June 30 - The Last Day of our Roman Sojourn

Who would have guessed that our little stay in Rome would actually come to an end.  We always feel like we have forever and then, before you know it, we're packing up!  Today, Jack snuck out while everyone was sleeping and completed his run of Rome's 7 hills!  Congratulations!  A big pasta meal was in order after that so we tramed it to the city center for lunch at Pizzaria Emma.  They absolutely rock the thin crust Roman-style pizza and the spaghettoni carbonara was the best I'd ever had - yummy fried pig cheeks!   We tried a new gelateria close by and took our treats to a park just around the corner.  It lacked charm but it had a nasoni and the girls had a fun time spraying each other with the water (until Natalie slipped and fell in).  

On our last evening out, we walked along the Tiber River to enjoy the Lungo il Tevere Roma - a 'festival' that runs all summer long and consists of a couple of miles of temporary stalls transformed into bars, restaurants, games and shops along the Tiber River.  We started with an aperitivo then walked the length of it, taking it all in.  Everyone was too baked to keep our 9:00 pm dinner reservation so we went home and grabbed take-out pizza from our neighborhood pizzaria.  Natalie was so tired, her eyes kept rolling back in her head at the dinner table!  Two stories later and she was out like a light!  

Tomorrow, we pick up our rental car and drive to Forte dei Marmi - the seaside town that promises sandy beaches, aquamarine waters and a well-earned break from the blistering pace we've been keeping in Rome!  I think everyone is ready!