip around Italy’s hotspots with ‘la famiglia,’ requires all of these time honored techniques, and more…

 Do not ask yourself, "How do I infuse a little ancient Italy into the Barbarian hoard and not revisit the fall of the Empire" Realize that even with lavishly applied feminine guile, the much-lauded historical treasure and breathtaking natural beauty of il bel Paese holds less distraction-power for children and, on occasion, husbands than fish-fingers to an Umbrian farmer. No- go in with both barrels loaded- with the dual distraction power of wine and gelato... renaissance cathedrals concealed by pizza margarita, works of art disguised by adventure- where is the next gelato? And don't forget make sure your history is drowning in blood and gore, and your partner is drowning in wine...

Yes EVERYONE will be happy and they won't even know why!

With a wealth of opportunity for exercising the body, the palate and the mind, adventure is always close at hand in Italy. What a waste then, to get back home and realise- merda- a Michelin star restaurant had been right next door, there were Etruscan tombs at the bottom of your garden and the local church boasted Signorelli's best. Research, planning and just a little deception will add some dolce to your vita in Italy

Bambini + gelati = happy holiday.