We started our day at 3:30 AM on Wednesday morning. After a restless night I was glad to hear the alarm waking us up. It was a busy airport even at 4:30 in the morning. People bustled through the airport, pulling their luggage. We stood in line, nervously waiting to check our large bag, hoping it would make it through our stop at O’Hare–(Chicago)–to our final destination. Rome. While waiting at the Gate, I glanced up and saw my friend, Dawn! She was traveling to Chicago with her daughter to visit family there. With a hug, we grabbed our belongings and found our seats. It was a full flight with each seat filled.

Traveling transcontinental is long and exhausting. With a scant recline on our seat, a meager pillow and thin blanket, we try to sleep. Watch a movie. Try to sleep. The attendants bring “dinner.” “Pasta or chicken?” the attendant asks. We are served a tiny tray of food with sectioned containers, a cold roll, spicy chicken in an unnamed sauce, a square of lettuce and cucumber with oil and vinegar dressing, and a brownie–plus a choice or red or white wine.  The entree, barely warm, we ate some of the food, then tried to nap once again.

As we crossed Europe, we had an astounding view of the Alps.

Somewhere over Europe–The Alps

After many hours, we touched down in Italy. They are nine hours ahead of us and it was nine AM Thursday, their time. Counting back that means it’s midnight Pacific time. We’d been traveling for thirteen hours! Relieved our baggage made it to our destination, we trundled our two bags, back pack and tote bag and our jackets to find our driver.

We walked into our hotel, with the entry next to the street, and met the hotel clerk, a well-dressed woman who spoke quite good English. I was impressed once again at how the Italians dress with such care. The male clerks dressed in suit and ties and wherever we were, the Italians took attention in what they wore.

The ceiling above our bed.

We checked into our room that was small but clean with a view of the street below, and flopped on the bed. Stretching out felt so good.

We decided to take a short nap before hitting the streets of our neighborhood. It was hot outside, but nice and cool in our room. Refreshed after a couple of hours of sleep, we changed clothes and checked out our neighborhood called Monti. A block from our hotel was a church called a Basilica. We learned that Basilicas are named by the pope and in early times, were used for a court or gatherings. There are only four in the world, all located in Rome.  We learned that a cathedral–or duomo is headed by a cardinal; basilicas are appointed by the pope. Regardless of whether they were a basilica or cathedral, they were ornate and beautiful. My photos of St. Mary Major Basilica don’t fully express what it was like, but I’ll share a few.

After we toured the Basilica, we were hungry and attempted to find a restaurant. The desk clerk said there were many good ones nearby. “Just a five minute walk,” she said. We walked the direction she told us and couldn’t find it. Walked back and asked again. Once more, we didn’t see it. We finally asked two workers, chatting at the dry cleaner shop where this particular restaurant might be and they pointed to it, but told us it was closed. We later learned most restaurants are open for lunch until two PM. They close for a few hours and open for dinner at 7 PM. Once more, Jim talked to a different clerk and he recommended a local restaurant–or trattoria–a smaller family run restaurant.  “They have good food, ” he said. At last, we found it. It had outdoor seating and indoors, too. We wanted to sit inside where it was air conditioned. It was very hot–at least 95 degrees even at 7 PM.

The food in Italy is divine. I chose pasta with marinara sauce and a meatball. I ate every bite! Jim had calamari and we ordered a side of focaccia bread, also very good.

Our hotel provided breakfast and it isn’t at all like the American hotel “breakfast” provision.  This was a full breakfast. The butter, milk and eggs tasted amazing.

That was our first day in Rome. On Sunday, before we left for our cruise ship, we attended mass in one of the chapels in the basilica.

We spent two more days  in Rome and I’ll tell you more next time. Walking through the cathedrals and basilicas was a high point of our travels. They are beyond description, really. I appreciate the hours and hours of time the artists took to honor the Christian faith. The soaring ceilings. Gold filigree. Marble statues. I believe the builders were trying to give the visitor a glimpse of the majesty of God.

Today, I read where Christ called Peter and James and John to be his disciples. He simply asked them to follow him. I’m glad we can worship in the ornate cathedrals or even a simple chapel. That God is present at the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee, or even in our own backyard.

One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. 2 He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 3 Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” 5 “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” 6 And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! 7 A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. 8 When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.” 9 For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. 10 His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed. Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” 11 And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus (Luke 5:1-10 NLT).

Just as Jesus called the disciples so long ago–not far from Rome, really–he calls us, too.

Thanks for letting me reminisce my trip with you! Next time, I may share about the amazing Sistine Chapel and the Vatican.

Get these Blog posts emailed directly to you.

Enjoy the last weekend of summer!