Rome Day Five: Norcia and Cascia and Day off for Mommy

Well today our tour group was getting up early to take a day trip to Cascia, home of St. Rita, and Norcia, home of St. Benedict and his sister St. Scholastica.  This very-pregnant lady was completely and totally exhausted from the go, go, going and decided it was best to take a day of rest at this 1/2 way point of the trip.  So Julia went with the group on the tours and I stayed home in Rome and had the most wonderful day with my little buddy.

We started with breakfast together in the hotel.  Every single day we've been here he has peeled a hard-boiled egg and a kiwi.  :)

We went back to the room and rested until about 11ish and then went for a walk around town.  We peeked in a few shops.

On a lark we decided to try their McDonalds (we needed a break from pizza and pasta)- and what a treat they had kiwi on a stick with the happy meal.  

Then we walked down to the Castel Sant'Angelo.  This ancient building is almost 2,000 years old!  It was built as a mausoleum for the Roman Emperor Hadrian in the 100s.   Later is was fortified and used as a fortress.

It was fun walking along the Tiber River-

 Then we walked across the pedestrian bride of angels.  I love this bridge so much!  It has the most gorgeous angels and each one holds an instrument from Christ's passion and death.

 The pillar from the scourging-

 On the other side of the bridge we saw the Museo Napoleonico and decided to pop in.  It has a huge collection of artifacts reflecting Napoleon's influence on Italy-

I had longed to see this one church- one of the only gothic churches in Rome, but it was closed.  We actually walked there twice just to be sure!

So we decided to go into the fortress and spend some time-

 Where Hadrian's tomb would have been- right in the center of the round building.  It reminded me of an Egyptian Pharaoh making his pyramid-

Torch niches in the corners-

I said, "You could have worked here Tucker- you're the perfect size for a doorman!"

The sign here said, "colossal white head" from the 200s.  Tucker and I laughed and laughed at that.  

 

We made it to the top!

 We found a cute little arch to sit in and have a treat. 

The angel bridge from above-

Like the pyramids the funeral march used ramps to get the Emperor's things to his chamber.  Then they filled it in with dirt to hide the way.  

Emperor Hadrian-

Tucker was excited when we finally saw green grass.  Earlier in the day he said, "I have not seen one blade of green grass in this town!"  We had fun at a park.

I said, "Why don't you take Mommy's picture so we know I was here too?"  Oh well.  In his defense, he was wearing gloves.  

Meanwhile, Julia and the group had a wonderful day as well.  She took her camera and has WONDERFUL pictures, but I don't have a way to get them off her camera here in Italy.  My friend texted me a few through the day.  They started with a bus ride to Cascia, home of St. Rita.  She said she loved the drive with beautiful snow-capped mountains. 

 

After Mass and touring they went on a short trip to Norcia that had been recently ravaged by earthquakes.  The church with the tomb of St. Benedict had totally crumbled.

Apparently Pavarati himself sells boar meat.  :)

The highlight of the trip was meeting a young Benedictine brother who was from South Carolina.  In fact 10 of the brothers living in this remote mountain town are from the United States.  They brew beer and sell it to sustain themselves.  They gave a brewery tour and the adults taste tested some samples.  

A wonderful day!