italy 2009

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well, as most of you are fully aware, we began our eventful day with an earthquake at 3:32 a.m. local time! my first thought was that al was dreaming (of running across a daisy field to meet me.... lol) and was moving in his sleep and shaking the bed. a few seconds later i realized that the building was seriously swaying, the espresso cups and overhead light fixtures were a rockin' and the power line outside our window was shaking with no breeze to be found. car alarms began to ring, and lights were being turned on in all the apartment windows across the street. when i realized that we were in the midst of an earthquake, i had a few moments of sheer panic, trying to decide whether to wake the kids and get them under something, get everyone outside the building, or just wait it out. not sure what i ended up deciding, but by the time i did, the quake had ended. the kids woke at the end of it, and thought it was the coolest thing ever. needless to say, i was up most of the night expecting aftershocks. although we did not feel any, the mugs in the kitchen were rattling slightly, so i guess there was minor seismic activity that we could not feel. luckily for us it was just an experience. for our neighbors 53 miles north, their city was devastated by this 6.3 magnitude quake...only a few houses left standing. death toll is up to 100 (expected to rise), with over 1500 hurt and 150,000 homeless. reminds us that life as we know it can change in an instant.
on a brighter note, we had an action-packed day today....we began by taking the metro to the spanish steps (piazza di spagna), piazza del popolo, castle sant'angelo, observed rome from the hilltops, saw the high-end shopping district (no--i did not make any purchases!) and then walked an hour to the vatican. we had a pre-arranged tour of the vatican/sistine chapel/st peter's basilica that was awesome! our tour guide was wonderful, and we learned so much about the fascinating works of art and architecture. we had been aware that vatican city had it's own zip code....but it is actually it's own country! it has the highest per capita income of any country, the highest total wealth...but, of course, the lowest birth rate of any country lol.
we just returned from dinner at a restaurant right around the corner...our first pasta meal of the trip (i am sure there will be many to follow)! the weather was perfect once again.
tomorrow we will leave for the airport at 6 a.m.....heading to sicily to meet family. not sure what our internet access will be....so i hope to be in touch!

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