Adventure #7

Big Brother & Big Sister Mouse Explore Rome

They've made it to Rome.

After beginning their Italian adventure amongst the canals and winding streets of Venice, Big Brother and Big Sister Mouse have arrived in one of the world's most extraordinary cities.

Rome.

A city of ancient ruins, grand fountains, little cafés and Vespas zipping through streets that have been travelled for thousands of years.

And, as it turned out, one rather unexpected sunrise.

Welcome to Rome

There is history almost everywhere you look in Rome.

Ancient ruins sit beside busy streets.

Beautiful fountains appear around corners.

Tiny cafés fill the footpaths.

And Vespas weave their way through the city as though they have somewhere very important to be.

For Big Brother and Big Sister, there was an enormous amount to explore.

After the slower rhythm of Venice, Rome felt busy, exciting and full of life.

There were famous landmarks to find.

Streets to wander.

Italian food to try.

And apparently, very little time for sleeping.

When in Rome

There is something about Rome that makes you want to stay out a little longer.

Perhaps it is the warm evenings.

Perhaps it is the little restaurants and cafés.

Or perhaps it is simply knowing that there is always something happening around the next corner.

Big Brother and Big Sister certainly embraced the Roman way of life.

So much so that after arriving home from a night on the town at around 5.30am, they were faced with an important decision.

Go to bed?

Or keep exploring?

The mice looked at the time.

Sunrise wasn't far away.

There seemed little point going to bed now.

So off they went.

Sunrise at the Colosseum

Sometimes the best travel moments are the ones you never planned.

By the time Big Brother and Big Sister reached the Colosseum, the sun was beginning to rise over Rome.

And it was beautiful.

Morning light streamed through the ancient arches while one of the world's most famous landmarks stood remarkably quiet around them.

There were hardly any crowds.

No rushing.

Just two very small travellers watching Rome wake up beside a building that has stood there for almost two thousand years.

The mice may not have planned their early start.

But suddenly staying awake all night seemed like an excellent idea.

The Colosseum Through Little Eyes

The Colosseum is enormous.

Especially when you're a mouse.

Standing beside those ancient stone walls, Big Brother and Big Sister must have wondered about all the people who had passed through this place long before them.

Built almost two thousand years ago, the Colosseum once held tens of thousands of spectators who came to watch the spectacles of ancient Rome.

Today, it is one of the most recognisable landmarks in the world.

But in the quiet of the early morning, it felt very different.

For a little while, there was time simply to stop and look.

And perhaps wonder how two Maileg mice from Australia had somehow ended up watching the sunrise in ancient Rome.

An Early Morning at the Trevi Fountain

Since they were already awake, there was really only one thing to do.

Keep going.

Next stop: the Trevi Fountain.

Usually surrounded by visitors throughout the day, the fountain was wonderfully quiet in the early morning.

Big Brother and Big Sister could actually stop and admire it.

The enormous stone sculptures.

The water tumbling into the fountain below.

And all those coins sparkling beneath the surface.

Tradition says that throwing a coin into the Trevi Fountain means you will return to Rome one day.

We suspect the mice wouldn't mind that at all.

Vespas Everywhere

There are some things that simply feel like Rome.

Espresso.

Pasta.

Old stone buildings.

And Vespas.

They seemed to be everywhere.

Parked along narrow streets.

Zipping through traffic.

Waiting outside cafés.

For two mice who have spent much of their European adventure travelling around on their own scooter and trike, Rome's love of two wheels felt very familiar.

Big Brother was particularly interested.

We suspect that if someone had left the keys in a Vespa, this Mouse House Adventure might have taken a very different turn.

Thankfully, he stuck to sightseeing.

Rome Around Every Corner

The famous landmarks are extraordinary, but some of the loveliest parts of Rome are found in between them.

A tiny café tucked into an old street.

Tables waiting outside for the morning coffee crowd.

Beautiful doorways.

Weathered buildings.

A Vespa parked against an ancient wall.

A little laneway disappearing around another corner.

Travelling with Big Brother and Big Sister has always been about noticing these smaller moments too.

Rome certainly has its grand monuments.

But sometimes it is the ordinary little scenes that make you feel as though you are really there.

Sometimes the Best Adventures Aren't Planned

There have been plenty of carefully planned stops on this European adventure.

But Rome gave the mice something completely unexpected.

A night out that turned into sunrise at the Colosseum.

A nearly empty Trevi Fountain.

And a chance to see one of the busiest cities in Europe before most of it had even woken up.

It wasn't planned.

It probably wasn't particularly sensible.

But it was absolutely worth it.

If there is one thing Big Brother and Big Sister have learned during their travels, it is that sometimes you have to leave a little room for the unexpected.

Those can become the stories you remember most.

Rome Through Little Eyes

Rome is big, busy and filled with history.

For two little mice, there was almost too much to take in.

Ancient buildings that have stood for thousands of years.

Fountains filled with wishes.

Vespas racing through the streets.

Late nights.

Very early mornings.

And one unforgettable sunrise.

Big Brother and Big Sister arrived expecting to see the Colosseum and Trevi Fountain.

They didn't expect to see them while almost everyone else in Rome was still asleep.

Perhaps that is what made this part of their Italian adventure feel so special.

But after Venice and Rome, it might finally be time to slow things down.

The mice are ready for some salt water, sleep and sunshine.

Next stop: the Amalfi Coast.

Adventure Log

Destination
Rome, Italy

Travellers
Big Brother Mouse & Big Sister Mouse

Favourite Moment
Watching the sun rise through the ancient arches of the Colosseum with hardly another visitor around.

Landmarks Spotted
The Colosseum • Trevi Fountain • Ancient Roman streets • Italian cafés • Vespas

Most Magical Discovery
Rome before the city wakes up.

Mouse's Note 🤎

"We were going to go to bed. Then we noticed the sun was coming up. Rome seemed like a much better idea."

← Previous Adventure: Big Brother & Big Sister Mouse Explore Venice

Continue exploring our Mouse House Adventures as Big Brother and Big Sister Mouse make their way through Italy.