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May, 2009 It has always been a goal of Rita's to explore Italy. We finally put a trip together in 2009. Rita did ALL the planning and research. We'd fly into Rome and explore a bit (also a tour down to Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast) ... then train our way up to Florence and rent a car to discover the beauty of Tuscany for five days. Then another train to Venice for three days and finally return via Milan. Those two weeks made for an amazing adventure and our first introduction to European cultures and customs. We decided to use backpacks instead of suitcases since we'd be on the move so much. Our plan was to stay ay 'Bed and Breakfast' (B&B) locations and avoid hotels. It would give us more of a chance to talk with people who lived in the area. We left Dayton at lunch on Friday and flew into Atlanta, GA. From Atlanta it was a 5,000 mile (8.5 hour) flight to Leonardo da Vinci Airport (Fiumicino Airport) just west of Rome. And so our adventure began ... We've spent a lot of time in the Caribbean and Mexico, so I know enough Spanish to get by down there. I was (foolishly) thinking that I'd get by without some studying of basic Italian phrases. When we picked up our backpacks at the baggage claim, I was ready to get outside and breathe some fresh air. 8.5 hours on a plane is a long flight! So I marched right through the first glass door I saw leading out ... and promptly set up the airport alarm system! 45 minutes in Italy and I was already attracting attention. I'm sure it was clearly labeled in Italian. But without a symbol or English translation ... well, let's just say I knew this was going to be interesting! Now when you travel from Ohio to Italy, you cross 6 time zones. So 8am in Italy is 2am back in the States. So by the time we got off the plane, we were ready to get some sleep ... but the world around us was just waking up and everyone starting their day. But we weren't there yet! The airport is 37km (23 miles) from Rome so the next step is a train trip (The Leonardo Express) to the Rome Central Train station. Cost 22 Euro for 2 people ($31). Now my wife is a sharp cookie ... so she reserved a B&B within a few blocks of the Rome Central Train Station. So we donned our backpacks and headed up the street to locate "La Casa De Amy". And after about three blocks uphill Rita and I both came to the same conclusion ... "We have WAY too many clothes in these backpacks!" That would be addressed before we left Rome. Time to check in and get some sleep!! Click on any picture to enlarge (best viewed in 1024 x 768): Arrival at La Casa De Amy. Rooms were clean, quaint and View of street from So at dusk, we went for a short stroll and stumbled across comfortable. Note that our room had a loft to accommodate our room the Coliseum. Absolutely incredible. It is a humbling up to 4 people. Many thanks to Simona at the front desk experience to stand in front of something whose history who patiently answered our many questions and assisted in dates all the way back to 80AD. our transition to Rome and the many cultural differences we would encounter. '5 Stars' for excellent Service! Rita and I loved this little Basilica Santa My beautiful wife poses at Italian Federal Police elevator that took us up to Maria degli "Piazza dei Repubblica" guard the entrance to our room. I lost 30 pounds Angeli e dei the Italian President's before the trip and I still Martini residence. Notice the barely fit inside! guard watching me. We stumbled across the I wasn't too excited at first about a trip to the Vatican ... but when we walked though the Sistine Chapel and "Vittorio Emanuele II" the hallways leading up to it ... I was completely taken aback at all the intricate art covering every inch of the on one of our walks. I got walls and ceilings. Absolutely beautiful. I have never see so much intricate art in one location. a chuckle when I later learned that Romans consider it an eyesore! |
Last Updated: Sunday, February 15, 2009 - 8:30 p.m. EST |