Pula, Croatia (Auquarium/Fort Ventura)

The weather today was not the best for a lot of the outdoorsy stuff (very windy, cool, sunshine but rainy).  We had discussed renting a boat to take the kids fishing but no one would take us out due to the wind.  Oh well, it was the perfect opportunity to hit up the Pula Aquarium located inside Fort Verudela (and less than a five min. drive from our resort)…after sleeping in, of course!  (I think I may like no-planned vacations after all).

Amsterdam, Netherlands

We just got back from a fun-filled weekend in Amsterdam!

Dachau and Berchtesgaden, Germany (Dachau)

This past October we took a weekend trip and went to the Bavarian region of Germany.  Two things we really wanted to see were the Dachau Concentration Camp and Hitler's Eagle's Nest.

We debated on whether to take the kids to see Dachau. However, they behaved with respect and although they asked questions (and we answered truthfully) they didn't seem to comprehend what happened here and why. I'm not sure I will ever comprehend it. 

Never Forget

Bastogne, Belgium

We had an amazing time exploring Bastogne, Belgium today.  My husband (a history buff) especially enjoyed this trip!

Stockholm, Sweden (MSC Baltic Cruise)

"The capital and largest city in Sweden, Stockholm is built on 14 islands located between the Baltic Sea and Lake Malaren.  Connected by over 50 bridges crossing open bays and narrow channels, it is often referred to as the "Venice of the North." This attractive city is filled with lush parks, wide boulevards and majestic structures of contrasting colors.  Ancient dark, stone buildings sit next to modern sky-scrapers of glass and block.  Add the onion domes, red washed houses, painted roofs, persimmon spires and curved garbles make this modern city an architectural delight."

Florence, Italy (Accademia)

This morning we woke up early to try and get in line to climb up Brunelleschi's Dome; however, we were disappointed when we got there to see that it was undergoing an unexpected closure and wouldn't open until after lunch.

It didn't stop us from having a pleasant morning though!  We found a nearby park and let the kiddos play for awhile.

Florence, Italy (Galileo Science Museum)

This morning we headed to Florence!  We purchased a family ticket for 130 EUR from Trenitalia (Roma Termini to Firenze S.M.N.,which took about an hour and a half).  The kids LOVED the train ride...probably because they got iPad time!

Once in Florence we walked to our hotel (Hotel Fedora) to check-in and regroup. The hotel room was a very decent size with a dining area/living room and bed downstairs and a loft bedroom upstairs.  The staff was excellent and put out a nice little breakfast of bread and jams but it was definitely only a 2-star hotel.  The bathroom was super-tiny, it was dimly lit, the wi-fi only worked in the lobby and there was no air conditioning...but for the cost (180 EUR for two nights) and location we didn't complain (until after we had walked around all day and came back to a room hotter than a sauna).

Rome, Italy (National Roman Museum)

Seeing as how we saw everything we had planned to see/do today yesterday we had a nice day to relax, catch up on some laundry, and explore the National Roman Museum before packing up to head to Florence.

Boxer at Rest

The museum is actually divided into four different sites; however, we only visited the site at Palazzo Massimo alle Terme (which is conveniently close to the Termini Train Station).  It is a really nice building with four floors to explore but our children were slowly quickly losing interest in all things "broken." So, we focused on the few highlights we didn't want to miss: Boxer at Rest, Augustus Pontifex Maximus, and The Discus Thrower.

Rome, Italy (Vatican)

After touring St. Peter's Basilica and having a quick dinner, we walked back to Vatican City.  We had previously made a 7:30 p.m. reservation online to tour the Vatican Museums (highly recommended to bypass ticket line).

Once there we got into the "reservation-holders" line (to the right).  We were told to get a guard's attention if our entry time was approaching and we weren't moving forward in line but our line went fairly quickly and we had no problems.  You do need to make sure you bring identity documents (passports) with you to verify and complete your reservation.

Speyer, Germany (Technik Museum)

Today we took the family to Speyer, Germany to check out their Technik Museum.  We had a lot of fun looking at all the old automobiles, fire engines, trains, and planes...there is even a submarine and space-shuttle!

Our favorite part though was the huge play area in front of the museum with boat rides, go-carts, and a pirate ship playground!

Neunkirchen, Germany (Gondwana Praehistorium)

We took the kids to Gondwana Praehistorium today to check out "the worldwide biggest dinosaur-show with huge animatronic dinosaurs" and play in the Gondi's Dinowelt!

Trier, Germany (Porta Nigra)

We went on our first solo sightseeing trip today to Trier, Germany!  Trier is one of Germany's oldest cities with lots of interesting and fun things to do.  On our itinerary for the day was Porta Nigra and the Trier Cathedral...

Porta Nigra is a large Roman city gate dating back to the Middle Ages.  You can go inside for a small fee and even get a guided tour by a "Roman Centurion" during the summertime!