Mount Vesuvius

As I mentioned in previous posts, we've really tried to get the kids involved in the planning of our upcoming European trip.  Our 6 year old son Michael is really into volcanoes, and is very excited that we are planning to go to the top of Mount Vesuvius and walk along the crater rim.  This morning after looking at a few pictures of the volcano on-line he drew this picture of Mount Vesuvius from across the Bay of Naples.

It's hard to believe that after months of reading guide books, watching shows, and researching on the internet that we'll be in Italy in less than 2 weeks.  

Abby's 5 Must-Sees at the Vatican Museum

During the planning for our upcoming European vacation, it was important to us that everyone had input into the activities we planned and the places to which we will be going.  Our 9 year old daughter recently wrote and posted this piece explaining some of the things she'd like to see in the Vatican Museum on her blog, From Abby's Point of View.  I'm cross posting it here.

The Vatican Museum

This summer I am going to Europe.  In Rome, my family is going to the Vatican Museum.  Here are 5 things I want to see in the museum and why I want to see them.

1.  While we are at the Vatican museum I want to look at  The Sistine Chapel Ceiling.  It took Michelangelo 4 long years to paint.  He did it on scaffolding.  Instead of just painting it, he put up plaster and painted on the plaster.  It is from the part of  the Bible called the Old Testament. I would like to look at it because it’s one of the most famous and oldest works of art. 

2.  I would like to see the Laocoon. It is a sculpture of priest Laocoon and his sons being eaten by snakes. I want to see it because it is a very famous sculpture and I like the look of it all. 

3. I would love to get a peek at the Last Judgement.  It’s an entire painted wall of human souls rising and falling.  I’d love to see it because it’s so big and amazing.

4. I want to search for the statue of Perseus.  It is a sculpture of a man on a horse holding Gorgon Medusa’s head.  I want to  search for it because it is like good winning a battle against evil.

5.  Last, in the Vatican museum I’d like to look at Antinous. It is a Greek Statue of an entourage of the Roman Emperor Hadrian.  I want to find  it because I want to go to Greece someday.

Image Credit:  Flickr/nathangibbs

The Kids Are Excited for Europe

Both my 9 year old daughter and my 6 year old son are excited about the trip we have planned to Europe this summer.  We'll be flying to Venice from New York for just a night (a 24 hour stopover there was the same price as a short stopover in Rome), then spending 6 days in Sorrento, 2 1/2 days in Rome, a day in Orvieto, 4 days in Munich, and 3 days in Paris before ending our trip with three days at Disneyland Paris.

Image:  www.tablespace.net

Since both my wife and I are teachers, we naturally wanted to make sure that this trip is a learning experience for the kids as well as a great vacation.  I'm hoping that introducing them to different cultures will open their eyes a bit and allow them to realize that people in other places may do things differently.  And that "different" doesn't mean "wrong."

To build their excitement and make the trip more personal for them, we are going to have them learn about some of the places we will be visiting and have them share what they find.  Our daughter has her own blog where she'll be sharing what she finds.  She just finished a post on the Eiffel Tower tonight. (She's always excited to get comments!)  At dinner she told me she wants to learn and share about the Basilica San Clemente in Rome next.

Our son is really interested in volcanoes, so he is excited that we're going to the top of Mount Vesuvius.  He wants to draw a picture and write a bit about what he learns underneath his drawing.  I'll take a picture of it and post it here when he's finished.