Nearly every weekend we take a trip outside of Rome with our dear friends Anziano and Sorella Memmott. Our weeks are getting numbered with them as they got their travel plans and will be leaving April 11. Several Saturdays ago we went to Bracciano which was quite an amazing place. There is a castle dating from the 1200's and it has been very well preserved. This castle is very different from the one we went to in Caserta in December--the Caserta castle was more "modern"--1700's. The Bracciano Castle is medieval and just what you picture when you hear about the days of knights, armor, and moats. The turrets are very high with a beautiful view of a lake and the rooms are pretty spectacular. One room is full of armor while another is full of weapons used by the knights. And of course every room is filled with beautiful murals and paintings. The most memorable room is where one of the queens would invite her male friends for the evening and then after she was done with them, she had a trap door that they would fall down with blades sticking out of the wall and they didn't come out alive because they fell into a lime pit at the bottom. We kept wondering why no one made a connection that men didn't come out alive but then I guess you didn't question a queen. One interesting side note about this castle--Tom Cruise and Katy Holmes were married here. That day we also went to Lidispoli a town on the coast--it was quite windy and cool that day but I was happy to see the Mediterranean Sea.
View from the turret
The wicked queen's bedroom--where is the trap door?
Our "knights" in shining armor!
The next Friday we went to the Vatican. It wasn't very crowded that day--the last time we went 2 years ago we stood in line nearly 2 hours but then again it was Holy Week. I love seeing the Pieta but there were curtains around it (2 years ago there wasn't)--we still got to see it but there were quite a few things that were more limited this time in seeing than last time we were there. We took Bus 80 to the Metro stop by Trevi Fountain and then the metro to within a few blocks of the Vatican. We have found that it is so much better to take public transportation down to the center of Rome. There are so many restricted areas and unfortunately, the GPS doesn't know the restricted zones and takes us there--then there is no backing up and you have to just keep on going. We know this from firsthand experience. Less than a month after we arrived in Italy, we took a trip to Tivoli. We ended up on a road that was restricted (there are supposed to be signs but we don't recall seeing one)--the road was so narrow that there was no way to get off the road or around the road. One week ago, we got a ticket in the mail for driving that road in Tivoli--we drove the road on December 5 and got the ticket last week--We are now part of the senior missionary club because there has not been one missionary couple who has not gotten a ticket. We had two days to pay the ticket or the fine doubled. The only place you can pay the ticket is the post office and there is no place to go and tell them what happened so you are stuck with the fine even if it isn't your fault!
Sad face--ticket for driving in a restricted zone!
Two weeks ago we went to Napoli (Naples) with the Memmotts. We left early Saturday morning and arrived around noon. After getting settled in the room, we took a taxi to Christmas Street. Harry Potter fans it reminded us of Daigon Alley--no kidding. Nativities and other Christmas items are sold year round here. The nativities are made from terra cotta and then each is handpainted and the clothing is handmade from cloth--they are really beautiful. I will definitely be going back to buy a nativity and the thing I like about it is that you can choose which Mary you want, which Joseph, etc. They are not sold as a set but individually. The artists are very proud of their work as well they should be. Sunday morning we went to church in the Napoli Branch and meet some wonderful people. In the afternoon, we attended the BYU-Idaho Pathway graduation which is why we went there with the Memmotts. They are the Pathway missionaries. For you not familiar with Pathway it is a program designed to get a start on a college education. For many here in Italy it is a godsend so that they can further their education. Many who have graduated from the program have been able to find better jobs and they are so grateful for that. Some have decided to go further and continue getting a 4 year degree through BYU-Idaho. The initial Pathway classes are 3 semesters each lasting 12 weeks and the courses taught are life skills, math, and English. Right now Vaughn and I are helping with the math course--almost everything is done online but once a week the students meet for a gathering session. An institute class is taught in English (we teach it sometimes when the regular teacher can't be there) and then we break into the other 3 sections. The students who graduated that night in Napoli had completed the course in December--there is so much interest in Napoli that there is now a Pathway session there--before that the students had to come to Rome which is a 3 hour car drive and more than that if taking the train.
One of many stores on Christmas Street in Napoli
Christmas Street
The next morning we drove the Amalfi Coast which is absolutely breath-taking, stupendous, awesome, amazing and any other word that fits the description. WE LOVED IT!! We had heard about the Amalfi Coast but had no idea what to expect and believe you me, it didn't disappoint. For those that have been there, it is difficult to describe--for those who haven't it is difficult to describe. It is along the Mediterranean Sea with narrow roads and you feel like you are hanging over the sea. At times especially when there is a tour bus, you have to back up and find a spot that is wide enough to pass another vehicle. At one point we were literally within inches of the bus but the bus driver rolled his window down and told Vaughn which direction to go. The houses are built on the cliffs and the only way to get to the houses is to walk up the stairs that have been built--I have no idea how they do it with their hands full of groceries and other things. The area is well known for pottery and we did go into several pottery stores--Sister Memmott bought several things--I did not because I know I will be back. We got back around 9 on that Monday evening and had a wonderful time which we always do with the Memmotts.
The first week of March was the busiest week we have had since we arrived on our mission. We got home on Feb 29 from Naples and then the next morning we went to the airport to pick up a new senior couple arriving from the MTC--they will be in Sicily as military missionaries for the base there. We are being asked to help with the transporting of missionaries because we have a bigger car--we were told from the beginning that we would be getting a new car in January--finally the end of February we were told that the new car was here--Toyota Yaris--but when it came down to it, there was no trunk space and since we haul so much from our apartment to the various locations where institute is held we kept the same kind of car but a newer one which belonged to a couple who went home in February. We took the couple to the road in front of the temple site to get their picture taken and then to the mall for lunch. The mall is the best place to view the temple and there is also a great ristorante which has the best pizza! Our zone conference was that day but we didn't get there until the very end so we attended the Rome West Zone Conference the next day. Wednesday was taken up with Zone Conference and then institute at the Via Bra church. Thursday was Pathway and then Friday night was institute only we had it at the Via Bra Church (other side of Rome) because we did a service project for the refugees--hygiene kits. We made sloppy joes and melt in your mouth potatoes--the YSA's here in Rome love sloppy joes--several wanted the recipe--I am using Melanie's yummy recipe but have had to tweek it a bit since we can't get everything here but it's good! Last Saturday the Memmotts were in Venice for Pathway so we took another new missionary couple who are from St George around to show them the places we shop. They also live in our apartment piazza. They are working in the office so we rarely see them because our hours don't coincide with theirs. We also took them to the keyhole which has become one of our favorite spots. Then it was Sunday and we started our new callings in the Rome 6 Ward--I am primary pianist and Vaughn is primary chorister--most of the kids in our primary are American and the primary presidency speak only Italian which can be a problem since the American kids don't understand Italian. So having Vaughn in Primary will be helpful because he bounces around between English and Italian and I just keep on playing the piano! We then had a fireside at 2 (which really started at 3 because that is how Italians roll with when things start) with an area 70 and then immediately after that went to Ugo Perego's house (our supervisor for institute). He lives over an hour away from us but we had a wonderful spaghetti (pesto yummy) dinner and then a discussion with the YSA's. We got home around 11 and we were both pretty tired! I am so glad we don't have to get up at 6:30 a.m. like the younger missionaries do.
Jenna Perego and the view from their house--the Mediterranean is somewhere behind us!
This past week a couple of the sister missionaries who live below us went home--I felt like my own kids were leaving when I told them goodbye! We took Sister Sanchez to Termini (train station) because she is from northern Italy and she took the train home. While we were waiting for the train, the guy next to me heard me speak English and asked if I was Canadian. I told him United States--he then proceeded to talk politics with me--everyone in Italy is very interested in American politics. It was an interesting conversation!
Monday is Abraham's birthday (our Nigerian refugee). I am having a birthday party for him after church. When I told him that I wanted to have a party for him he started to cry. He calls me Mama and Vaughn Papa--I honestly think his mother has died and he doesn't know where his father his--I don't think he has ever had a birthday celebration so he is pretty excited about it. The 4 younger missionaries in our ward are coming along with the AP's (assistants to president) and 3 other YSA's. Abraham is faithful in coming to institute every Thursday night and really enjoys it.
We are really enjoying our mission. It is an amazing experience. We can feel the Lord's hand in everything that we do. Ciao, Ciao.
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