I’ve tried to do as much family research as I possibly can do, but there seems to always be a dead end. I feel like the older generations weren’t enthusiastic about talking about the tough times they had growing up to their children, and their parents might not have told them their family history… etc. etc. So when I went to Italy on my family vacation we went knowing only a few facts about our Italian family history. But I have to admit, they are pretty darn cool family history facts to know…

But regardless of the things I learned before the trip, every step I took around Italy made me think of my roots and how I am insanely lucky to call myself Italian.

You all know from my former posts that I fell in love with Anacapri. But there was something about Rome that shook me to the core. As we toured the ancient city, I wondered if I had relatives that wandered the streets of Rome during Julius Caesar’s rein. And when we took our first steps into the Colosseum, I wondered if my relatives were the gladiators or sitting in the audience. To think that these buildings, these structures managed to stay standing through all of these years is mind boggling to me. Who wouldn’t be infatuated with the history, the art, the politics of such an incredible city!?

On to the more light, fluffy stuff. Before we went into the Colosseum we grabbed a quick treat at a small gelato vendor. On such a hot and humid day there was only one flavor I could possibly order… Lemon … It was such a fabulous choice because the lemon was so fresh I felt like I was hydrating while I ate my gelato. In the picture you can tell that I already started to eat one of the cones before I remembered to take a picture! Oops!