Pictures from Italy

We're just back from our two weeks in Italy, and have uploaded most of our pictures from the trip onto a web album for you.

Walking the old streets of Norcia

We took an overnight train from Vienna to Rome, spent a few hours in Rome trying (and failing) to get inside St. Peter's Basilica for Mass, and then headed for Norcia by train and bus with others from our group whom we met there.

Our studies in Sacramental Theology were in full swing over the next few days, until Thursday (Corpus Christi) we headed back to Rome by bus to attend the papal Mass and Eucharistic procession. We had lunch at Dino & Tony's (delicious!), went into St. Peter's Basilica for a little bit, and then headed for St. John Lateran for Mass with the Holy Father.

The next day we bailed out and headed back for Norcia on account of the children even though the others all stayed another day.

Then on Sunday, halfway through our trip, the chicken pox struck. First Edmund and then Thomas came down with them, and the next few days in Norcia were pretty rough. No sleep at night for the boys (or the parents), and then no playing at the park in the day for Maria. I had to take plates of dinner up from the dining room to Lisa and the quarantined children. No fun at all.

By Thursday or so they were well on the mend, though, and we were able to enjoy our last few days there, before heading back to Rome for another day, and then embarking on another overnight train ride to Vienna - without air-conditioning.

It's good to be back home.