ROMA

After a wonderful morning at St. Peter's Betty and I headed over to the hop-on hop-off bus. Anna wanted to do her own thing.

The first thing we did was ride the entire route, just to regain our strength after the 700 steps.

We got off to see The Pantheon and Piazza Navona, but first found a restaurant for lunch in a quaint little square. We sat outside, serenaded by a group of musicians and enjoyed...pasta...of course.

We then headed out to find our way, walking along the cobblestone streets and then we turn a corner and BAM!!! smacked in the face with the more beautiful piazza we've seen...Piazza Navona and sitting in the middle a beautiful fountain...Fountain of the Four Rivers (1651). We strolled along the piazza, again cluttered with hawkers, and then decided to find the Pantheon.

Just a few blocks away, we found it, and it too was breathtaking. It has been used as a church since the 7th century.

BARCELONA, SPAIN

....copied from my 'other blog' Original travel date...November 24, 2013

 Great flight, a little bumpy but nothing too bad… Only problem was a four hour layover. And when you can't sleep on the plane it really hurts trying to stay awake in an airline lounge with businessmen all over the place. But I made it…

Barcelona is beautiful! Just flying in the city looks gorgeous with the tan rooftops, sitting on the Mediterranean Sea, beautiful blue water, and oh so adorable men! I wasn't able to explore too much as we had a briefing at 3 o'clock. And I got in around 430 and we took a stroll down the posh Pg. De Gracia with all the great designers but we'll wait till Thursday night because they're having a open party along the boulevard. All the stores will be open serving free kava and showing off their beautiful wares.

Our tour director, Paloma, suggested a couple of restaurants that we can try that are frequented by the locals. We went to a tapas bar, Catalina, and it was really good. I should've taken some pictures but we were too hungry and devoured the cannelloni and mushrooms before I even had a chance to pull the iPad out.

Has Anna and I were strolling along the boulevard, we passed a couple of Gaudily buildings. Unusual architecture… It reminded me of Vienna with the Kunderwassen buildings.

We start off early tomorrow morning at 9 AM to do the city tour and then will be able to explore on our own in the afternoon. I'm really looking forward to getting down to the harbour and actually see and maybe even put my toes in the Mediterranean Sea.

It's been a long day even though it's only 8:30 PM I've been up for 36 hours and am ready for bed see you tomorrow.

LAST DAY IN ROMA

I can't believe that it really ending. Our last day in Europe!

We got up early, deciding that we would pay the 14E to get into St Peter's. Well, we got there around 8:30 and....no line!! We walked right in. I forgot how beautiful it is. Betty was astounded. As you walk through your looking from right to left to up to down, across, around corners. Everything is huge...supersized and wonderful.

Betty had to get holy water for her sister and the non-Catholic that she is found the place to get it (of course you had to buy the bottle for 3.50E...the water is free).  When we were there yesterday and couldn't get in, Betty got a  teen to reach into a fountain to get the water...she said 'well, it is from the Vatican', but now she's happy...she got the real thing.

After we finished satisfying our curiosity we headed to the 'breakroom'. On the way in there was a sign 'Cupola 7E for elevator'. Hey! lets do it!!! How bad can it be...there's an elevator. Yeah, right, and the Church preaches to tell the truth....the elevator went to the bottom of the dome. It was wonderful! You are looking down on the entire basilica...the main altar, side altars, everything. And then, we found out to get to the top you have to climb the stairs. Well, how many could there be? 50, 100? It might be a little hard, but we can do it! Yes we can!! After making at least 10 stops...kids flying by us as we sit huffing and puffing...we get to the top!!!! What a view!!! All of Rome. We walked around and around and around and then finally decided we should head down....should be easier...well maybe a little...but I started counting the steps....350 of them...we climbed 700 steps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Certainly a record for me.

By the time we got down we had to 'break' again and were dying of thirst, but we made it....and so proud of ourselves, too.

Now it's time to see the rest of the sites before we have to leave, so we head over to the hop-on hop-off bus.

THE VATICAN

Wednesday and it’s religion day. We have a tour booked this morning for the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s.

Taxi cost 20E, but 4E was my fault since I left my credit cards and money in the room and we had to backtrack. But  we got there with more than enough time to spare, only to find out that we would not be going to St Peter’s because on Wednesday Pope Benedict has audiences with the public and it would not open until 12-1.

I had been to the Sistine Chapel, but not the Museum…which is a MUST SEE. It goes on forever and each room is more magnificent than the previous one. Our guide, Damieno, was great and explained all the little things that you would have missed if you were doing it on your own. The best, of course, was saved to the last…the four rooms painted by Raphael. Entire walls, plus the ceilings, filled with splendid frescoes.

And then, the mother of all frescoes, the Sistine Chapel. No pictures allowed, and yet the Orientals kept trying, even with the guards repeating ‘no pictures, silence’. As the guide pointed out, on the beginning end of the ceiling the figures are smaller than at the other end. Michelangelo realized that when viewing from the floor the figures were too small and as the fresco progressed, the figures were enlarged. Words can’t explain the feeling of gazing upon this masterpiece.

After the tour, we went across the street to a café to get something to eat. Betty had made the entire tour and was feeling pretty good. She felt even better after she got her gelato. She wanted a cherry gelato and got what looked like an original Picasso. Ice cream, decorated with cookies, fruit, more cookies and more fruit. Shocker…the ‘small gelato’ that she ordered was 12E. I ordered a pizza (about 2 slices) and a coke…21E. My coke, because it was not ‘take away’ was 6E (would have been 3E if ‘take away’).

Finally, we walked along the wall to St Peter’s, since it was after 1 and we thought we could get in. SHOCKER!!! The line, at least 5 wide, wrapped around the entire square; where did they all come from???? Anna decided to head across the river to see St Angelo Castle while Betty and I tried to figure out where to get the hop-on, hop-off bus.

Note:  I have never seen so many hawkers in one place…Indians selling scarves, key rings, sunglasses, Vatican souvenirs, squealing slime balls, icons, handbags, wooden toys….we even saw a guy selling ‘carrot’ carvings….yep, designs made with carrots.

Anyway, we found a place that had information about the bus, but also had ‘skip the line’ tickets to St Peter’s for 14E. We’ll have to do that tomorrow, since they were out of tickets for the day. So we hopped on the bus and went around the city, seeing the sights and determining which ones we’ll hit tomorrow.

Around 5 we headed over to the Trevi Fountain, to toss our coins in to assure we’ll be back in Rome, and again, got lost. Came to an intersection and didn’t know which was to go. There on the corner was a souvenir shop the a sign in the door ‘directions to customers only’. Well, I needed to get a plate from Rome, so I went in; grumpy Italian couldn’t find the one I wanted, but when I went to leave he changed his tune. After I paid 5E (for the plate, but also to get directions) I asked him for a good place to eat in the neighborhood. ‘Italian?’ he asked. Well, yeah. He goes on to tell me everything in the neighborhood is frozen…you want to go down  2 blocks on the right…only good Italian food around and fresh. ‘Grazie, grazie’ I said and ‘by the way, where’s the fountain?’ Duh, it was at the end of the block!!!

Got to the fountain….hundreds of people and loads of hawkers. Funny, we were standing there and all of a sudden, they all grabbed their stuff and went running off. Turns out if a cop starts heading their way, they scatter.

We finally made our way down to the fountain, took some pix, tossed our coins, and headed to the ‘only real Italian restaurant in the neighborhood’.

We get there, only 2 tables occupied outside and a man putting out glasses…not even a hello or anything. We go in, only 1 table occupied. We’re wondering did we make a mistake? Betty goes over to the guy and asks if his pasta is fresh…he looks at her like she has two heads, but tells her yes. We sit down, order, and get the best dinner we’ve had so far in Rome. Really good.

Silvio finally warmed up and was joking around with us, asked where we’re from, and tells us he has a cousin in Florida who has a restaurant in Longwood. He pulls it up on his phone and there, in the Orlando area, is Enzo’s on the Lake, Longwood, with a great review. Guess where I’m going when I get home!

The dessert, again, torte ciocholato, was fabulous. On our way out, I went to say ciao to Silvio and even got a 2 cheek kiss!!!!!

Onward and upward! Tomorrow the final sweep of the city and the sites we missed today and then….home

ROME

We have finally arrived at our last stop...Rome. We got in around 5 on Monday and the ride to the hotel brought us past many historic sites…it brought back memories from when Jim and I were here many years ago.

We took a walk over to the Spanish Steps and then tried to find our way back to the hotel which was a joke. It took us over an hour to do a 15 minute walk….we just kept getting lost. Finally, Betty took over and got us there in minutes. We went to a restaurant around the corner, Ceasarius, which the taxi driver had recommended….good pasta, better desserts.  Time to crash and get ready for the Coliseum tomorrow.

Standing magnificently in the middle of modern day Rome and all its traffic, the Coliseum stands as a tribute to the golden age of the ancient Romans. Even though there is repair and reconstruction going on, it still looks awesome. We had a very good guide who had such a love of the architecture and history it really made you feel that you were there in the beginning.

After the Coliseum we headed over to the Forum, exploring the ruins….even got to see the home of the vestal virgins. Betty and I found a place that would be perfect for us. It was a rough day for Betty with all the climbing and uneven cobblestones, but she’s a trooper and got through the day. We went to a restaurant right next to the hotel…again.. good food, great desserts. P>S> I have never consumed so much wine in a day! But it’s red so it’s good for my heart.

Tomorrow, the Vatican.

POMPEII

In order to get to Pompeii you have to take a train from Sorrento. Sixteen stops later we were there. We were to meet our guide at 9:30, but since we had no idea where we were going, we made sure we got there early. Well, the sun was shining and it looked like a great day ahead, but when we got off the train it was too chilly for just a light sweater, so Jennifer, you got yourself a white ITALIA sweatshirt.

We walked across the street and walked around the main entrance to the city. Realizing that this magnificent city was built over 2000 years ago, you are amazed at the technology and acumen of these people so long ago. They had drainage, building techniques used to this day, buildings that are situated so that they make full use of the sun and its power, the rain so that they can use it for all their needs, and it just goes on and on. As we walked along the streets, running north and south and east and west, you could see the ruts in the stones from the wheels of the carts that were used in the city. The main street consisted of shops; you could still see the ovens from the bakery and the water and wine jugs in the shops, as well as the grooves where the sliding doors were situated. 

Our guide told us that the Romans believed in three things: food, wine and sex. All around you can see in their frescoes the phallus, sexual scenes, and the houses are built around the center courtyard and all rooms flow into it; the dining room being the main public room where so much was done.

We headed down the street, which curved to the left where the prostitutes lived. Prostitution was normal during the time and since many of the sailors who came into Pompeii could not read, there were pictures which showed different positions...so when a sailor came into the house he would just look at the pictures over the door and choose which position he wanted. It was amazing to see the stone beds still in the rooms, along with the colored frescoes over the doors indicating different positions.

We had arranged a private tour, so it was just the 3 of us and what a wonderful experience. Leli had so many great stories about the people, their way of life, about their city and how they must have felt when Vesuvius erupted. We explored the grounds for three hours and did not see it all. Plus, only about 25% has been excavated. One can only imagine what is still buried under 20+ feet of earth. He told us that the government just doesn’t have the money and even though the excavation would create many jobs, they just aren’t interested.

One thing I found very interesting is that the tourists are allowed to walk on the marble floors, able to enter buildings, touch the walls, see the frescoes up close, really get the feel of Pompeii. It was heartbreaking to see on the walls tourists who had to include themselves in the history of Pompeii by carving their names, to forever desecrate this beautiful city.

After lunch we headed over to Herculaneum, on the west side of Vesuvius. Herculaneum was a ‘resort’ town, where the people of Pompeii came to relax. It was much smaller than Pompeii, but more intact. There is much more to excavate, but the current town sits on top of it and the government will not displace the families in the area. The reason that it is still intact is that it was covered with the ash from the volcano, whereas Pompeii was hit with the pyroclastic blast which was much more destructive.  There were approximately 300 bodies found, where at Pompeii the number is inclusive because of instantaneous incineration caused by the blast.

From wikipedia:  It is also famous as one of the few ancient cities that can now be seen in almost its original splendour, because unlike Pompeii, its burial was so deep as to ensure building's upper storeys remained intact, and the hotter ash preserved wooden household objects (beds, doors etc.) and even food. Moreover Herculaneum was a wealthier town than Pompeii with an extraordinary density of fine houses, with far more lavish use of coloured marble cladding. The discovery in recent years of some 300 skeletons along the sea shore came as a surprise since it was known that the town itself had been largely evacuated.

There is so much more about these two cities to be told; Leli recommended a book by Robvert Harris – Pompeii, which he said is a must-read.

THE ROAD TO NAPOLI

Well, we get into Napoli from Florence, go down to the other end of the promenade to deposit our luggage, since we packed for 2 nights earlier.this morning. Well, surprise, surprise…the people were on strike and we had no place to drop 6 large suitcases (plus 4 small bags/backpacks)

Take a cab – 200E

Rent a cheap hotel and just leave the luggage – not a good idea

Take the train to Sorrento…with 9 bags

Or

Rent a car – GREAT IDEA!!!! Stick shift (haven’t done that in 30 years), crazy Italian drivers, crazier Italian scooters….I must be crazy!!!!

But there was no other option. So we head to Sorrento by car. The National Car agent told us just take the A3 to Sorrento….48km….no problem. Well, maybe not for him. We made one wrong turn after another and the ‘service’ light lit up and wouldn’t go our and had a message popping up in Italian about the motor and we’re smelling smoke and just kept driving.  There were some close calls, the streets being so narrow, but we made it. Betty now calls me ‘Fast Mama’ and ‘Danica’.

Well, the Amalfi Coast is beautiful. A long, winding road, up, down, around curves, twists and turns and everyone is better than the last. Even though it was only 48KM, it took us close to 2 hours with all of the wrong turns, but we finally got to Carlton Hotel International. I thought the bellhop was going to die when he saw all the suitcases, but he took it in stride and got them all to our room.

The view is fantastic. You can see all of the Amalfi coast, Capri, and the sea goes on forever.

I just can’t get over how rude the Italians are. They push, shove, never say ‘excuse me’ and then curse at you if you tell them ‘no’. I have never seen so many street hawkers pushing their wares; and they just keep coming back!

We had a nice dinner at Tasso, one of the hundreds of ristorantes in Sorrento, drank a lot of vino and headed back for the night.

Pompeii tomorrow…..