May 26, 2025: Paris to Rome and Golf Cart Tour

 (written May 27 & May 28)

We got up, showered, and packed up. Michael and Brian were awesome about hauling the luggage down the stairs. They each took a set all the way down, and then tag teamed the other two, with Michael taking the top half and passing them to Brian for the last half. 

We took an Uber to the airport. Well, we tried to take an Uber to the airport, but when the car showed up, the driver told us (first in Italian and then via a translation on his phone) that there was a big protest at the airport and then weren’t allowing any Ubers in, only taxis. Fortunately, he also had a taxi sign on top of his car and was able to drive us in, though we had to pay cash for it. He showed us the backup of cars once we got to the airport and dropped us off in terminal 4, even though we needed to be at terminal 1. It took a 10 minute walk, but we finally made it to the right place with plenty of time to spare.

We found the EasyJet counter, presented our passports, dropped off our bags, and then made our way through security (remembering what it is like to go through without TSA Precheck. I had to be patted down again (2 for 2 on this trip-darn hip!), and then we found a table, ate some food, and waited for our flight to Rome. 

The flight itself was uneventful, once we got to our seats. I got a notification just before take-off that our AirTags in our luggage got left behind. This is our first time using AirTags, so I was a little nervous as we got going.

I got to see the Swiss Alps from above, which was pretty cool.

When we landed, I took my phone out of airplane mode and checked on my luggage.  They showed up as in Paris. I was trying really hard not to panic, and tried to brace myself for what we would do if they were indeed left in Paris. It took several minutes before their location jumped to near us, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

But not for long. I knew our schedule was tight as we had a tour booked at 4:30 and our flight had arrived at 2:30 p.m. We got our luggage fairly quickly, once we found the right baggage claim, and while waiting for our bags to show up, we made friends with a couple from Lindon, Utah who had been on our Paris flight. It’s always fun seeing people from back home when you’re far away from home, even if you don’t know them. We got tickets for the train that runs from Rome Fiumicino Airport to the Roma Termini Station, but when we went to redeem them, we couldn’t get them to scan. And we were all panicking because the train was getting ready to leave, which was only a big due to our tight schedule. Finally, we got them to work and we ran to catch our train. As we approached the doors, trying to find a car that wasn’t full, one of the train workers started blowing her whistle that the train was about to leave. I was in the lead, so I hopped on a car furthest away with Gabe and Brian, and Mom hopped on with Rachel and Michael at a closer door to the ticket scan place, but we were on the same car, and we all made it on the train! Phew! We had a lovely trip into the city, and we all caught our breaths, and we took care of some housekeeping items for our hotels in Rome and Bari.

Brian pulled up the directions to our hotel, and I looked for the signs he instructed to get out of the train station on the correct side of it. I had booked a place close to the Rome Termini station since we’d be taking a train from their the next day, so it was only a 10 minute walk to our hotel, but it felt like much farther with all our luggage. 

We finally arrived, and the place was lovely and spacious, though it did involve a bit of comedy of errors trying to get the key and go to the right stairwell for our apartment. The kids wanted to explore the place, but I kept hollering at them that we were late and needed to leave 10 minutes ago! Brian ordered an Uber, and I tried not to be too anxious as the minutes ticked closer to 4:30 with us still 20 minutes or so away. 

The Uber finally arrived, and what ride! I decided I never want to drive in Rome! We drove down streets that I would have considered alleys, nearly taking out people and cafe chairs as we barreled along the streets towards our destination. Thankfully, Nana and Papa and Lara & Greg were already at the tour place and got them to wait for us. Miraculously, nobody died and no property was damaged. 

We gave quick hugs to Greg, Lara, and Kirt, and then quickly divided our group into the remaining seats of the two golf carts, and then we were off! The golf cart ride was a little crazy too, but not nearly like the van. Brian, Rachel, and I rode with Kirt and Julie and a pair of strangers on one cart, and Michael, Gabe, Grandma, rode with Lara and Greg on the other. 

We went first to the top of the Spanish Steps, where we learned about the fountain/aquaduct system in Rome and got to peak into a renaissance church,the Trinita dei Monti. We learned that the Romans installed several Egyption Obelisks around the city and built copies them in other places. When the Catholic church  took over the city of Rome, they added Christian symbols to the tops of the obelisks. 

View from the top of the Spanish Steps

Drinking from the ancient Roman aqueduct

Inside the Trinita dei Monti

Egyptian Obelisk Christianized

Inside the Trinita dei Monti

Greg, Michael and Gabe's golf cart near Papa and Devri's golf cart

Restaurant at Villa Borghese

We went to the Villa Borghese and got to see an incredible view of Rome. 

View from the Villa Borghese

Michael's selfie while he was acting as our photographer

We saw more fountains and squares, ending at the Trevi fountain. It was super crowded, but were still able to see it in all its magnificence, but we were unable to throw in a coin, which worked out because we didn’t have any, well, except for Gabe, and he was disappointed to not be able to throw his Euro Cent (that I found on one of the streets in Amsterdam) into the fountain.

Inside the Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo

Caravaggio's "Crucifixion of Peter", Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo

Caravaggio's "Conversion of Saul"

Bernini's Porta del Popolo

Piazza del Popolo with The Santa Maria dei Mircoli and the Santa Maria in Montesanto, Italy's twin churches in the background

Remains of the Ancient Roman Stadium of Domitian outside of the Piazza Navona

Sant'Agnese in Piazza Navona, designed by Girolamo Rainaldi, and his son Carlo Rainaldi, Borromini, and Bernini

Fountain of the Four Rivers by Bernini

Fountain of the Four Rivers by Bernini

The Pantheon

Trevi Fountain

We went to a nearby Italian restaurant for dinner, and all 10 of us enjoyed a dinner outside the cafe, all together. The weather was lovely and the children on the tired side. After we were finished, I took the kids to get started on ordering Gelato. I think the shop keeper got a little frustrated with us when the kids wanted to sample everything. Brian and mom joined us, and we started walking home.

Gelato!

Brian and the kids got pretty far ahead of us, and Mom and I took our time walking back, enjoying all the incredible buildings that we passed on the way. 

Michael let us into our building, and we settled the kids into bed, well, at least got their room and bed situation sorted and Gabe in bed, and Brian, Mom, and I ended up talking way later than we meant to before finally heading to bed.