Once in Rome, things went fairly well. We ended up staying in a hotel near the train station - The Palladium. We were told and had read that the train station area is not the best, but for us it worked great. With Anna being sick, it was convenient to be close to where the two main metro stations intersect.
Peter and I have a trick for being in Rome when something big is going on. The first time for us, BC (before children) happened to be an Easter weekend and Rome was very busy. This time, it was the 25th anniversary for this Pope and the Beautification of Mother Teresa. Rome was *very* busy. We did manage to see the Colosseum when the sun was shining, and tour the Vatican (St. Peters and the Sistine Chapel) when it was raining. Both girls seem to like Rome. Both were surprised how small some of the famous paintings seemed in the Sistine Chapel.
We did the double decker tour bus in Rome (as we do in most cities), but I wouldn't recommend it -- the buses don't actually get very close to any of the significant sights on the tour. It is a pleasant way to spend a few hours when your feet hurt, but you won't actually see alot.
Kate thought the Spanish Steps definitely were pretty dull - but both liked Trevi fountain. The highlights for Kate were definitely the cute waiter and the cute guy on the flight home. For Anna, I think Rome may be a big blur for her. We didn't notice too many pickpockets, but beware of men trying to hand you flowers!
Back in the Netherlands -- VirginExpress flight was great. We had our first snow today! Unheard of for the Netherlands in October. I am told it is going to be a cold winter!
