Thanksgiving in Rome!

Jeff's Aunt Robin and Uncle Gregg came to visit us for Thanksgiving. It was a great week-long visit. They were able to see lots of sites, despite the typical rainy Naples weather. On their own they saw the Naples underground aqueduct system and downtown and Pompeii (which is really being hit hard by this rainy season).

Together we all drove to Rome for Thanksgiving, and we had the 'Auto Grill Pizza' for lunch. It's famous!!! :-) - as it's the huge gas station convenient store stop on the autostrada - but decent! In under 5 hours we were able to see Vatican City including St. Peter's Basilica, the tombs below, the Pope's Castle San Angelo where he would hide out during trouble (he could get there via underground tunnels) on the Tiber River, Popolo Piazza, the Colosseum, and Trevi Fountain. Robin had been to Rome before and played tour guide remembering all the facts from her previous trip. The girls did well and only had one combined melt-down on the subway where we had to get off - nurse and re-group. Oh, and I also had to do a standing feed inside St. Peter's Basilica. Fortunately no one got a picture of that! :-)

Friday Jeff worked a half day, while Robin, Gregg, the girls and I hit the 'Black Friday' sales at the NEX! An extra 25% of boots, savings on pots and pans, and 50% of nail polish!!! Wow - just like America!! Robin and Gregg gave us an early Christmas present of a very nice set of new pots/pans which we desperately needed. Also got some cooking lessons from the master chef himself as Gregg taught us new tricks for beef, fish, and chicken! Friday afternoon Jeff took Robin, Gregg and MoMo to Vomero to go Cameo shopping and to St. Elmo castle. It was a successful shopping day all around, and the Cameo owner thought Mo was adorable and gave her a necklace and cameo as a gift.

Saturday the weather was a little better and they all drove the coast - to Vietri, Amalfi, Positano, Sorrento and back home. Jeff took them to a restaurant that John had taken us to over Christmas and this time the chef came out to hand-feed Morgan! Gregg thought meeting the chef was great and I wish I had been there too.

Sunday was departure day for all - including Jeff who left to go to the AB Conference in San Diego.

Thanks Robin and Gregg for visiting us. We are too far from family and you made it a very special and memorable Thanksgiving.

Love, JeLiMoBe