One astonishing fact about this beautiful region that we visited: I never saw a homeless person. There were Roma, but only a handful; I never felt threatened by them as I do here in Los Angeles. According to the statistics from Feantsa Country Finch, Rome does have a population of homeless people. The last update of these figures was in 2017, listing 7,709 homeless in the city of Rome. Of these people, most are immigrants. Compared to Los Angeles’ homeless population of over 42,000, Rome’s problem is a drop in the bucket.

Pickpockets are more prevalent at the train stations are; loud Public Service Announcements keep tourists on alert. In all the cities that we visited, I felt safe.

The Florence Redemption

Through our son Mikos’ job we were able to experience the Chianti region in a new light.  After our traumatic train disaster; God knew that we could use a blessing, so on our last day in Florence we were treated to a tour of the Ruffino Winery. Driving through the Chianti countryside would have been enough for me. Seeing all the vineyards, the beautiful homes in the area, and how people live made me wish I was more than 1% Italian.

Ruffino Winery

What seemed to be a huge castle is now where the Ruffino Winery greets its special guests. Angie, our sommelier, greeted us with a glass of wine. We sat as she told us the history of the winery. The story was so intriguing that I was listening intently to every detail, but Will kept nudging me and telling me to ask for the wifi password. I could not interrupt her story, so I told Will to stop. He was relentless so, in the middle of Angie’s story, I cut her off  and asked, “Can you please give us the wifi?” I think my face turned red at that point, but both Will and Maddie were elated with the wifi information.

After the grand tour we were escorted into a beautiful dining area. Set before us were five wine glasses for tasting, plus a spittoon (spit bucket). Paying close attention to how Angie spit out her wine. I asked her to coach me on how to spit out my wine like a lady. I quickly got this spitting out wine thing down to a science.

We were served  personal charcuteries to complement the different wines. I could not get enough of this experience: the jellies, honey, soft and hard cheeses, eggplant, the meats…Everything tasted great! By this time I had lost my train of thought. All the wines tasted great, each one better than the other, but I lost track of that too.

Angie’s graciousness made this experience extra special; she truly knows her wines. She explained that in the Chianti region grapes can only be hand picked. They will never change this method because it’s part of the charm of creating these great wines.

As we were leaving the Chianti area , we came across the Fendi corporate offices. They’re in the middle of the Chianti region! I want to work there!

Last Night In Florence

Angie had instructed our driver to take us to the top of  the city to get some great aerial photos overlooking Florence, and then to drop us off at Basilica di Santa Croce.

The Santa Croce Basilica, like all the Catholic churches in this region, has a great history. This grand basilica is Franciscan. It started off as a monastery in 1220, but by 1262 a large lot was purchased to enlarge the original church. The Franciscans were considered urban. Santa Croce is surrounded by markets and business activities; it became a large piazza and the center of community life there. This church is Italian Gothic and different from the other basilicas; it is more simple, with frescoes depicting the life of Jesus, our Blessed Mother Mary and St. Francis.

Pizza and Gelato Class

Mikos made arrangements for us to take a pizza- gelato making class. Both Maddie and Will work for a local pizzeria in Anaheim Hills, California, Maddie takes orders and Will makes the dough (dough boy). This was a wonderful family time together. We drank wine, made pizza and gelato. I loved the pizza but not so much the gelato.

Venice

The last time Mike and I were in Venice was over 25 years ago. When we got off the train we had to find a water taxi to take us to our hotel. So many people!  With two suitcases I was a mess! We had tickets to take a larger boat, but it was too crowded! Mikos decided to hire a private taxi to take us. I had totally forgotten that I had to get into a boat! I am not a fan of boats; their rocking motion brought me great fear. “Lord,  please help me onto the boat!” I silently prayed. I made it in to conk my head against the boat’s covering. That happened to me on the way back to the airport as well.

I was so excited because the following day was Palm Sunday and Mike and I would be attending the service at the Basilica di San Marco. We toured the basilica and I was surprised by the design; it looked very similar to the majestic Hagia Sophia in Istanbul.

On Palm Sunday we attended the most sacred Mass. The choir, accompanied by organ music that reached my bone marrow, brought me to tears. Never have I felt this type of spiritual joy! I stood for the entire Solemn Mass.

After Mass we joined our family to tour Campanile (bell) tower of Saint Mark’s Basilica  and Doge’s Palace. We were directly under the bells when they started to gong. The sound was deafening!

Aside from the Mass at Saint Mark’s Basilica , Venice is too touristy for me. The only good meal we had was at our boutique hotel, which offered the best breakfast.

Mike and I were leaving a few hours earlier than Mikos and his family. Our son got up with us at three a.m. to walk us to our boat taxi. I will never forget the special sacrifices he made for Mike and me.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, thank You for allowing us to unite as a family.  I am so grateful for all  the special time together on this trip. I pray for my family to continue to grow closer to You, and to understand that without You in our lives we are lost. Amen.

Mikos had warned me about traveling light. Did I take that advice? No, because I am my own stubborn person. I paid for this with a lot of guilt as I watched my son lugging my two suitcases on the train. The train ride from Rome to Florence was wonderful, but it brought back memories of the time we traveled with our friends Larry and Helen by car. Mike did most of the driving, but when we arrived in Florence, we did not realize that only permitted vehicles are allowed to park in the city. By the end of the trip, Mike had unknowingly racked up over 800 euros in fines. He had to pay the fines or risk losing his passport. So both Mike and I were truly enjoying the train ride.

The Florence Flat

Mikos had already made arrangements for us to leave our luggage at the flat because of our early arrival. This flat was on the fourth floor and could be accessed by stairs or elevator.

This elevator was by far the slowest means of transportation, and it was a lot smaller than the one in Rome. We had a beautiful view of the Duomo but it was from the bedroom that the kids were sharing. Again, Will took on the responsibility of making sure I was safely transported on the elevator. Prayer helped Will and me figure out how this hyper-sensitive elevator operated. I would not be exaggerating to say that I could have prayed an entire Rosary from start to finish!

We took a long stroll down to the Ponte Vecchio and acclimated ourselves to our surroundings. Florence is a small cosmopolitan city, offering tourists one of the best  Renaissance artist experiences – all with in walking distance.

The Dinner

After we settled in, it was time for dinner. I made an announcement, “I will not be using the elevator to come down, I will use the stairs instead.” Believe it or not, this was welcome news because I was inconveniencing my family by having them wait for me.

Our dinner was at Buca Mario, known for their Florentine steaks. I normally order my steak medium well, but this type of steak is served almost raw. Mikos and Jenny shared a steak, but in reality we all ate from their portion and had enough to bring back to the flat. On the second night Mike and I had dinner together. We could not get enough of the Florentine steak so we ordered it again! It was heavenly, and the best part was that this restaurant was located in front of our flat.

The Uffizi And The Accademia

Though I have been here several times, on this visit we purchased earphones to follow commentary along each gallery. To see a masterpiece with an explanation is a lot more memorable. We can all have an interpretation of art, but when you get the artist’s point of view, there is a greater appreciation for the work.

There were several paintings of our Blessed Mother interceding to her Son on behalf of others. One painting depicted the Blessed Mother composing the  prayer found  in (Luke 1:46-55).

The commanding sculpture of Michelangelo’s David is a beautiful depiction of the Biblical story of David and Goliath. These Renaissance artists were familiar with the Bible, so I believe that is why God amplified their gifts.

We ate at a swanky, LA-type eatery called Shake Café. I felt like I was eating at my breakfast table with Ezekiel Bread smothered in avocado. Since this popular cafe was less than a block away, we made this our breakfast stop.

The Duomo

Mikos made reservations to climb to the top of the Duomo, but there was no way Mike and I were up to that task. We attended a Mass in the Duomo while they made their way to the top of the Florence world. Our Italian Mass, as usual, was beautiful.

Pisa

The following morning we took another train ride to Pisa. This was going to be a long day trip because it also included Cinque Terre. Two memorable moments in Pisa: the restrooms were spotless, and we ate the best sandwiches on the way back to catch the train.

Cinque Terre

From Pisa to our next stop was about an hour, and from there we were going to Riomaggiore, one of the five cities in Cinque Terre. We had train tickets to this small seaside village but, while we were sitting waiting for our train, it came and left without us. We had to take a 50-euro taxi into the village. The taxi left us at the top of the village, and when I say top, I mean it was a hike down! Riomaggiore was beautiful, but the shop owners were indifferent and unwelcoming.

Its was time to catch another train to Manarola, another seaside village. We were told that these train rides were less than 10 minutes. Once everyone settled in, all of a sudden I saw my family getting out their phone cords for charging. I said to myself, “Why are they doing this? The ride is so short!” When we arrived they were all getting their gear together and we jumped off the train. Then it happened! All hell broke loose! Mikos started feeling his pockets for his phone. “My phone! I left it on the train!” He jumped back into the train and frantically made his way back to retrieve the phone. In the meantime, Jennie was holding the train doors open so that it would not leave him behind. Maddie started yelling, “Mom! Mom, let go of the doors!” She jumped back just in time to see Mikos leave for God knows where! I’m sorry, but this was really hilarious! Mikos had his phone the entire time, but we would not see him for another one and a half hours.

By the time Mikos arrived, we were sitting down for dinner. The dinner was as bad as the day. To make up for his lost time, Mikos and Will hiked up to the Manarola Vineyard trail and Cemetery. Mike and I made it back to the train station and waited for them. We wanted to purchase tickets, but were uncertain of the time; so we waited for Mikos to give us a directive.

The Train Ride From Hell

The entire time we have been on and off trains, no one had ever checked our tickets. As the train was pulling up, my family was running to catch the train! Mikos yelled, “Get on the train! Get on the train!” So we did. We did not purchase return tickets. Mikos was confident that they were not going to ask for tickets.  He had a plan B, “I read in some tour guide books that many times they don’t bother checking for tickets; so if they ask, just pull out the old tickets. We’ll be fine.” Then it happened: the conductor opened the door to our car. I was sitting facing Mikos and Mikos was facing the conductor. I will never forget the look on my son’s face when the man asked for our tickets. His eyebrows clinched together and his eyes turned into a deeper shade of brown. “Tickets,” said the man. I saw Jenny reach deep into her purse as she pulled out the fake tickets, and one that looked like a museum ticket. Mikos tried to talk his way out of this debacle, but it not only got lost in translation, it was a lost cause. “You must pay a fine-e-e!” said the conductor. “How much?” Mikos asked. “55 euros” he answered. For a moment I saw a sigh of relief on Mikos’ face. Then the conductor added, “You must pay a fine-e-e of 55 euros each.”

The Shakedown

The conductor stopped the train and asked us to step off onto the platform. For a moment I thought we were going to be arrested. “You pay now!” We humbly gathered our euros and handed the man the fare of 330 euros! So what was originally an eight- euro charge turned into a life lesson. No one talked the rest of the ride home. As bad as the day was, it was yet to get worse.

We were so frazzled that we missed our train to Florence. We had to purchase new tickets for that as well!

My Prayer

Dear Lord, thank You for allowing is to experience this journey.  I praise You for taking care of us and leading us safely back to Florence. May we always keep You deep within our hearts. Amen.

When I reviewed the itinerary for Sunday, I knew we were in for another full day of adventure. After passing the Spanish Steps on the way to several dinners, we were finally able to seize the moment and record our experience in photos. The history of the Spanish Steps is a simple one; the Spanish embassy was once located near there. Throughout our four-day stay in Rome, these famous steps were part of our daily routine and our landmark back to our flat.

The Metro

After a quick cup of cappuccino and a chocolate-filled croissant, we were off again–but this time we took the metro. I’ve had bad experiences on this public transportation in Europe.  I was pickpocketed in Paris, so I was very watchful. Mikos, our gentle leader, always had his phone pointing to the direction we were headed. But when Will forgot to retrieve his two-day metro ticket, it caused commotion. Mikos had to purchase another ticket for him but when Will tried to use his ticket, it didn’t work; so he turned around and grabbed mine. The metal lever opened for him and I was left with Will’s stupid ticket! After several attempts I made it through.

The Borghese Gallery

The rich history of the Borghese Gallery starts with a famous family of bankers, art collectors and even a pope. This family was known to have started the banking business with loans to merchants and other business entrepreneurs. The double-entry system was first introduced by the Borghese’s. Their collection of art and appreciation of the fine detail of the work they secured was not only impressive, but, like all masterpieces, it has stood the test of time.

We spent hours admiring the gifts that God had bestowed on these artists. After the museum, we took a stroll into the gardens.  It was as if the art continued there. Will rented a scooter to make his way around the Borghese Garden. We walked and walked, and it was time for the next adventure. By this time Mike did not want to have anything to do with the metro; he took a taxi back to the flat.

Saint John Lateran

Saint John Lateran, one of the four major Ancient Major Basilicas, was commissioned by Emperor Constantine. This was the first Christian basilica built in Rome. It is the mother church of the entire Roman Catholic Church.

Across the street is a chapel dedicated to the Holy Stairs (Santa Escala). These were the steps Jesus climbed on the day He was sentenced to death. This would be my fourth time climbing these 28 steps. There is a special prayer that should be said on each step, but I prayed for my family and all those listed on my prayer intentions. I was behind a woman who was reciting  the special prayers. Like a rude driver on the freeway, I cut in front of her because she was taking too long. I quickly asked God’s forgiveness. When I return to Rome I will make the special time and pray these special prayers, as it was intended–holiness as before God.

After the steps we walked across to Saint John Lateran. The magnificence of this basilica is overwhelming! We sat and felt God was in our midst. Above the Papal Altar are two busts of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. According to tradition, the skulls or part of these saints’ skulls are within the bust. Also located in the Papal Altar is a wooden table on which St. Peter and many popes are said to have celebrated the Eucharist.  On the left Papal Altar is another table. Tradition claims that it was upon this table that Jesus celebrated the Last Supper.

The Holy Cross of Jerusalem

Not far from Saint John Lateran is the Holy Cross of Jerusalem. Again both Will and Maddie rented scooters to make their way along a straight path. The Holy Cross of Jerusalem houses the first class relics brought from Jerusalem by Constantine’s mother, Saint Helena. Located on this side altar of this church are: a nail used in the Crucifixion, two thorns from Christ’s Crown of Thorns, a finger that is said to have belonged to St. Thomas, and a fragment of the True Cross. How do we know that it is indeed the True Cross? According to legend, when St. Helena first discovered the fragments of the three crosses, she took with her a woman who was dying. Upon touching the True Cross the woman was immediately healed.

The Metro: Part Two

The metro is not user friendly to Californians; we are different, we like to take control of our destiny. As Mikos was figuring out how to get to the next stop, I felt that we were headed back to where we started. I dared not open my mouth because I had long ago lost all direction credibility. So as our leader got on the metro first, he discovered it was the wrong one! While Jenny was yelling, “Mike! Mike!” Mikos turned into the Incredible Hulk and, forcing the doors of the metro, he opened them and jumped out! I couldn’t even say, “I told you so!”

On this day I racked in another 10 1/2  mikes of walking!

The Vatican

We had an early appointment with our tour guide for the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. We got up early to catch the metro to Ottaviano, and a 10 minute walk to the Vatican. Our guide explained that we could take photos in the Sistine Chapel but selfie sticks are not permitted. I took several photos and then heard the loud cries of the guards, “NO PICTURES!” Both Mikos and Mike looked at me in great judgment. I was doing what every other person was doing and when I showed them the pictures, Mikos said “You should have taken more!”

It was at this world-famous chapel that I received a great revelation from God. I always ask for Mother Mary’s intercession. As I gazed upon Michelangelo’s masterpiece, there in fullness of God was Mary, the Mother of God, interceding to her Son Jesus on behalf of others. This revelation would be confirmed by other Renaissance artists time and time again. This artwork was inspired by God and the message is crystal clear: Our Blessed Mother Mary intercedes on our behalf.

Mike and I headed back to the flat for much needed rest. I went shopping around the corner to purchase tennis shoes. The strangest thing happened; the weather changed and it started to hail! This weather condition lasted for about an hour.

Mike and I took a taxi back to the Vatican to attend Mass at the Chair of Saint Joseph Chapel. It was glorious!

My Prayer

Lord, I pray for all who doubt Your Holy Divinity. Give them the special graces to know You, especially during this holy season. Blessed Mother Mary, guide all the lost souls to the foot of Your precious Son Jesus. May we all rejoice in Your glorious Resurrection! Amen.