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Obelisk
Odyssey in
Italy
Italy
is wonderful for family vacations! You can
combine relaxation with sightseeing, shopping,
and great dining. All the while interacting
with the friendly and courteous people of
Italy
.
While
in
Rome
recently, I kept finding myself gazing at one
or another of the magnificent obelisks that
adorn this city -- more than any other place
in the world! Each obelisk has a tale to tell
that illuminates thousands of years of
history. This newsletter visits a few
obelisks, presents some Italian games and
reviews two family apartments, one in
Rome
and the other in
Venice
.
P
L Byrne
Play
Find the Obelisk Across
Rome
 There
is nothing like a treasure hunt to focus and
energize your family while you see the sights.
An especially good set of treasures are the
obelisks of
Rome
. There are many of them, they stand out, and
are a great centerpiece for a family photo.
The Italy
Discovery Journal has a list of 18, each
with a capsule history, location and
dimensions. Here is a sampling of some
favorites:
Lateran
Obelisk:
Piazza di San Giovanni in Laterano. The oldest
obelisk in
Rome
and the tallest true obelisk in the world, it
was made in 1600BCE in
Egypt
. In 357CE the son of Constantine the Great,
Constans II had a special ship built to bring
it to
Rome
to decorate the Circus Maximus, the largest
chariot racing stadium in the city. It was dug
out of the rubble in 1587 and placed in its
current location.
Vatican
Obelisk:
St. Peter's Square. A favorite because of the
apparently true tale of its raising. Silence
on pain of death was the order as men and
horses strained to raise this massive obelisk.
The effort seemed on the point of failure as
the ropes stretch and the obelisk hung from
the massive scaffolding erected to raise it
when a sailor realized that to avoid having
the ropes snap under the strain, they needed
to be dampened and cooled. He shouted,
"Water on the ropes!" The engineers
in charge, instead of killing him, realized he
was right and formed a bucket brigade from the
nearby Tiber river, soaked the ropes and
raised the obelisk which stands taller than
Bernini's towering, bronze baldaquin inside
the church,
Flaminian
Obelisk:
Piazza del Popolo. Marking the start of the
ancient Via Flaminia, this obelisk was carved
in 1400BCE in
Egypt
and was formerly erected in the Circus Maximus.
Piazza
Navona Obelisk:
This relatively new obelisk was made in
Rome
in about 100CE for a temple to the Egyption
godesses Isis. A bit of a turnabout, because a
number of obelisks in
Rome
were stolen from a temple to Isis in
Egypt
.
Minerva
Obelisk:
This miniature obelisk that originated in
Egypt
sits on the back of an elephant by the famous
artist Bernini. The elephant is a very nice
sculture that happens to have his rear end
facing the home of the artist's rival. Really
nice piazza to find.
Have
a Riot in Italian
 These
Italian games are fun in their own right
whether or not you use them to practice your
Italian words and numbers.
Tombola
is
similar to Bingo, but both easier and more fun
according to my family. The layout of the game
cards seems to be easier to follow than that
of a bingo card. And the nicknames that each
of the numbers have make for a lot of joking
around the tombola board. English translation
provided.
Mercante
in Fiera ,
the Merchant at the Fair, is a card game that
need six or more people to really get going.
There is a little luck, some auctions, betting
and prize winning. You can use the game to
practice Italian vocabulary or not. Rules in
English are provided.
Travel
Guide and Games for Children
 Kids
Europe
products are for kids only! I wrote the
guidebook for my children and their cousins to
help them enjoy
Italy
, each in their own way, so there are
activities for all kinds of children. There
are also many insights into Italian culture,
for example, do you know what "bella
figura" means? It is at the foundation of
the Italian sense of style. Some bits of
history are presented with a focus on
highlights that will interest children., for
instance, the period of the Black Death is
scary and fascinating and we get to explain
some of the effects it had on
Italy
.
Flaminio
Vacation Apartment in
Rome
Piazza
del Popolo -
Borghese
Gardens
 We
really like this apartment in
Rome
because it is within walking distance of many
of the famous sights in
Rome
and relatively affordable. It is also near a
metro station to transport you to farther
locations such as the Coliseum. There is lots
for kids in this area, the
Borghese
Gardens
and the Rome Children's Museum are very close.
The
apartment has two bedrooms, two baths and a
sofa bed for two more, if you wish. A terrace
allows you to enjoy the best of Roman weather.
Conveniences abound with air conditioning,
microwave, drip coffee pot, full refrigerator,
Internet connection, DVD and CD players, fax
machine and telephone. What else do you need?
Ca'
Bella Family Apartment in
Venice
Crowned
by a Rooftop Terrace
 Next
to the Campo San Polo in the heart of
Venice
, this apartment provides the perfect balance
to the narrow, busy alleys of the queen of the
seas. The decorating is serene, emphasizing
wood tones, black and beige. You can glory in
the rooftops of
Venice
from a brand new deck on the top of the
building.
With
two bedrooms, two baths and a single bed, it
will sleep five very comfortably. You can
enjoy views from the windows down to the
little campo behind or the calle in front, but
best of all is relaxing on the rooftop.
Explora,
the Children's
Museum
of
Rome
Interactive
Museum near Piazza del Popolo
 Kids
can get tired of walking, ruins, and churches
so this modern, interactive museum lets them
focus on serious play. Inside, there is a
model city to play a role in and, outside, a
play ground.
Reservations
required.
Italy
Discovery Journal
Children's
Coverage is Free with Travelex Travel
Insurance
Bags
for Kids and Parents at eBags
High
quality up-to-date maps of Italy from maps.com
the online map store
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