All Roads Lead to Rome

Hotel Bristol A. Castellani, Pre Florence, 7th April 1897

My dear Father + Mother, I seem to have been sensding you very disjointed epistles from time to time on our journeyings. I am distressed to hear of the cold weather + snow you have had at home in March, so late in the Spring for it to come + I hope + pray you are all leeping well + have [] any ill effects from the cold. it seems unfortunate that I have not been in London to arrange about Uncle John taking out things for you but perhaps there may still be time. uncle Joe wants to be in London by the evening of 20th and I think had not decided where he is going to take [] [] [] are at Baileys. It seems a pitty that dear

on his way back to the [] the Royal Palace. We were none the worse for the outing + it was a great thing to have seen. On Tuesday we left Rome at 9:30 + arrived here 2:30. Had lunch in a dining car. It is a lovely trtip by raile + we are perfectly enchanted with Florence. This hotel like the one we were in at Pisa is on the [LungGreed] that is on the backs or beside the [Arres] I cannot describe the picturesqueness of it under the blue sky with its quaint old buildings + the bridges. The colours of which would sound bright if one [] there buyt which in reality are mellowed to perfection. (Directly we arrived we went for a drive to get a general view of the place + wherever we go our first outing is to Cook’s office to [] for letters! I got one from Jack, one from Carry asking me to stay with them on my way back to London and

Mother;s silk (red shot) is in one of them, but the velvet is in Scotter’s care. We did not leave Rome six Monday morning We had as intended because Uncle Joe had a cold + the weather was changable + wet. but we persuaded him to come here yesterday + I think he has benefitted by the change of air for he is certainly much better. On Sunday afternoon we did not go to tea with the [Frisk] people but with some charming Italian ladies at the Grand hotel. They live in Florence + came here on Monday. We are to visit them tomorrow. The King opened Parliament in person on Monday morning + Josephine + I issued forth to see the procession which was really very splendid. [] had a tiresome long wait for it and flowed that to see anything we must discharge our [cabweake] + go on goot in the crowd as carriages were not allowed in the Piazza near the Parliament buildings + there was a double row of soldiers everywhere!

There [] a chair to stand on from a man in the crowd which was splendid. I thought as I could see over the heads of the poeple in front but Josephine wd not have one so I don’t think she saw much. The [] is very gracious + beautiful. There were a great many gorgeous [] + gold glass coaches with all the foot men in scarlet + the hourses with white plumes. The queens’ procession came about ten minutes before the Kings. The princess of Naples was with the Queen + her mother the Duchess of Genoa in another coach. The mounted soldiers were splendid on their black chargers. They were as magnifiecnt as the Horse Guards in London. At first in waiting we were exhausted with the heat of the [] Fortunately I had my big umbrtella, we were so pleased with the pageant that we dediced to wait + see the return but by that time it had clouded over + the rainm was [] us in a downpour when the King passed

are well dressed, look good [] + have beautiful carriages + horses. Yesterday we saw the Prince + Princess of Naples driving there. The day before yesterday we drove to the top of one of the hills called Certosa where there is a beautiful monestary. The views by the way are more lvoely than I can describe. This is Sunday morning + we are starting for Venice at 11am. I don’t know why Uncle Joe decided to travel today. The weather is perfect and we are looking forward to Venice. Much love to you all dears. From your loving daughter Kathleen OReilly

one from Miss Preston who has gone to Naples, with her mother and promised to get me a toitoise shell comb, which is said to be very inexcpensive there. I always have lettwers to write not it is quite a business. Rome the ‘Eternal City’ is most interesting but Florence ‘Le Bella’ appeals to me more. It is so beautiful. This morning we [] at the [Uffizi] Galllery filled with art treasures including [] + sculptures. Uncle Joe gets rather tired of it + was glad to carry us off to lunch but I was so interested. It is an immense palace, once could continue to go to for months before seeing it all. I really don’t kn ow enough about the things or the history of the country + art to appriacte + enjoy it thoroughly + have longed for someone like

dear old Sir Mathew to act as walking encyclopedia for me! After lunch we drove to a place called Fiesole at the top of a mountain or hill from which one gets a magnificent panoramic view of Florence and the surrounding country. There is so much of interest + beauty everywhere. 11th March. I have not been able to finish my letter before as we have been doing something each day + our Italian frienda have filled up the gaps! They think it is dreadful our leaving Florence today + have begged us to stay and let them show us everthing. They are artists. The water now is perfectly beautiful + Uncle Joe has almost quite lost his cold. We have been seeing churches + galleries in the mornings and taking drives in the afternoon so that we don’t really get tired for

both the Josephs soon are [] of pictures etc. She always says ‘[] [] seen enough of this old place let’s go home to lunch’ which makes him give her a lecture, but really he is just as ready to go himself. I bought [Ruskin] on Florence and have [] the others by insisting on seeing what he says one out to look at here. I must confess in my opinions the most defaced and hideous old scupture + extrodinary frescoes! Still it gave us a mornings ammusment, taught us how well appreciative we are of these old relics + of course part of his book is clever + it is interesting to hear what he thinks. We have twice driven in the park which is beautifully laid out + one sees all the wealth + beauty of Florence between five + six the fashionable hour. They