Originally this trip was supposed to happen in december, but Gatwick airport was closed for 3 days due to heavy snow so we had to cancel. Actually this was probably a good thing, because Rome in april is lovely!
We had trouble getting hotel rooms as Rome appeared to be full, so we ended up at an allegedly 4-star hotel in some distant suburb. Not the best place I've ever stayed, but it did the job.
We were due to visit the observatory, which is located at the Pope's summer palace 15 miles south of Rome, on friday morning. Unfortunately we discovered that there was a train strike so we had to change our plans again and friday became sightseeing day instead.
Saturday was 3rd time lucky and we finally made it to Albano where the observatory head quarters are located in a former nunnery just off the town square. We were met by Brother Guy Consolmagno, the curstor of the Vatican's meteorite collection, who gave us a tour of the building, including his workroom
and showed us some of the books from the observatory's library, including a second edition of Newton's 'Principia' which did make me squeal with excitement ever so slightly (yes, I'm a geek!)
After a walk through the pope's gardens, we went into the papal palace where the telescopes are on the roof. One of the dome's was having work done on it, so we couldn't see the refractor telescope, but we went to see the double astrograph
which was awesome, and somewhat more impressive than the telescopes we have back at school!
I think the kids really enjoyed the whole trip and I definitely did.
Now to relax and enjoy the Easter hols!
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