Finally going on vacation abroad again

Jovialis said:
We are also planning on spending a few days in Rome prior to departure of our ship.
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That's a great idea.

I hope the heat breaks a bit for you. They're even moaning in Britain. Bring large insulated water bottles and some cloth handkerchiefs. Everywhere you turn there will be water fountains on the walls and keep refilling them. One summer when the children were older it was so hot we would dunk our whole heads under them and I'd wet the handkerchiefs and put them around our necks. The tourists looked at us strangely, but that's what my mother did. Big wide-brimmed hats are important too, especially if you're fair.

Are you backpacking the baby? That's what I used to do with mine. My husband would face them in the baby carrier not to the front but to the back sometimes so they could really see things. It stopped a lot of the fussing. When it was nap time we faced them in and they'd just fall asleep. We knew approximately when they'd sleep so we even scheduled indoor museums for those times.

As for the people, Italians really love babies, children, as you know, all Mediterraneans, really. It was like traveling with royalty. Once my son was really fussy and started screaming in the restaurant. I was so upset, but the waiters were like, stop worrying; he's got a great set of lungs. :)

Oh, do they make UV protective clothing for babies now? I wish I'd had them for me back in the day. :)
 
Thank you for all the tips Angela! :)

Indeed, we use a sunblock now that is made for babies by Aveeno.

We are also bringing the baby-carrier that is front facing.

We actually did the wet handkerchief thing too in Portugal when we went back in the summer of 2019 I believe. It really was a life saver.

I'm happy to be bringing my child around the world at such a young age, so they can grow up with an appreciation of other cultures, and history; to be erudite and well traveled.
 
Jovialis said:
Thank you for all the tips Angela! :)

Indeed, we use a sunblock now that is made for babies by Aveeno.

We are also bringing the baby-carrier that is front facing.

We actually did the wet handkerchief thing too in Portugal when we went back in the summer of 2019 I believe. It really was a life saver.

I'm happy to be bringing my child around the world at such a young age, so they can grow up with an appreciation of other cultures, and history; to be erudite and well traveled.
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I traveled with mine once they were six months old and never regretted it.

Partly it was because going home once or twice a year was a necessity for me, and I wanted them to grow to love it and the relatives, partly to expose them to the world in general.

Also, to be honest, we really didn't want to be apart from them for a week or two at a time. We did a few week-ends alone when my parents were alive to watch them, but for longer periods we just didn't do it. We both come from very traditional Italian families where you go nowhere without your children, and that's how we did it too. My "American" friends didn't understand it, as they didn't understand some of my choices about work, or how our household ran, but so be it.

One of my great pleasures is when we're all together now and all the stories start rolling about all our experiences, some upsetting at the time, but very funny now. You'll make memories together that will sustain them even when you're gone.
 
Jovialis said:
Hopefully we will have time to see it, but I believe we are indeed planning to take an excursion to Reggio Calabria.
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I hope they're still there. My husband wouldn't leave Southern Italy until we'd seen them. They were found in the waters right in the harbor area from which many of his Calabrian ancestors came.

I remember thinking, well, the gladiators may have been fat, but this is what the warriors looked like. The Greeks, including the Italo-Greeks of Magna Graecia, went to the gym too. :)
 
Jovialis said:
Thanks for all the well wishes!

@Angela, we are planning to take an excursion to Pompeii.

Also, when we go to Santorini, we are going to see the "Minoan Pompeii", Akrotiri, which was also destroyed by a volcano in 1500 BC.
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Santorini is a must see island. Been there many a time. Don't neglect to go visit a winery or two. The white wines of Santorini are very pleasant. You probably do not have time to visit the caldera or any of the beaches but they worth a follow up trip. Sunset at Ia is also a must see.
 
Where to begin? I have seen so many ancient sites and museum in my time abroad.

I have walked through the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar of Istanbul during peak hours in August with an infant in a stroller. As well as the underground Roman cistern, Blue Mosque, and Hagia Sophia.

I climbed the mountain on Delos to see the temple of Apollo in similar heat with the baby strapped to my chest, while holding the stroller folded up on my back. While the sun blazed in the sky.

That's only just the tip of the iceberg, we nailed every single excursion we set out to do. I don't put this mildly, it was extraordinary.
 
Welcome back, Jovialis. You were missed.

To say that I'm jealous would be a gross understatement. :)
 
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