It's been go, go, go since we got, got, got here!

And I know why!!! There is soooo much to see and do. It is absolutely incredible. Really.

So, as I left off from yesterday: we were at the coliseum... My favorite thing about the coliseum is that, you're driving along (well, we're not driving...no way would I drive in Rome) and you look up, and, oh, there it is...the coliseum. I mean, you don't have to go to a museum or drive out into the countryside...like you do to see Cadillac Ranch or the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Texas...it's just right there. Right in the middle of the city. Boom! It's just amazing.

Did you know that they have found a ton of stuff that tells them what people were doing while they were attending an event at the colisuem...they were eating and drinking stuff from vendors...we know this because excavators found chicken bones and cherry and peach pits (also why I'm not an archeologist...I'd be at some site, enjoying my lunch, spitting out cherry pits...someone would come along behind me, and the next thing I know the pits would be sealed in acrylic for the world to see). They were playing dice and betting games...we know this because...well...didn't you see the movie, Gladiator? We know they were hanging out in the restrooms chatting with each other, just like today, only there weren't dividers between the stalls...I know...waaaay too much information!

Our next stop was the Roman Forum...the ancient marketplace. All the temples, stores, public houses, etc. It's where you see all those massive columns and ruins just standing around:

Actually, it's very impressive. The weird thing is that you'd think this is where Julius Caesar was assassinated...but it's not. The Senate was moved to the forum after his death, because the first building burned down...it was in a place called Caesar's Forum (coincidence?). Today, that forum is also in ruins, but about 100 ferral cats call it home:

See the cat in the shade? Lower left hand corner? It's black and white.. You can click on the picture to make it bigger. Keep looking.

Anyway, the Roman Forum is massive. And not too long after it was built, all the emperors starting building their own forums. They're everywhere. I asked our guide, Gloria, if, when you're walking along the street or somewhere and you see a rock...how are you sure it's just a rock and not some long lost nose off of a priceless statue...I'm just sayin'.

After the forum, we went to what the locals call The Wedding Cake because of it's stacked arrangement and white marble designs. It's a monument ( really big one) to all the fallen soldiers, in Piazza Venezia. I am absolutely positive this is where Soldier Field got it's inspiration...Brett: homework assignment for you...

The Pantheon was our next stop. There's just nothing that can prepare you for it. It was about 93 degrees yesterday and very humid. We turned a corner and entered the square in front of the Pantheon...I had goosebumps. It's astounding (I'm starting to run out of words, here). So, we're really hot, and, as I was saying about the water in Rome: it comes up from a natural aquifer and is always. always. available from the fountains everywhere...it just never stops running. Cold, clean, delicious water. For free. I'm sure Evian hates Rome. So there's a fountain in front of the Pantheon. We stop and refill our bottles and douse our shoulders in the cold water. That, along with the goosebumps...it might as well have been about 66 degrees. Wonderful!!

And so is the Pantheon. It's a perfect globe...the dome is as round as it is tall inside...with a very famous oculous:

And two very tired, very happy travelers:

Well, it's midnight here, and I need a good night's sleep before we head out into the countryside tomorrow to see the castles of Rome. I'll start again later with our visit to Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. Then there's that Vatican thing. Ciao for now!

Oh.

Today was our first full day in Roma. Oh. The best way I know how to put it is to say that it's 10 pounds of shit in a five pound bag. Oh. Today was all on foot. We started at St. Peter's in Chains...Michalangelo's Moses. Oh.

Michalangelo was most proud of this statue. I'm not sure why...personally I like the David and the Pieta, but he liked this one. So much so that he thought it was human and hit it with a hammer..."Why don't you talk to me?" I'm thinking Mickey was a little crazy. Anyway, today we started at St. Peters in Chains, continued to the Coliseum...you know that thing's huge? And they're still finding things that were a part of it. Just a last year or so, they were digging only 5 meters (sorry I can't convert...Americans were never any good at that...) and they found part of an equestrian statue. Of course, I couldn't resist making Joe do something that he really didn't want to do...or did he? It's when good tourists go bad...

So we did the coliseum, and so much more. I'll tell you about it tomorrow. Right now...I HAVE to go to sleep! I'm dying, here.

Just wanted to check in and post. I'll be back with more pictures and more stories.

And, I can't wait to tell you about the water. My hair is fluffy...yeah, I said fluffy...without the benefit of product. How is that possible? It's the water. More later...Ciao!

t

Ciao Roma!

Let me just say that Italian men are like Ferraris. Sleek, beautiful, desired by many... OMG, there was an entire tour group on our plane out of Chicago, and the male half were all...well...totally ogle-worthy! They all had that same sort of, oh, I don't know, "rico suave" attitude, although, not one of them was dressed head to toe in leather. They all had the same haircut, the same oversized sunglasses, the same slick tennis shoes and tight jeans, and the same (is Joe reading this?) butter brown abs, that showed when they stretched to reach their carry-on luggage in the overhead compartments. All I can say is thank God for American Airlines for charging that extra baggage fee for checked bags. I don't think I was blatant about it, heavens knows I kept a napkin close to my salivary glands, but...OMG. And the women weren't too shabby either...not that I noticed. They were just more subtle about it. Probably spent their entire lives rubbing themselves with olive oil and listening to Pavoratti, while walking around the orange grove in a see-through white cotton dre...oops. Maybe they weren't so subtle after all. Either that, or I have GOT to get a grip.

Anyhoo...we landed in Rome this morning, and were swept away by our driver, Walter. He brought us to our hotel (Sant' Anslemo). A beautiful small hotel in the middle of the Aventine Hills district. A very quiet, rich neighborhood, full of embassies, churches, and more beautiful people. The hotel, itself, is fairly old, but quaint (and there is an elevator...something I required). Our room on the second floor is wonderful. A gold and maroon palace for two with a complete bathroom, beautiful draperies and a window that overlooks an arbored patio...fantastico! But there was no time to take it all in. We needed a nap!! And fortunately, I'd scheduled our afternoon tour for 2:30...it was only 10:40...plenty of time.

I have to tell you...I don't even remember hitting the pillow. I don't know if I've gotten bigger over the years or if American has gone Lillipution. The seats we had were not only small leg-room-wise, but hip-wise, as well. Miserable. That, plus the girl in the row in front of me had waist-long blonde hair, and she just couldn't help flinging it over the top of the seat to get it out of her way...never mind that it was in my air, food and general annoyance space. If she'd flung it one more time...well, does the term snatch one bald-headed mean anything to you???

After our nap, we went downstairs and wandered around for a bit to find something to eat. I got to test my "Italian in ten minutes a day." Just as I suspected...it's way different in real life v. the cd. But we got two really good paninis and some diet coke, just about four blocks away from the hotel. We headed back and our driver and guide were waiting for us. Oh, by the way...it's freakin' hot in Rome. Not so much hot as humid...I'd still rather be here than in Dallas. So, let the sweatfest begin! We did three churches: St. Peter's outside the wall, (whoa, beautiful, full of lore and history), Santa Maria Maggiore (unbelieveably beautiful) and St. John's...the cathedral of Rome...along with the holy stairs. St. John's was facinating...there was a Pope (sorry I can't remember who) who loved alchemy and mystical happenings...he dreamed that he would die in Jerusalem. Well...he wasn't going to Jerusalem, so he was fine...all was well. Then, one day, he went to the Chapel of the something or other of Jerusalem...and, you guessed it...he died.

Everyone was going on about how he'd predicted this event. He was entombed in St. John's. Since then, everytime a Pope has been ill, it's said that the bones of Pope-what's-his-name rattle in his tomb and the whole tomb is wet, predicting the ill pope's death. How I love stories like that. So far so good...we didn't hear rattling and the tomb was as dry as my grandmother's heels. Benedict has nothing to worry about.

After the churches, we saw the Caracallas baths, the second largest baths ever built in Italy. The ruins are spectactular, and we learned that they continue to have performances there in the summer of all the lyric operas (Tosca, Aida, etc.) and even a performance of the three tenors (Pavorati, Domingo and Caruso during their final tour...what an incredible setting.

We saw the mouth of truth...did you ever see the movie Roman Holiday? Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn, Eddie Albert?? Go rent it...it's worth the price of admission. There's a scene where Gregory Peck (who, by the way, is my mother's favorite actor) shows Audrey this monument. It's a face with a sad mouth. You put your hand in the mouth and tell it your most secret wish. If you are a liar, you don't get your hand back. I have that same kind of relationship with vending machines. Anyway, the mouth used to be in a wall in the old port of Rome...now it's been cut from that space and resides in a church...the line was waaaay too long to stand in. True story.

Did I mention it was hot? Multo Caldo. Lesson for today: In response to a question about what the weather is like today: Che tempo fa oggi...literally, what does the weather make today...you might say (especially today)...fa caldo...it makes hot. Not that I'm complaining. I seem to recall on our last trip I was bitching about how effing cold it was. I like the heat. Really. No. Really.

One of the coolest (literally) things about Rome is that its water supply is fed from an underground aquifer or spring or something. And all the fountains spew all this fresh water. You can go up to any fountain with an empty water bottle and get your fill. It's cold (I mean really cold) and delicious. Amazing.

So after an amazing day of touring, we went back to the hotel, took a quick freshen up minute and headed out to the patio for a couple of glasses of wine whilst sitting underneath the orange trees and the date palms. Yeah...we're not coming back to Dallas.

We went around the corner for dinner and had a perfect cream tomato soup, another wonderful glass of wine, linguini and pesto and espresso. I couldn't see them, but behind us was a couple, obviously (except to me) speaking the queen's english. Frankly, they sounded like they should be ordering a highball. Thurston and Lovely were carrying on about George Bush, the war and who knows what...Joe will have to tell you, because, I admit it, I was giggling too much to really care. Enough wine. Back to the room to sleep. Tomorrow is a full day on foot to take in the citta vecchia (the old city).

I'm sooooo going to be able to sleep tonight, Lovey.

I still haven't vacuumed

But I have finished packing. This past week has just sucked! I mean, every night I had the best intentions, only to be thwarted at the gate. I had to work late. We had a birthday party to go to. I had errands to run to pick up some last minute items (like Italy doesn't have stores). I had a headache. There's a cowboy's game on. We had to finish watching the first season of MadMen. You name it. For some reason I just couldn't get to my list...and God knows I had a list. There are only two things left on it. Do a blog post and vacuum. I'm having a hell of a time getting to that vacuuming.

I know. Who vacuums before you go on vacation? I guess it's like making the bed in the morning. I do it for the burglars. Huh? I've always been afraid that if burglars came to the house, and they showed it on the news, my mother would be watching and think, "that house is a mess...and look, she didn't make her bed." Same as clean underwear mentality.

So when I finish this, out comes the Dyson.

I AM packed. And I did get it all in one bag and a carry-on. It's a big bag. A really big bag. It'll probably get one of those bright orange "heavy" tags on it. Thank heavens we'll be able to do laundry when we get to Naples, otherwise, I would have two really big bags. And I'd be bitchin' trying to roll them over the cobblestone back streets of Rome.

I think Joe made it all fit in one bag, too. Frankly, it's a miracle. We've been fielding calls all evening from friends and family wishing us a buon viaggio (good trip). I told Wally (Joe's dad) that, according to my friend Cindy, there's a gift shop just outside St. Peter's Basilica and the merchandise you buy there, you can have blessed by the Pope. I asked him what he wanted us to bring him that was blessed by the pope. His answer? A popemobile. Let me tell you...he is soooo getting a popemobile. Probably popemobile salt and pepper shakers. And they damn well better be on the table the next time we go to California. But if I can't find the salt and pepper shakers, there's always Pope on a rope...who doesn't want to shower with his holiness? Today's Italian lesson: Desidero inondare del papa (day-see-der-o in-own-dar-ray del pa-pa) I want to shower with the pope. I'm sooo goin' to hell. No, wait. I'm going to Rome!

I'll post as soon as I can! Ciao.

Our Amazing Itinerary

Well...we're ready to go. We've got the itinerary lined up, we have someone to house-sit, we've stopped the paper and the mail, I've got my packing list done...we need to do laundry, but other than that, I believe it's time to go to Italy.

Saturday, August 22
Flight to Chicago then on to Rome

Sunday, August 23
Arrive in Rome 9:15 am.
We are picked up by our driver and taken to the Hotel Zombie, I mean, the Hotel Sant’Anselmo, where we can freshen up a bit, grab a bite to eat and get ready for our 2:30 pm tour of the sacred basilicas of Santa Maria Maggiore, San Giovanni Laterano and Scala Santa (the Holy Stairs). After the three hour tour, we’re on our own for the evening. Perhaps we'll go to the Hotel Eden, behind the Spanish Steps. On the top floor, at the La Terrazza restaurant, maybe we'll get a window seat and be treated to a panoramic view of the city while we enjoy our dinner...hopefully we won't pass out in our plates...that would just be rude.

Monday, August 24
At 9:00 am, we head to Colle Oppio (a large park built upon the ruins of Trajan's baths...a huge bathing complex built, itself, on the ruins of Nero's palace) and begin our full day tour. We will visit the San Pietro in Vincoli (St. Peter in Chains) Basilica, the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and Capitol Hill, Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon and Piazza Navona to see the Fountain of the Four Rivers. We return to our hotel around 3 pm, exhausted, but looking forward to an evening on our own.

Tuesday, August 25
At 9:30 am, we are taken to the Vatican Museum to meet our guide. We will visit the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. At the end of the tour, about 2 pm, we find ourselves on our own, free to explore more of the city...particularly the gift shop at the Vatican, where you can have the items you buy blessed by the Pope. Yeah...the Pope.

Wednesday, August 26
At 9 am, our driver will pick us up at the hotel and take us on a tour of the Roman countryside. We’ll see Castelgandolfo (the summer residence of the Pope...But I don't think he'll be there...I'm sure he's back at the gift shop, blessing merchandise). We will see one of the deepest volcanic lakes and then continue to Ariccia and Nemi, the town of the wild strawberries, overlooking the Mirror of Goddess Diana lake before heading back to Rome at 2 pm. We have the rest of the day on our own...but it’s time to pack.

Thursday, August 27
We check out of Hotel Sant’Anselmo and take a taxi to the train station. We have train tickets to Florence. We arrive in Florence just after noon, and we will take a taxi to our hotel, La Residenza. It's actually only about a 10 minute walk, but I really don't want to wander the streets of Florence, lugging suitcases, looking for our hotel. We have the rest of the day to begin exploring. Probably will go see the Duomo and the baptistery.

Friday, August 28
Reservations to the Accademia (Michelangelo’s the David, et.al.), a stroll down through town, shopping and eating our way towards the Uffizi Galleries where we’ll spend the afternoon. The evening is for exploring and eating and shopping.

Saturday, August 29
We take the train to Pisa to see the Baptistry, the Duomo and the Leaning Tower, along with whatever else we can get done by the middle of the day. Then we’ll hop a train to Siena and do the Plaza, the cemeteries, some shopping and eating before catching a train back to Florence.

Sunday, August 30
Happy Birthday, me! I bought myself a trip to Chianti! A driver/guide will pick us up and take us along the old wine road, the Chiantigiana way. We’ll stop at Impruneta, Castellina in Chianti, Gaiole in Chianti, San Gusmé, Castelnuovo Berardenga and Asciano- Abbazia di Monte Oliveto Maggiore. After eight hours of eating, drinking, shopping and taking in the breathtaking scenery (just what you’d expect to see in the Tuscan countryside), we’ll return to the hotel for a nice long nap or a drink out on the terrace.

Monday, August 31
Check out of La Residenza and catch our train to Naples. It’s quite a haul...we arrive in Naples at about 2 pm...I’m hoping we can sleep on the train...we’ll need it. Upon our arrival, Doug and Silvana will pick us up (or we’ll cab to their home) and we’ll begin our week-long adventure in Southern Italy: Amalfi, Pompeii, Sorrento, Positano, Isola Procita, etc.

Sunday, September 6
Take a train back to Rome where we’ll camp out at the airport hotel, Hotel Club Isola Sacra before we head home the following morning. We'll spend the evening crying or looking through the real estate ads.

Monday, September 7
Flight back to Chicago departs just before noon; we get back to Dallas about 8:30 pm

I'm sure it will be over before we know it. I'm just gonna hate that.

Italian lesson for the day: Dov'è il bar? (Doe-vay eel bar?) Where is the bar?
Ciao

Two Weeks!

We're working on the final touches to our itinerary; I'll post it later this week. Y'all will be soooo jealous!

In a major discovery (I must have been living under a rock), I have come to find out that Italy is about 10 pounds of shit in a five pound bag. There is so much to see, so much to do, so much to eat, that I don't think even Italians could ever see, do and eat it all...and I'll bet that those of you who have been to Italy will attest to this...can I get a "si, si!"?

In the last couple of days, we've laid out our trip day by day, tweaked it and made some new decisions...some of you will be disappointed that we're not going to Orvieto; some of you won't be surprised that we're planning a tour through the wine country (yeah, I know, it's pretty much all wine country.) But none of this trip would be possible without the sure and guiding hands of Roberto Torrini and Nicoletta Polla at LCDM Travel. So here's my blatant plug. If you are planning a trip to Italy, these are the folks you need to work with. They are located in Rome, even though Roberto is in California, and they work with operators and companies all over Italy. We gave them a general outline of what we were interested in doing, and they came back with a plan. Joe and I took their suggestions and objective input into consideration and we've ended up with a fabulous vacation that is sure to be amazing.

I talked to Roberto last week. I told him that we were pretty much solid on everything, but I wanted him to tell me his favorite restaurants; his favorite places. You know...that one little cafe that's down some narrow medieval street, behind a blue door that has the most amazing terrace or food or whatever. I took down two pages of notes...confirming my above suspicions...there's too much stuff to see and do in two weeks. I told him (jokingly) that I was learning Italian so that I could deal with a realtor, because...um...yeah...we're not coming back. Roberto told me that he, in fact, had his broker's license, but not to buy in Tuscany right now because it's overinflated. Anywhere else you can get for practically a song (I wondered which song. Hey! I can sing.).

And who would want to come back? Who wouldn't want to live in a villa surrounded by Cyprus trees and olive groves? I saw "Under the Tuscan Sun." Who wouldn't want to have neighbors down the way who's family has made a certain kind of cheese for the past 200 years and who will invite you to eat with them on a weekly basis? Who wouldn't want to be able to go into town and have a meal at a local trattoria that's been in business since the 1800s, making wine from their vineyards, just steps from their doorstep? Who wouldn't want to wake up in the morning and look out the window to see an achingly beautiful countryside, sleepy and bucolic? I'm telling you...every time I hear that Italian music, played on what I'm thinking is a concertina or a mandolin, it just makes me Never. Want. To. Work. Again. ...ever.

Roberto, I may be calling you!

Italian lesson for the day: Quanto è la villa sulla collina? Quan-toe ay la villa soo-la co-leena? (How much is the villa on the hill?)

Ciao.

Oh! CRAP!!

Double Crap!! That was me last night as I was finally going through all of our travel documents. Lemme 'splain.

Some backstory: Joe's mom and dad are travel gods. They have friends and contacts all over the world. And when we decided we were going to do a land package, instead of a cruise, Joe called his dad, who, of course, says, "yeah, I know a guy." (What makes this even more perfect is that Wally is from New York, so you have add in the accent, the eyebrow/head shrug and the pants hitch.) Can you picture it? It's real. So Wally puts us in touch with Roberto, an Italian friend who is married to an American; they live in Southern California. Roberto runs one of the largest tour operations in Italy (he KNOWS guys!) and is more than happy to help out Wally's son and daughter-in-law. (It's good to know the travel gods.)

After weeks of research and surfing the web, I set up a call with Roberto and simply tell him what we think we'd like to do during our time in Italia. Within days, he sends me an e-mail with a very organized plan (I like this guy already), complete with transfers, recommendations, and options. It's fantastic! and Joe and I begin to gear up our excitement about the trip. We confirm our choices with Roberto (including our hotel in Florence, which I separately booked online) and he turns us over to his operations manager, Nicoletta, un gioiella (a jewel). Nicoletta sends us our transfers and tour confirmations (along with the names of our driver, Walter and our personal guide, Gloria), train tickets, hotel vouchers, everything! All of which I put in an envelope and set aside until I get a chance to go through everything...hey! I've been busy.

Well last night I had my chance. I laid out our vacation day by day to look for any blanks and make sure everything was in order. It was at that moment when...OH! CRAP!! I couldn't find my separately made Florence hotel reservation/confirmation. Great. Well, at least I caught it last night and not standing in the hotel lobby on the appointed day. So I'm writing a very contrite, hopeful e-mail to La Residenza, pleading with them to locate my previously made reservation and confirm that we're in good shape. Imagine my conversation with Joe: "Um, honey. I can't find our confirmation for the hotel in Florence...we're going to have to stay at the Hotel Merde...you won't mind too much, will you, muffin?"

Turns out...all was well. The staff at La Residenza, Luciano to be precise, e-mailed me that we, in fact, had a reservation and they were awaiting our arrival to their beautiful city. They'd even make arrangements for reservations at the Accademia (the David) and the Uffizi (fabulous renaissance art museum) for us at no charge (I'm soooo taking them up on that).

But back to Roberto/Nicoletta. I have to say to all the things I've read about Italy: how beautiful it is, how good the food is, how spectacular the ruins are, how wonderful the art is, how fabulous the gelato is and how expensive the leather is, I'd like to add how wonderful the people are. We had a couple of changes that needed to be made, and Nicoletta took care of us in a flash. She also answered one of my questions, with, "as you like, you are the chief." I immediately told Joe I had proof that it wasn't just me who thought that. I have people around the world who think so, too. He was nonplussed.

So now everything is in order. And more than seeing the breathtaking scenery, gorging on tasty pasta and gelato, standing in awe at the Colosseum and in Pompeii, tearing up as I take in amazing paintings and sculpture and getting a noseful of buttery soft leather, I am anticipating a Grinch moment. You know the one. At the end, when his heart grows three times its size? I think that's how I'll feel meeting and interacting with people, who, like Roberto and Nicoletta, are proud of their beautiful country and rich heritage, are truly gracious and immensely helpful, and who are ready to share their easy style with open arms and welcoming words.

Non possiamo aspettare! (We can't wait!)
Ciao.