Monkey Showers

With four weeks or less to go, Major and I are finally ready to welcome Monkey to our house. Our friends and family gave us THREE showers and lots of stuff to prepare. Love you all!

Travel Details Part 2

When in Rome...

 

Things to know before you go:

• Most places don’t have dryers for the washers, so you hang your wash creatively indoors or out the window.
• Make your museum ticket reservations in advance. Total museums we entered: 0.
• If you really want to see the Vatican and St. Peter’s, be there by 8:15 in the morning to beat the lines. It’s no joke.
• Invest in a travel book with maps, download free walking tours and applications, and find a menu translator. You don’t want to order veal or sweetbreads if that’s not your thing.
• If something says it’s on the second floor (like all the apartments), it’s really the third floor.
• Bring good walking shoes. Walking is a great way to know any city, but any city in Italy is best appreciated on foot. Take a bus or train if you have to travel a long distance. I think we averaged 5 miles a day. Not bad for being 6 months pregnant.
• If you are planning on going out to dinner on a Saturday night after 8, be sure to reserve a table. 

Where we stayed: Sweetly Home Roma. Loved the apartment and the location, and the price was great. This rental was in the Jewish Quarter of Rome, a block from the river and a short walk to Trastevere. It was spacious and quiet, and includes WiFi.

Behind our apartment, Turtle Fountain.

Around the corner we found cafes and restaurants galore, many of which are Kosher. And delicious. Had some of the best fried artichokes, carciofa giuda,  at Nonna Betta. This dish is a must when in Rome. 

carciofa giuda

Our traveling companions got married while we were there and we had a celebratory dinner at Il Baccanale in Piazza Campo de Fiori. No tourist food here! We also ate with them at Trattoria Der Pallaro. This is a family style restaurant with no menu – you get what they give you and you will definitely like it.

Major, enjoying dinner.

I found a great tour guide for us to see the Coliseum at RomaExperience.

There are too many places to list that we saw and ate at. Not to mention all the gelato I tried (all of which is documented on facebook and four square). Shoot me an email if you need more travel info. 

Best. Honeymoon. Ever.

Dancing Monkey

There's something "magical" and amazing watching the movement of Monkey in my belly. As I type this, I think she has the hiccups and is bothered by it so she's extra squirmy. While I can't wait to meet her, I think this is the part of pregnancy I'll miss.