So, it's finally here...I'm sitting in my home office writing last-minute e-mails to family and friends...the office is in order, Deb is here, sleeping in my guest room, ready to take on my clients for the next few weeks! I've hired someone to clean the house and someone else to mow lawns while I'm gone...she's delighted, she thinks she has a maid and a gardener!
I cannot believe it is a year and a half since my first ever trip to Italy! I remember how terrified I was, how little I knew and how much everyone here in Slow Talk helped me so generously, encouraged me and cheered me on so enthusiastically. I went back in the archives and found this topic that I began the day I left for the airport... Ciao, Amici!
I've read through it again, in bits and pieces, and it's been such a walk in time for me! I forgot about my lost shoes, my blisters, my tears, the GTG at Boccadama...meeting Colleen and her ever-so-talented sister, Kathleen, Angie, Kris and Mark, Alessandra, John and Anjilla from Malta/San Francisco...I forgot how much I loved Italy and how much I felt intimidated by it.
This time, I'm going back a little differently...I'm taking my 19 year old grandson with me for the first week in Rome, then I'm visiting Karen and Vincenzo in Santarcangelo, and then spending my birthday in Venice! I am stunned at how much braver I am, this time around...and I'm also packing a box of those neat-o little blister pads that you were talking about here, a few weeks ago!
I'll post on this topic nearly every day, if I can find the internet spots near my rentals. Finding something to say will never be a problem for me , so with the internet gods smiling down, there should be some cool stories to share with you! I truly wanted to blog daily from Italy, but I'm not sure I have the skills to write like that on a daily basis.
I also want to say a huge thank you to all of you who have been so generous and kind in sharing what you know, with someone like me who knows not a lot. That kind of goodness of heart that you have shown me is what has enabled me to plan this second trip with a small pinch of confidence. I owe you big-time!
It's way past bedtime, I'm way past tired and waaaay past rational, so for now...ciao, amici!
"In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit." Brenda
Being a fairly new member to Slow Travel - I had just recently read your 2005 trip report - what a delight - I enjoyed it so much. I am in the planning stages of my March 2007 trip: 3 weeks in Italy (Rome, Siena, Florence, Venice) and 1 week in Paris. Hope you have a marvelous time on this new adventure and look forward to reading about your time in Rome. You are so descriptive I feel I'm almost there too.
Posts: 150 | Location: Renton, Washington | Registered: 06 July 2006
Oh, Brenda! I am so proud of you! And nothing would make me happier than seing you again this year. Just promise me to think about it! I am using your "go with the flow" theory everyday!
and I'm also packing a box of those neat-o little blister pads that you were talking about here, a few weeks ago!
I never leave home without them. Okay that's not true, I did over the weekend and ended up popping into a Duane Reed for more but that's another story.
Buon giorno from Rome! We are finally surfacing from that most dreaded of all travelling phenomenon...the mother of all jetlags! Yikes! I hate it a lot...who wants to be sleeping in their bed when they could be wandering the streets of Rome? The flight was long and more uncomfortable than you can imagine. After paying for business class seats with Skyservice and then having them reduced to something they lovingly call 'Premium Economy', I should have known better than to expect it would be somewhere between economy and first class. The seat width was about t-h-i-s wide...I'm not a large-ish person and I was stuffed into the seat like sausage into casing. The button panel for the volume and channels on the TV in front of us was then wedged uncomfortably against my left thigh, and after a few minutes, it became VERY uncomfortably HOT...as if, without air circulation around the little lights on the panel, the temperature rose more than somewhat! Shall I leave the rest of the story to your imagination? 8.5 hours, overnight, on a flight to Rome, with the conditions for my personal comfort decreasing by the minute? The flight attendants cheerfully reminded me that I should 'let my travel agent know', as if that would make any difference at that moment!
We arrived in Rome, found our driver and collapsed into his car, for a short and air-conditioned trip to our apartment, 2 blocks from the Colosseum! We were met by Natalia and Walter, the owners, and after giving us all of the information on the apartment and the neighbourhood, they left. We promptly fell into bed and slept for a very luscious long while. I know, I know, we were only to sleep for an hour or two, but tell that to my sleep-deprived body!
Yesterday was somewhat better...a long sleep, then a trip to the grocer down the block, then the afternoon at the Colosseum. The grand-boy was really involved and interested in the history and the displays...he and his buddies at home are into the gladiator thing, so it was right up his alley!
Today, after another deep sleep, we're off to explore out neighbourhood...this is a cool area! We had dinner at a great little pizzeria last night, found another place we want to try for tonight, so we're off and running!
It's been raining solidly, lightning and thundering through the night, and today it has cleared somewhat, but there are still clouds and high humidity.
I'll check in later! Ciao for now...
“Vacation is what you take when you can't take what you've been taking any longer.” Brenda
Brenda one of these days you are going to listen to Auntie Sheena and fly over the pole! BA is introducing a direct flight from Calgary to London in December. I know you would find their World Traveller Plus seats way more comfortable! I won't nag you any more whilst you are in Italy - but I plan to keep at you for next year!
Now, put the flight and jet-lag behind you and have a fabulous time with your Grandson. Can you believe it - you are in ROME! Enjoy!
Sheena
Posts: 2271 | Location: West Vancouver, B.C. Canada | Registered: 28 February 2004
I agree about the over the pole route. Air Canada finally, finally, finally has a flight where you don't have to go through Calgary: Edmonton-London (Heathrow) where you can easily connect with British Midland to many cities in Europe.
But on to a more important topic: gelato! Brenda, if you are staying in the Monti district be sure and try the gelato at il Gelatone, on (I think) via Serpenti. A fabulous selection of flavours - my favourite is the pistachio but the torrone is awfully good too. Have fun and keep posting! - Marie
We leave for Roma this evening. Hopefully our Air Canada flight will be better than your skyservice flight was. I love to fly but I love comfort as well.
I was last in Europe twenty something years ago when I was 18 so jet lag wasn't an issue. It will be interesting to see what transpires this time around.
The cats are going nuts - they know someone is going away without them and they are NOT happy. I had to remove Beckett from the suitcase three times already! LOL
Looking forward to seeing you and the rest of the ST gang on Thursday!
Jerry
Jerry
The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see. ~G.K. Chesterton
...and another day in the eternal city... The jet lag is mercifully past, now. I went to bed at 11:30 P.M., read til midnight, slept til 6: A.M. this morning...and NO afternoon crash, today! The thunder and lightning has passed, the rain is gone and we are in sunshine totally and completely. It's hot, humid and spectacular!
Today, we tried the hop-on, hop-off double-decker bus tour of Rome...excellent. So excellent that the grand boy has gone back for another go at it, while I'm sweating away here in the internet cafe! We planned to get off at the Vatican, BUT today being Wednesday, the Pope was addressing the crowds, and I do mean crowds. So, we gratefully stayed on the bus, and enjoyed the other stops and the information that the guide gave us. Now I know where some things are that we are hoping to see and it was a good idea for a Rome-newbie!
A great restaurant in this area...Le Naumachie, at via Celimontana, 7. Holy Roman! What food! I ordered the ravioli stuffed with a cheese and sage mixture, served in a butter and sage puddle. Likely 1000 calories a mouthful, but whoa, Nellie! What a delicious plateful of cholesterol! Accompanied by a great, crisp 1/2 L of vino bianchi del casa... this was heavenly. Then, I ordered their special dessert...a fragile wafer-thin cookie basket, filled with fresh strawberries, then topped with a thick, vanilla-sodden custard cream and hot chocolate drizzled on top. Not bad at all! The grandboy had pizza, a draft beer and the panne cotta topped with the same hot chocolate drizzle. I think we must go back there again!
Sheena and Marie...I hear ya! NEXT trip, I'm going to listen to you, I promise you. THIS was extraordinarily uncomfortable, to say the least, and I'm not the most gracious person when in pain, so you can see the writing on the wall from there, can't you???
I'll look for that gelateria, Marie. I've written it down in my journal...I'll let you know if we find it. I brought a huge bottle of Lactaid Super Strength...9000 units per chewable vanilla -flavored tablet, and they should keep me safe while I indulge!
Jerry, hurry up and get your Canuck butts over here! I'm looking forward to getting together...maybe we can have a luscious meal at Le Naumachie, some night. Fly safe!
So, back to pounding the streets for gifts for family and friends, nice treats for me and a long, slow cappuccino under the awning of the cafe at the corner... Arrivederci!
“On vacations: We hit the sunny beaches where we occupy ourselves keeping the sun off our skin, the saltwater off our bodies, and the sand out of our belongings.” ...Erma Bombeck Brenda
Topic Closed
, so with the internet gods smiling down, there should be some cool stories to share with you! I truly wanted to blog daily from Italy, but I'm not sure I have the skills to write like that on a daily basis.
and have a fabulous time with your Grandson. 
Can you believe it - you are in ROME! 
Enjoy! 
