Arrivederci Roma-It's Been Fabulous!

Ceiling in the Vatican museum

Tuesday, May 31, 2011:

Last night (over a final bottle of regional house wine), we relished in reliving our Italian adventure. Gathering our thoughts, we collaborated in consideration of a variety of questions:

1) What are we looking forward to when we return to our beloved U. S. A.?

• Not being followed and harassed by street vendors (not that we ever felt unsafe, but it could become annoying at times)
• Really hot water for hand washing in public restrooms
• Normal size soap
• Having toilet seats
• Not using a converter for electricity
• American money
• American language
• Being in familiar territory
• Driving our cars
• Familiar brands of coffee
• American yogurt
• Using our own cell phones without having to think about country codes
• Catching up on our favorite television shows that have been DVR'd
• Seeing television in English besides perpetually repeated segments from CNN and Fox News
• Family-especially not being so far away from them that it would be difficult to get to them in an emergency
• Being with our husbands in our normal routines, including watching a weekend movie together
• Sleeping in our very own comfy beds

2) What will be miss about Italy?

• Gigantic, colorful hydrangeas in Sorrento, Capri and Positano
• Huge oranges and lemons in Sorrento and Capri
• Spectacular scenery in Capri and Ana Capri
• Heavy doses of culture and ancient history in Florence and Rome
• Great shoe shopping
• Amazing Italian food including, but not limited to: fresh vegetables, herbs, basil, fabulous Roma/plum tomatoes, homemade pasta, croissants that are fluffy and not greasy, ravioli with spinach and ricotta, fresh mozzarella, lighter sauce--no paste used in preparation, lighter pizza and sandwiches that don't make you feel overstuffed, and delicious local/regional house wines
• Ciro, our hero
• The many nice people we met from all over the world (but not the rude ones)
• Sleek Italian clothing
• Plethora of outdoor cafes
• Long string of bright, sunny days and crisp, clear evenings
• Each other, as we sincerely enjoyed our time together as a group. We were a solid travel team, and many times we needed all four of our brains to figure out what we were doing!

3) What would we have done differently if we knew then what we know now?

• Be absolutely determined to find a way to pack less clothing. (Example--purchase something at our destination if needed, but don't feel as though we must pack for every possible weather condition from balmy heat to an Alp-like snowstorm. Bring travel-friendly clothing that can be washed and worn again if touring for an extensive period of time. Hotel laundry service works just fine also!) Never forget the difficulty of trying to navigate the trains with heavy luggage. Finding benevolent, hulky strangers to lift luggage is not always in the cards. Many actually seem to find humor in observing the struggle.
• Bring more: Kleenex, wash cloths, normal size soap, hair conditioner, as these are scarce
• Before leaving the U. S., purchase quality, detailed maps printed in fonts that don't require a magnifying glass to read. Locate our hotels on those maps so we are armed with accurate starting points. This will save considerable time and frustration in another foreign country!

Our departure from Italy:

Summy called a taxi for us, and we reminded him that we were four people with mucho luggage. As previously mentioned, there are no Lincoln Navigators, GMC Yukons, or Chevy Tahoes to be found because they simply wouldn't be able to manage the ultra-narrow streets. We had hoped that forewarning the driver might result in his bringing us the largest possible vehicle.

To transport our luggage from the second floor to the street level, we sent Sharon down in the small lift elevator with any luggage that would fit, which wasn't very much at one time. Next, I came down with as much as the lift would hold, then Laura did the same, and Marianne with the final balance of our belongings.

The taxi arrived and our first visual indicated that it would be far too small for all of us, but the driver was adept at maneuvering and was bound and determined to make this work. Most items were stored in the rear, with two carry-ons and one large suitcase placed in the front passenger seat next to the driver. That left all four women to squeeze (and I do mean squeeze) into the tiny back seat. We each turned somewhat sideways to fit all of our rear ends in, and we were thankful that it wasn't a lengthy ride. We were just a little too close for comfort.

Arriving at the airport, I said goodbye to the girls, as they were flying Delta and I was on US Air. I kept thinking about how beautifully we all got along during the trip. No one was difficult, whiny or a pain in the neck. Everyone was considerate, and all of these ladies were the most pleasant traveling companions one could hope to find.

This is where I discovered that I really do appreciate that Fred had persistently tried and succeeded in upgrading me to first class on this return flight. I marched over to US Air's check-in area, and there were only two people ahead of me in line, as opposed to the throngs of people gathered in the other line.

At this point, my passport was checked and I was given a declaration form. Then I was sent to the actual check-in area for US Air. Once again, the first class line was almost non-existent so I zipped right through, depositing my two excruciatingly heavy bags and obtaining my boarding pass. I moved along to security, and once again there was a special line for first class, which was super short. I then boarded the shuttle to Terminal G and had been given a special pass for the VIP lounge, so I went there to use the restroom and then nibble on a tasty croissant.

This lounge was quite populated, but I sat there catching up on my journal writing and then thought I'd venture out to the main waiting area and see if I could find the girls at their gate. I found their flight on the screen and determined which gate they would be leaving from, and just as I arrived at their gate, the sign changed to Hong Kong! I realized that I had gotten there just a few seconds too late to say goodbye to them one more time in the land of Italia, where we had created so many fond memories.

My flight was delayed by an hour, and by the time we finally boarded, it was probably even longer. I was hoping this would not jeopardize making my connection in Charlotte. Only time would tell.

I chatted during the flight with a nice young woman who works for the United Nations. She was from Barcelona, but lived in Rome. It was interesting to hear about her life in Europe. She said that flights are so inexpensive within the European countries, she can easily live in Rome and fly to Barcelona for the weekend as often as she chooses.

A nice meal was served during the flight, and then I promptly fell asleep. Once again, I hoped that in my state of exhaustion, I would refrain from snoring or drooling.

As we were on our descent into Charlotte, there was an announcement that we would need to complete our customs declaration forms and that we would be claiming our luggage in the Charlotte terminal even if we had a connecting flight. There would be no automatic transfer of checked luggage to our final destinations since Charlotte was the first entry point into the United States for us.

This development momentarily concerned me, as I would be dealing with two carry-ons, one HEAVY suitcase and one additional rolling bag. My hope was that they had found a way to make this process as painless as possible, and my wish came true. In the area for claiming baggage, they offered an ample supply of luggage carts to use at no charge. I marched over and grabbed one right away. When my luggage arrived, I took a deep breath and arranged my belongings onto the cart (which would barely move since it was so loaded down) and proceeded to the checkpoint. I was almost alarmed about whether or not I would reach that connecting flight on time.

Breezing through the customs checkpoint, the next area I encountered was for re-checking luggage to the next destination. Everything was handled quickly and efficiently. Before I knew it, I was at the gate for my Myrtle Beach flight and even had the opportunity to dash into the ladies' room before boarding. Whew! That was one huge relief.

The short flight to Myrtle Beach gave me a few minutes to reflect on how blessed I am to have had this amazing travel opportunity with these three awesome friends. It almost seems like a lovely dream with a backdrop of some of the most superb scenery imaginable. I also thought about Liz and once again prayed that she would soon be healthy and raring to go.

What countries will be next on our list for exploration? Stay tuned! We're thinking London and Paris, but it won't be right away since we'll need time to replenish our travel funds.

In the interim, please continue to view this site for some interesting tidbits about travel in our own treasured United States of America; however, we will forever remember great times in Florence, Sorrento and Rome!!!

Ah, lovely Florence!

We'll have a special place in our hearts for Sorrento!

And finally, a fond farewell to romantic Roma! Yes, we really did miss those husbands of ours. You guys are the best!!

See you in Paris!

Winding Down in Rome

Monday, May 30, 2011:

I slept fitfully last night due to some strange abdominal pain of unknown origin. Just before bedtime, I had eaten some of those shelled peanuts that I brought from Sant Agata, and perhaps they didn't agree with me.

The girls were looking for a boat tour today, and I just didn't think it was a good idea for me since I was experiencing these stomach pains. I suggested that they go ahead and I would try to just relax and feel better and perhaps take a walk later.

They set off on their adventure to locate the boat tour across the river, and I rested for a little while and ate the gigantic orange I had purchased in Sant Agata. That seemed to help. I worked on emails and confirmed my airline reservation for tomorrow. Fred had successfully upgraded me to first class, which I kept telling him was unnecessary, but he was so sweet to think of my comfort.

After my relaxation time, I decided to chat with the owner of Caesar House. Simone tole me that she and her sister, Julie, are the owners. She communicates very well in English, so I enjoyed our visiting time. Previously one large apartment, they purchased the Caesar House in 2002. She said that they performed a tremendous amount of renovating and redecoration, wanting to create a tasteful, yet simple ambience. They were highly successful in doing so.

Simone believes that at some time in the past, it may have been a small hotel, but was then converted to a private apartment. She and her sister shared the vision to once again turn it into a six bedroom hotel. It is quaint and offers very personal service. Rosanna and Summy were quite helpful, and Rosanna's enthusiasm for her job brightly shines through.

With the free Internet usage on their guest computer, the breakfast delivered each morning, and the proximity to major points of interest, we highly recommend this intimate hotel. We met a couple who were staying there, and they indicated that this was their home away from home every time they visit Rome. We could easily see why.

After visiting with Simone, I felt like taking a walk. I started out trekking toward the Coliseum (or Colloseo in Italian) and ate some bruschetta and drank iced tea at the Gran Caffee Rossi Martini, where we had enjoyed lunch a few days ago. This was located next to the gift shop where the gentleman had written his life story and wondered if I could translate it from Italian to English. Sorry!

Under the restaurant's canopy, there were misters in operation. It was a very hot day, and I wanted to linger there under the mist. When I was ready to move on, I walked to San Giovanni Laterano and straight to La Scala Sancta (the Holy Steps) again. This time I managed to ascend three steps before I thought my knees would crack, said a few more prayers, and just knelt in awe of having the opportunity to hover over the steps that Jesus had walked. Saying that it was an amazing experience is truly an understatement.

There was a vendor positioned a short distance from the building that housed the Holy Steps, and he had some cute tote bags for sale. This was my last day to shop, so I bought one for each of my Cape May girlfriends. This vendor was willing to negotiate, and I took full advantage of that.

I worked my way back to our hotel on Via Cavour and stretched out on the bed to catch up on my journal writing. Sharon, Laura and Marianne returned very shortly thereafter, having decided against the boat trip once they were at the river. During their adventurous walk, however, they found themselves crossing a street with almost no traffic. Just as they arrived at the center of the roadway, out of nowhere came multiple lanes of traffic straight at them. They only had a split second to decide whether to run back in the opposite direction, stay put, or try to dodge cars and dart across. They held their position until they could safely dash across the remaining section of road. They momentarily thought that they were going to be killed by tiny cars, taxis, scooters and little trucks on their last full day in Rome, but eventually they managed to make it to the other side. They were safe, but shaken.

Their walk was not unsuccessful, however, because they found more shoe stores! It's probably just as well that I wasn't with them or I would have likely ended up with more shoe purchases. We all ended up taking a little snooze, and Sharon and I decided to go back to the store, Il Tesoros, where we found great prices on some items yesterday (shoes).

We showered, dressed and set out to locate a place for our last dinner in Rome. We didn't want to go too far away because we have just about worn out the bottoms of our feet from walking all over Italy. Luckily, we found a little cafe just around the corner called Ristorante Cleto, which we all agreed was perfect.

I'm a somewhat picky eater--always have been--and before leaving the United States I had wondered what my dining experiences would be. I pretty much stuck with things that I recognized throughout the trip. I sampled lots of bruschetta, mixed salads, veal dishes, and a few margherita pizzas, lasagna once, and spaghetti a couple of times. I had no difficulty finding appealing meals to devour!

After our dinner, we weren't really ready to call it a night. We walked back by our hotel and continued to another cafe where we shared a bottle of wine, and I ordered a lemon sorbet, which once again seemed to make my tummy feel better. The pain had subsided, but it still felt uneasy and slightly uncomfortable. We toasted one last time to our friendship and to our wonderful Italian adventure. We thought about all of the scarves, shoes, handbags and tote bags we have purchased. Quite a collection to behold! I'm looking forward to accenting some of my outfits at home with these lovely scarves, and we now understand why Italy is renowned in the fashion world.

We ventured back to Caesar House to pack and prepare for tomorrow's early morning trip to the airport. We actually settled our bills with Summy tonight so we'd already have that detail behind us. The time has gone so quickly, but we are all ready to plant our new Italian shoes on American soil and throw our arms around those husbands of ours.

The Holy Steps

Sunday, May 29, 2011:

We thoroughly enjoyed our usual breakfast supplied by Caesar House this morning, and then we set out on a long, long walk to locate the Holy Steps. I had downloaded a Rome guidebook to my Nook and had been astonished to read about this special place to visit that is nowhere near the Vatican area. Many people have never even heard of it.

The reported history about the Holy Steps is that they are supposed to be the actual steps that Jesus walked to stand before Pontius Pilate. The twenty-eight steps are referred to under a variety of different names such as: the Holy Steps, the Holy Staircase and La Scala Sancta. The story is told that Saint Helena, mother of Constantine, had the steps brought over from Jerusalem in 334, and they are obviously considered to be most sacred.

In order to find the Holy Steps, we walked to the Coliseum, turned onto S. Giovanni Laterano, and continued in that direction until we saw a huge church. This church is the Basilica of Saint John Lateran. Directly across the street from the church was a building that was quite understated on the outside, but contained the revered set of steps on the inside. This building is a part of the old Lateran Palace. There was also a smaller church on the second floor, accessible by an unremarkable second set of stairs. This is a photo of the building that houses the Holy Steps.

Walking on these steps is prohibited. There is only one way to ascend them--on your knees. A sign indicates that silence is requested, as people are praying. There is also another sign that explains the complete history of the steps. Covered with wood to protect the actual white marble surface of the original steps beneath, one can still easily see those steps below the wood. One problem is that the knees protest as soon as you kneel on the first step. Actually, my bony knees were screaming. I suppose you could wear knee pads, but I believe that would defeat the purpose. Considering the sacrifice and agony that Jesus suffered for us, a little bit of knee pain for a short time is certainly tolerable!

What I found most challenging was maneuvering from one step to the next on my knees. These are not narrow steps, but I wisely positioned myself by the handrail so I could use it to awkwardly help pull myself to the next level. This will sound rather wimpy, but I was only able to travel two steps. I offered prayers, said a special one for Liz and spent a few minutes in reflection and in awe of being present on these sacred steps. I thought about the countless numbers of Christians who have made a pilgrimage to these very steps and asked Laura to take a photo with my camera. I wanted to always remember this moment. This was such a moving and spiritual event for me, I wanted to be able to recall every detail.

We ascended the second set of steps to the small sanctuary where Mass was being held in Italian. We sat in the back of the church for a few minutes, but we had no idea what was being said, and there wasn't a hint of air movement, so it became stifling. We decided to move along, but I was still in complete awe as we descended the regular stairs and saw people continuing to gather on their knees in prayer on the Holy Steps. This will be at the top of my list of most memorable experiences of my life!

Setting off to locate the nearest Metro station, we wanted to find our way back to some of the shops we had passed yesterday when we didn't have the time to explore them. We exited the Metro at Ottaviano and found that many of the stores are not open on Sunday--even in the afternoon. Craving pizza, we stopped for lunch at an outdoor cafe, Il Ciociaro Ristorante, and then discovered that they didn't serve pizza until dinner time. Really????? I ordered a salad and thought it would be a good idea to offset it with some roasted potatoes. Laura and Marianne had ordered risotto and seafood, but the "seafood" turned out to be octopus, which they managed to transfer to the sides of their plates and avoid.

To our delight, we did eventually find a few open stores. In one clothing store, Sharon and I were looking at a particularly attractive top. The male store clerk was standing nearby, closely watching us. Sharon asked him, "What size is this?" He replied, "One size fits all." She frowned and said, "Oh. Do they seem a little small?" He said, "Yes. They for YOUNG girls!" Sharon responded, "Alrighty." She then promptly walked out of the store. When I caught up with her outside, we were talking about the store clerk's lack of tact during the exchange. We laughed when Sharon said, "He should have left it at 'they run a little small.'"

Returning via the Metro to our hotel for a little rest, Marianne and Laura ended up going back out for a walk and returned with new shoes. Heaven forbid that Sharon and I should miss out on seeing a great shoe store! We needed to check out all of the available choices. So off we went to locate the store, in which we did manage to leave a few Euro. You have to love these shoes!

Back at the hotel once again, I checked email and then we chose Le Tavernelle Roma for dinner. The spaghetti was delicious and huge in circumference. We weren't worried about the good food causing us to gain weight, as we have been walking many miles every single day. It's the ONLY way to truly absorb the culture. As a matter of fact, we have done so much walking--including many, many stairs--we feel as though we have new and protruding calf muscles. We are certain that the walking has more than offset the intake of calories, as not one of us is feeling that our clothing is snug.

The prevalence of so many stairs to climb in Rome has made us wonder how on earth the elderly folks or those with compromised knees could have made this journey and been able to see and do everything that we have enjoyed. Sharon's favorite sandals were almost a casualty of the constant walking, as one evening just as we approached our hotel, the strap on one of her sandals completely broke. She retrieved her little emergency sewing kit and performed an impressive leather repair. So far, so good.

Tomorrow is our last full day in Rome, and we are all beginning to admit that we miss our husbands. This has been a long stretch of time to be separated from them. Fred and I are accustomed to our independent lives for a few days at a time due to his travel for work, but we've never been apart for this length of time. We all wish that our guys were here in this amazing city with us. I don't know how Marianne's husband would feel about all of this, but Sharon, Laura and I know that unless there was a golf course involved, our husbands would be suffering from very short attention spans on this trip. With all of the shopping and sightseeing in which we have participated, they would be distressed due to serious withdrawal from their drivers and putters. Perhaps it is just as well that we are simply 4 women who love 2 travel!

The Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica

9/11 Remembrance: I am actually entering this post on 9/11/11 and must take a moment to honor those who were victims of 9/11/01, whether they were workers in office buildings or firefighters who were bravely attempting to save them. A special and heartfelt thank you to those who continue to work diligently and tirelessly to do everything possible to keep the people of our great country safe from evil. We owe you.



Saturday, May 28, 2011:

Summy brought our breakfast at 8:30 a.m., and we opted for languishing in relaxation mode this morning, which meant writing in my journal and answering some emails. As I catch up on the journal writing, I already have regrets about one aspect that I neglected to fully capture during this trip. I wish I had taken a photo of every meal we have eaten, preserved a description of exactly what our food selections were (including the wine details) and the name and address of each location where we dined. It is so easy to become caught up in the experience, that it makes it difficult to remember to stop and take a moment to jot down and/or photograph those important bits of information. I have included several restaurant names in my blog, but not so much about the food, wine, ambience and other particulars of the wonderful dining experiences.

Most of my food comments revolved around everything being "delicious," but that isn't very helpful to people who might be planning a trip to Italy! If I am ever fortunate enough to chronicle another fabulous European trip, I would be certain to include more information in this area. Marianne and Laura photographed their breakfast tray at Caesar House one morning, so at least I can share this.

Our adventures of the day began with a subway ride on the Roman Metro (Metropolitana) to an area across from the Vatican Museums, our designated location for meeting the Angel Tour guide. We weren't exactly certain what to expect from Rome's subway system, but we found it to be inexpensive (1 Euro), the stops easy to understand and recognize and very clean. There are two lines on this Metro system--the Red Line (A) from Battistini Terminal to Anagnina Terminal and the Blue Line (B) from Laurentina Terminal to Rebibbia Terminal. One vital piece of information you need to acquire in advance is which line your destination happens to be situated on and at which stop you need to exit. Armed with these clues, we managed remarkably well!

Killing time before our tour, we window shopped, ate lunch at another outdoor cafe and were approached by sneaky handbag vendors who were trying to avoid the police. They would hide behind or between vehicles and then approach the dining tourists when the coast was clear. They weren't very open to negotiation on the prices, however. Laura tried her best to bargain with one, and he wasn't having any of it. He just wanted to hurriedly conduct his business and move on so he could evade the police officers who were nearby. We saw one policeman literally chasing one of the vendors on an adjacent street. It reminded us of buying merchandise from the cage-front New York City Canal Street shops that suddenly close when the police are in the vicinity. Instead of working in actual stores, these merchants are carrying as many handbags as they can drape up and down their arms and alternate selling their wares with spontaneous games of hide and seek.

We met our guide Joanna, and in our group were couples from London and Long Island, New York. In the locations we are touring today, there is a specific dress code for women. Shoulders are to be covered and knees are not supposed to be visible. We knew this in advance due to Marianne's thorough research, so we were prepared. First on the agenda was the visitor-accessible parts of the Vatican.

We were told that the Vatican was established as a separate state and has its own post office and zip code. It also has its own police, diplomatic corps and army, which includes Swiss Guards. These Guards wear colorful uniforms, which are said to have been designed by Michelangelo and have remained the same for five centuries.

Joanna was a sweet, personable guide who really knew her subject backwards and forwards, inside and out. She was easy to understand and gave us so many tidbits of information that we wouldn't have otherwise discovered on our own, so we were thankful that Marianne had found Angel Tours during her advance investigation. This was a 3 1/2 hour tour beginning at 1:00 p.m., and I have to tell you that trying to take it all in was somewhat overwhelming. The Vatican Museums contained such amazingly detailed artwork and sculptures that I could visualize returning here someday just to absorb it all...slowly, deliberately. It's difficult to walk along, craning your neck to view the intricacies of these elevated, venerable works of ceiling art and not become dizzy--or perhaps that's just me. Some would say that I was already dizzy before I arrived in Italy.

In the Sala Rotonda, we saw, in the center of the room, what is reported to have been Emperor Nero's enormous, ornate bathtub.

We were taken to St. Peter's Square, the Pope's audience area, and although there were only a few tourists wandering about, it is easy to imagine the multitudes that would be present if the Pope was appearing today.

We moved on to the Sistine Chapel, where we learned a great deal about Michelangelo's works in general and then heard about his famous art in the Chapel. The collection began with a team of famous painters who were commissioned to create the twelve frescoed panels depicting the lives of Moses (left) and Christ (right) and were completed in 1482.

The ceiling was originally painted as a blue sky with golden stars before a reluctant Michelangelo was given the task of painting the Chapel ceiling, which he worked on from 1508 through 1512. He considered himself to be more of a sculptor than a painter and was resistant to undertake the Sistine Chapel job. He did comply, however, and this venue contains his famous work, The Creation of Adam, among many other Biblical scenes. He was in his sixties when he painted The Last Judgment (1535-1541) on the altar wall. The detail in these works in mind boggling and almost overpowering. It is difficult to imagine an individual tediously and meticulously painting all of these scenes.

Our last stop was St Peter's Basilica, which took more than one hundred fifty years to build. Its dome was created by Michelangelo and can be seen from most every location in Rome. Once inside, this site seriously felt like a genuinely holy, sacred place--likely because St. Peter was martyred and the Apostles buried here. We all shared a moment of silence and said a very special prayer for our friend, Liz. She would love being in this church with its historical Christian depth. The structure is enormous, and looking up at the ceiling makes one feel almost lightheaded. As I turned and saw the rays of sunlight illuminating the room, I knew that this would be a scene that would remain with me for many years to come.

We stayed in the same vicinity for dinner, choosing Il Papalino for our incredible dining adventure. Because patrons are encouraged to linger, we were there until 8:50 p.m., at which time we discovered that the subway system stops running at 9:00 p.m. No problem. We knew we could just call for a taxi. Our waiter was unable to reach a cab for us and suggested that we take the bus. We found out which bus we would need (#40) to weave our way back to Via Cavour and our comfortable hotel, and we had no trouble locating the bus stop. With virtually no waiting, there was bus #40--just as big as an elephant right before our eyes. This was pretty easy! There was just one minor problem though. They won't sell you a ticket after you get on the bus, so we had to find a ticket machine. There happened to be one very close by, so we dashed over to it so we could quickly buy our little tickets and be on our way.

Unfortunately, nothing is quite so easy. Our first issue was that all of the directions for purchasing a ticket were shown in Italian. The bus driver looked over at us and could easily see that having tickets in our possession was not going to happen any time soon, so off he drove. Great! How long would we have to wait for the next bus if we ever figured out how this machine works? Laura was able to decipher how to buy a ticket, discovering that they were 1 Euro each. We all had 1 Euro coins except Marianne, whose only coin was 20 cents. We began to scramble and dig in our handbags to come up with enough coins to reach 1 Euro and buy her ticket. We kept feeding in all of the coins we could locate, and just when we thought we were almost successful, the machine rejected every coin we had inserted. They poured out like the payoff from a winning spin on a Las Vegas slot machine. Sharon and I couldn't restrain our laughter. One by one, Laura calmly and carefully reinserted the coins into the sensitive machine and finally--out popped the ticket!

Carefully grasping our tickets in hand, we were ready and eager to board the next bus to Palazzo Venezia. It was very dark, getting rather late, we were in completely unfamiliar territory, and we had once again been walking all afternoon and were totally fatigued. When the next bus arrived, Laura politely asked the driver if this bus was going to Palazzo Venezia, and because her pronunciation wasn't perfect Italian, at first he said, "No." Then he repeated it HIS way, which honestly didn't sound much different from Laura's version, so we knew we were on the right bus.

Our next challenge would be: how would we know when we reached our stop? Obviously, the obnoxious bus driver wasn't going to give us a hint. Laura began studiously reviewing her trusty map to see if we could find a landmark that would tip us off that we were close to Palazzo Venezia. A kind gentleman with an American accent took pity on us after observing our consternation and asked us what we were looking for. Laura told him, and he said that it was the very next stop. He also said, "Go ahead and step on up to the door to be ready to exit. The driver won't wait for you to get organized." He was Angel #2, sent to us at precisely the right time to help us. Thank you once again to God and to our faithful friends and family who are thinking of us and praying for our well being. They must know that we are occasionally in need of these angels!

Our evaluation of public transportation in Rome was: you either have to have a good sense of your bearings for riding the bus, or you need to get to the subway before it stops running at night. People perpetually walk in Rome. And when I tell you that there are a ton of stairs to climb, I am not exaggerating. Here are just two examples:






















At this point, we were beyond ready to crawl into our beds and sleep well. Tomorrow will be a day that I've been looking forward to since I discovered in a Rome guidebook on my Nook a not so widely known site that I can hardly wait to locate. Our tour guide today wasn't even aware of it, but when I told her the history and details, she said she would definitely be going there tomorrow to check it out for herself. I know it will be amazing!!!

And so we came to Rome....again.....

Thursday, May 26, 2011:

Devouring the final breakfast at our favorite table in the corner of the dining room where we sat spellbound by the glorious view of Sorrento below and Naples in the distance, we prepared to say goodbye to the blue waters of the bay.

I used the guest computer to check email, packed my last minute items and we thought we would wait outside in the fresh air for our faithful driver, Ciro. He was already there ten minutes ahead of schedule. We found him seated at one of the outdoor tables in front of the hotel, and he jumped right up to transport our large suitcases to his taxi. We had thought that perhaps he would bring a larger vehicle, but that didn't happen. For a moment, it looked as though he wasn't going to be able to secure the back of the taxi, but with some squeezing, squishing and rearranging, he accomplished the daunting task. With collective sighs of relief, we were off to Pompeii.

The agreement had been that he would take us to Pompeii and wait for us while we toured the ruins. He would then deliver us to the Naples train station, where we would catch our train to Rome. He inquired as to whether we had already purchased our tickets to Rome, which we hadn't. He proposed to us that with the shipbuilding strikes creating uncertainty with the trains, did we want him to drive us all the way to Rome, which would mean that we wouldn't have to wait for a possibly delayed or canceled train and also this would eliminate our having to deal with our luggage collection numerous times? We discussed it and decided that it was worth the price when you consider the fare for the train ticket and then trying to catch a taxi or two from Termini station in Rome to our hotel. Actually, it was a bargain.

Ciro deposited us at the entrance to Pompeii, where we purchased our tour tickets and then also agreed to a guided tour for a small additional fee. For one brief moment, a peculiar feeling suddenly gripped me as I came to the realization that Ciro's vehicle contained all of our belongings. I almost felt a sense of panic. Could we trust him with everything we possessed in Italy? What was to prevent him from simply driving away in his little taxi with all of our personal effects? After discussing this as a group, the girls reminded me that: #1-we had his business card with all of his official information on it, including his cell phone number; #2-he would surely want to be paid and would likely prefer cash rather than our underwear, shoes, jammies, etc.; 3-after all, he did meet us promptly as prearranged and even dressed up in a nice jacket and special gray, shiny, stretchy looking pants. I would have to relax and cease worrying unnecessarily.

Pompeii is situated on a plateau of Vesuvian lava and overlooks the Sarno river valley. The oldest reports of its origin date back to the 6th century BC. Once again, this tour was just a fraction of the time one could take to explore these archaeological areas. The walking tour seemed like a whirlwind, but it was H...O...T outdoors while we were covering a substantially sizable territory.

One unforgettable display was called the Garden of the Fugitives. It is a large space which houses plaster casts of some of the victims from the 79 AD volcanic eruption. Giuseppe Fiorelli, director of the Pompeii digs from 1860 to 1875, used liquid plaster to pour into the cavity left in the bed of ashes by the decomposition of the victim's bodies. The plaster would solidify, reproducing the body's shape--an eerie sight to behold, and it was easy to ascertain that their arms were positioned in a manner which demonstrated futile attempts at protecting their heads from the spewing, hot lava.

It was interesting to see that so long ago, this culture actually had sliding doors, as was evidenced by the grooves in the rock. They also had running water with lead pipes. We walked through the ruins of brothels, viewed original mosaic tile floors and many ruins and remains from a zillion years ago.






I know--it's really rather creepy, isn't it?















Upon our initial exit from the ruins site, there were several police vehicles blocking the road. We were told that their presence was related to the protests regarding the strike of the shipbuilders.

Ciro had told us to meet him across the street when our tour was complete. There were numerous cafes in the vicinity, and as soon as we exited, we made a beeline to the first cafe directly across the street. Ciro was not there, but we were hot, thirsty and ready to sit down. Taking a walk to locate Ciro so he would know where we were, I spotted him at a different cafe just down the street. I told him where we were seated, and he strolled over to meet us. We asked him if he'd like to join us for lunch, and he briefly sat at our table. We quickly sensed that he felt uncomfortable for some reason. As hot as it was outdoors, he insisted on wearing his jacket while sitting with us. We protested and said, "No! Don't put your jacket on--it's too hot!"

In his broken English, he explained that he wanted to wear his jacket to cover up the tattoos on his arms. Laura said, "It's okay--I have one, too!" We believe that he had wanted us to eat at a different location where he had familiar connections, but he really hadn't initially made that clear to us. We had just headed for the first available cafe that offered shade and refreshments.

Ciro sat with us for a very short time and then returned to the cafe where his friends were located. We waved at him as we walked past on our way to his taxi. The vehicle was parked exactly where we had left it, along the side of the narrow road, and our belongings were undisturbed. Ciro quickly joined us, waving goodbye to his friends. As he turned the ignition key, we heard an unsettling grinding noise. After several unsuccessful attempts to start the vehicle, he said that he must have left the flashers on too long and that had drained the battery. At least that was what we think he said. We were beginning to feel uneasy about the possibility of missing our 6:00 tour in Rome. Did Pompeii have AAA?

Our angel driver jumped out of the taxi and ran back across the street to the cafe where his friends were seated. Within single digit minutes, they juggled a vehicle next to our taxi and used jumper cables to start the car. It was actually an older grandma-type lady who had accomplished the jump. We all loudly clapped and cheered for our efficient rescuers!

As we began our ride to Rome, we were completely exhausted and each one of us slept at one point or another. It began to rain, but Ciro was doing an excellent job of navigating through the heavy traffic and along the wet roads. I seriously believe that I completely passed out as soon as we were on our way. I would wake up periodically and see the traffic and rainy conditions and then promptly nod right back into dreamland.

Parking across the street from our Roman hotel, Caesar House, there was momentary confusion because the sign on the building actually said La Belle Hotel. Caesar House is located on one floor of the building on Via Cavour, and is actually a boutique-type hotel--almost like a bed and breakfast--within walking distance of many important historic sites. Ciro had gone the extra mile and had run over to the hotel first to confirm that this was the correct location.

He then dodged relentless traffic several times to transport our luggage over to the hotel for us, and it was quite an ordeal. He made sure that we had removed all of our belongings, thanked us for our payment, and was on his way. As previously mentioned, Ciro was truly our angel, as his initial appearance at the train station in Naples paved the way for saving us a tremendous hassle throughout this entire leg of the trip. He was polite, honest and dependable, and if anyone is ever traveling to that region and wants a driver, I'll be overjoyed to share his contact information with you.

Our building's elevator was one of those small, antique-like lifts that you see in the movies. It would require several trips with only one or two people able to fit in the elevator to bring everything we owned up to the second floor. On a severely tight schedule since we had already prepaid for the 6:00 p.m. Heart of Rome tour, we rushed to freshen up and regroup. We were to meet our guide from Angel Tours, as signified by a tan umbrella with angels all over it, at the foot of the Spanish Steps.

After our peaceful days in Serene Sorrento, Rome seemed like sensory overload with the tons of vehicles and people everywhere. We located our guide, swift-footed Ben, and followed him for two hours along the trail of the Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, the Pantheon, etc. etc. Also on our tour were a mother and daughter from Ohio. The daughter had just graduated from college, and this trip was a gift from her mom. How fabulous that this mother and daughter could share these memories! The problem with us, however, was that we were extremely hungry and tired. Although Ben was knowledgeable and a very nice young man from Wales, we were not in the greatest of shape to fully appreciate the walking tour. Toward the end of the two hours, Sharon said, "I can't hear what Ben is saying, and I don't care!"

Ben suggested that we might want to walk across the bridge to locate one of the several good restaurants for dinner. We crossed the bridge over the Tiber River when it was nearly dusk and came upon Antica Osteria Rugantino. At first, we were seated outdoors next to tourists from South Dakota, but it was incredibly hot, noisy and crowded. We asked to be seated indoors where it was cool and quiet. The hostess/manager was from Missouri and told us that she loved living her life in Rome. Dinner was reasonably priced and delicious, though we were so hungry at that point, we could have eaten anything presented to us--including the table cloth.

Before the evening was over, Sharon and I both bought small, stylish, rolling semi-duffle style bags in order to rearrange our suitcases, lighten the loads and transport our Italian treasures. The cost was 20 Euro each, and we were proud to have negotiated that price. As in Florence, if one displayed an interest and then walked away, the price magically descended. Laura had already purchased an extra bag for her acquisitions in Florence, and although another piece of luggage is the last thing I need to be storing in our garage with all of the others we have collected, it would absolutely lighten the weight of my large suitcase and be easy to pull both pieces.

After dinner, it was getting late and dark so we took a cab back to our hotel instead of walking around late at night in unfamiliar Roman territory. We still had unpacking to do and needed to get settled in our rooms. We were all ready for a great night's sleep, as we had covered substantial ground today. Tomorrow will begin with breakfast to be delivered to our rooms and then we'll be off for a 9:00 a.m. tour.
Crossing the Tiber River at dusk

Basking in Serene Sorrento!

Wednesday, May 25, 2011:

The buffet breakfast at the hotel is wonderful because it takes all of the guesswork out of "what's for breakfast and where are we going to go to find food?" The cuisine does not make us feel lethargic and overstuffed. We eat just enough to provide fuel until lunchtime.

During our travels across Italy, we frequently noticed laundry hanging outdoors on clotheslines that could be accessed from the residents' windows. Sharon, who was the smart one in packing far more lightly than the rest of us, needed to do some laundry also. Since she had no clothesline, she improvised in a brilliantly resourceful manner!

In the late morning, we hopped onto the city bus to hang out in Sorrento for the day. The narrow side streets of the town are lined with shops and cafes, and the pace is unhurried but filled with anticipation as we attempt to explore each and every store. We didn't want to leave Sorrento thinking that we may have missed something exceptional. There are also stores specializing in gigantic produce, particularly lemons. This photo demonstrates the actual size of a lemon held in Marianne's hand. The store owner was not pleased that we were handling the produce merely for the sake of a photo shoot and didn't hesitate to let us know.

Sorrento offered shops with quality leather goods, and any leather item that Laura hadn't purchased in Florence, she made up for in Sorrento. Regarding the number of leather items she had already collected during the trip, she remarked, "I think I have bought the equivalent of an entire cow!" Before returning to the United States, we intend to count every scarf, handbag and pair of shoes that this group has acquired.

On occasion when we might be undecided about buying a particular item, Laura's answer was, "Are you going to be back here again?" As a matter of fact, I made a list of what I call "Laura's Logic" with regard to shopping in Europe:

• Do not convert into American dollars. It might be discouraging.
• Put a portion of the cost of the item on your credit card, and pay a portion in cash. That way it won't seem so staggering when the credit card bill arrives upon your return to the real world.
• You only go this way once.
• No regrets! Never experience buyer's remorse.
• If it's an item you'd never find in the United States, go for it!

Don't you just love her rationale? I know I do!

We considered going to visit Pompeii today, but we would need to take a local train and there is a shipbuilding strike that is creating a negative impact on the local train system. We'll wait until tomorrow for that tour.

Lunch was delicious at L'Abate. We walked around Sorrento for the better part of the afternoon and encountered a store named "Gabriella." I definitely needed to stop and take a photo of this store to show my oldest granddaughter, Gabriella, that this store must have been named after her. Becoming slightly weary from the hours of walking, we decided to take a tour on the "City Train." It wasn't that we felt that we necessarily needed a tour, but we had walked all day and it felt wonderful to be sitting and seeing the sights at the same time.

Our hotel shuttle arrived at 7:00 p.m., and we were ready to bring the shopping day to an end. At the hotel, we prepared to go to dinner at a nearby restaurant that was within brief walking distance. This was our strangest almost-dining experience. When we arrived, the host seemed rather reluctant to seat us, but finally ushered us to an inside table. The dining room was filled with elderly folks from who knows where. It appeared that they might be having some type of family style dinner. The room was extremely noisy with chatter, so we asked if we could be seated outdoors where there was a balcony area with tables. Acquiescing to set us up outside with a table cloth, place settings, wine glasses and napkins, we sighed with relief as we took our respective seats.

We were immediately skeptical when Sharon's wine glass was grimy dirty, and as we reviewed the menu, it contained many weird items with unappetizing descriptions. Mutually agreeing not to stay here, we quietly stood up. I said, "I guess we should bring the menus inside with us." Marianne said, "Should we bring our dishes in, too?" Laura said, "No!"

I gathered and carried the menus, and we tried to discreetly slither through the crowded dining room. No one even looked at us or asked us where we were going. Sharon was walking behind me and said, "Just keep walking....drop the menus..." I deposited them on the last table we encountered as we made our speedy exit.

We walked back to our hotel and opted to have dinner there, where the dining area was filled with German tourists. Once we were back in our rooms and enjoying the fresh evening air from the spectacular vantage point of our balconies, we could hear the sounds of the German band with the "oom pah pah" music drifting up to us from the lounge below.

Sharon and I marched over to Laura and Marianne's balcony in order to participate in a scarf tying demonstration with Laura as the scarf stylist and Marianne as the model. I actually wrote the detailed steps so I would be able to recreate Laura's methods. I hope I can follow these directions once I am home and the atmosphere of breathtaking Italy is merely a faint memory. Following the scarf tying lessons, we all once again began the packing process. We needed to rearrange our personal effects, which was a challenge due to our new acquisitions.

We reviewed our thoughts about Sorrento, Sant' Agata, Capri and Positano:

• It was interesting that open burning is permitted. Because we kept our balcony doors open when we were in our rooms, we could periodically smell the odor of burning. It wasn't disgusting or unbearable, but just odd.
  

• "Cockadoodle do!" Roosters woke us up bright and early every morning.

• Dogs and cats roamed everywhere completely unrestrained. No leash laws here! We often heard dogs barking in the distance at night, but it didn't keep us awake.
  

• We loved the amazing view of Naples and Sorrento from the Grand Hotel Due Golfi, and particularly from our balconies.
  

• This location was a welcome combination of tranquil, scenic, and peaceful after a busy and heavily populated Florence.

• Piazza Tasso, Sorrento's main square, was a lovely location for dining, shopping and people watching.
  

• This leg of our trip has been especially relaxing and pleasant.
  

• We did find that some sales people in stores were not inclined to be overly helpful. For example, in one store I saw a pair of shoes on display, but couldn't locate them in the supply on hand that was available to sort though. As I sifted through the boxes to attempt to find them, a rather rude female clerk barged her way in and said, "I'm working here." A few minutes later after exhausting all possibilities from my own search, I asked her nicely, "Where would I find these shoes?" Her curt response was, "In the box." I looked all over that store and was unable to find those shoes in any boxes. This girl was not big on customer service.

• It reminded me of the Internet store in Florence. I overheard someone complaining to the clerk about lack of information. He said, "Why didn't you tell me that when I was here before?" She replied, "You didn't ask." Several clerks were similarly chilly. They would not volunteer information, and if you didn't know the exact question to ask, you were out of luck and would not be the recipient of their words of wisdom. We found this to be a surprise because we assume that they welcome tourism and enjoy the benefits of our hard earned money. I suppose you run into grouchy people in any setting!

• There were many exceptions to this, and one was Giuseppe, our tour guide in Capri. He was very explicit in his directions to us and also very organized. He knew he was dealing with disoriented tourists and made every effort to be as helpful as possible.

• The desk clerks at our Grand Hotel Due Golfi were as informative as they could be in dealing with four American women who initially looked like lost puppies until we gained some working knowledge of the area and a vague concept of the lay of the land.

• We were amazed at the beauty of the walled town of Sorrento with its gazillion steps that one has to walk in order to reach the harbor. This photo clearly shows the steps we traversed.

• As we wandered the narrow streets and alleyways of Sorrento, we couldn't help being impressed with the tastefully landscaped terraces that hovered overhead. These residents perform magic with their flowers and foliage arrangements in spite of being restricted by limited space.

• Our overall evaluation of this location is that it is truly an artist's or photographer's dream to visit here. Marianne and Laura suggested that this would be an ideal place to rent a villa and spend a month touring the spectacular nooks and crannies that this region offers.

Tomorrow will be the big day for our trip to Rome via Pompeii. Ciro, our driver, has been contacted and will be picking us up bright and early at 9:00 a.m. If we weren't so looking forward to exploring Rome, it would be difficult to say goodbye to Serene Sorrento!

Isle of Capri by day--Dancing with French Tourists by night

Sunday, May 22, 2011:

Today is Marianne's birthday and a sunny, magical day to behold. We met at 9:00 a.m. to indulge in the hotel's buffet breakfast, which is included in our room price. Each room is given 3 free Internet access hours on the hotel's guest computer, so Laura tried to send photos to Snapfish but it just wasn't happening and she had to abandon the project.

Taking advantage of the hotel's complimentary shuttle, we forged into Sorrento. We located the port, which involves walking down 100 steps, during which the knees feel as though they might cave in at any moment. Once we arrived at the bottom of the hill, we reviewed our options for visiting Capri. There are ferries, fast ferries, and hydrofoils that frequently depart Sorrento for Capri, as well as other destinations. Interestingly, during April through October, Capri is closed to non-resident traffic. A visitor might bring a car on the ferry during those months, only to discover that they cannot drive on the island. Without a vehicle to be concerned about, we purchased our round trip tickets for 30 Euro and boarded the boat that would take us to one of the most gorgeous settings imaginable.

Sharon and I opted to sit inside while Laura and Marianne were enjoying the fresh sea air on deck. I happened to recognize a lady who was on my flight from Charlotte to Rome, amazed to see a familiar face during the boat ride. I stopped to confirm that she was indeed on my flight, and we spent some time chatting. Millie was traveling throughout Italy for a month with her husband and two young adult children. Although they live in Florida, she was originally from the Bronx. They were a delightful group, and I thought about how special it must be to bring your family and travel together in such a fascinating location, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

While I was visiting with Millie, Sharon was approached by Giuseppe, who guides a Capri tour for 20 Euro, taking visitors throughout Capri and Ana Capri (translation-above Capri) which are the only two towns on the island. Sharon assured him that we would confer with our friends to see if this was something they might like to do. He gave us stickers to wear, designating us as part of his tour group, and told us that if we decided not to join the tour, we could just dispose of our stickers. That was pretty cool. We thrive on flexibility. Presenting the option to Laura and Marianne, we all decided a tour might just be the ticket since we had no clue where we were going when we arrived on Capri. It paid off in more ways than one. As our boat entered Marina Grande, the island's main harbor, we could readily see that Capri's reputation of vast beauty was not overstated.Giuseppe's group consisted of about 15 people (including Millie and her family) in a comfortable, modern tour bus. Giuseppe was a native of Capri and told us that the highway to Ana Capri was appropriately named "Oh, my God!" for a reason. He didn't exaggerate. It was a high, narrow, winding path on the side of a cliff. As a victim of height issues, I honestly couldn't look off the side during a great deal of the ride. We stopped at a particular restaurant recommended by Giuseppe, where we ate bruschetta (I'm sampling it in every town), pizza, salad, melon and prosciutto. Millie's family was dining at the table next to us, so we had another opportunity to chat. I thought it was so crazy that I talked to her as we were exiting the plane in Rome, only to run into her on a boat in a very different region of Italy. Talk about a small world!

We walked all over Capri, visiting some mighty upscale shops on Via Camerelle. These were budget-busting stores, and we did more looking than buying. We also took some fabulous photos from our cliff-side vantage point. Limoncello, anything made from lemons or sporting a lemon theme, handmade sandals, ceramics and perfume are the prevalent items offered on Capri. We ventured back to La Piazzetta, the central square, lined with cafes and touristy shops. Deciding it was time to give our fatigued feet a well-deserved break, we sat at one of the outdoor cafes and enjoyed a beverage. For some reason, the waiter was collecting writing utensils and wanted my pink pen. With all of the notes I am feverishly writing so I don't forget anything of importance on the trip, I wasn't about to relinquish my trusty pink pen. We said goodbye to exquisite Capri and were not really surprised to see Millie and family on our boat returning to Sorrento. I have a feeling that their day was just as memorable as ours.

In the main square, known as Piazza Tasso, there are numerous restaurants, outdoor cafes, and shops from which to choose. We ate dinner at Light Aurora Ristorante, where we chose nice salads, dessert and wine. Since it was Marianne's birthday, Laura arranged for the waiters to bring her a special dessert with a candle while everyone serenaded her with "Happy Birthday to You!" We presented her with a Limoncello-designed apron from Capri. Now when she is in her kitchen at home, slaving away, chopping onions and garlic in preparation of spaghetti sauce, she can protect her clothing with this apron that reminds her of great times in Italy.

We walked back through Sorrento past three live statues to reach the store, Lucky Cuomo, which was our landmark for catching the shuttle. Recovering from the winding, treacherous road to our hotel, we suddenly heard music as we entered the lobby. Curious, we peeked into the lounge area and noticed a singer/guitar player and a handful of dancing couples. We intended to sit down and listen to the music for a few minutes, but somehow we got a second wind and before we knew it we were singing with the music, and then one thing led to another. The music got the best of us and soon we were on the dance floor and the room became filled with the French tourists who were dining here last night. Before long, we were ALL singing and dancing to every song, enjoying a lively, spirited atmosphere. These adorable people couldn't understand a word we were trying to say to them and vice versa, but apparently music is the international language and dancing can be a path to global peace. We had a blast with these people for hours. We requested "New York, New York" and loved the fact that some from their group joined our kick line, while others watched and urged us all to kick higher.
We danced genuine disco style to "Night Fever" and formed two lines to let two people at a time dance through the center. Then Laura started a Conga line, and almost everyone there joined in. It was totally hysterical and such an enjoyable time with these nice people. According to their affable photographer, Girard, who was from Versailles and spoke enough English for us to be able to communicate, these were all neighbors from the French Riviera who were vacationing together. I'll bet that during the rest of their vacation, they didn't experience another night quite like the one they had with us! They were sweet and adorable people, and we enjoyed their company in spite of the language barrier. At the end of the evening when the musician was exhausted, we all hugged and said goodbye. We'd like to offer a warm and special thank you to Girard, who provided the dancing action photos. We all agreed that when our reality show is aired, it would work wonders for foreign relations!

Day of Culture in Florence

Friday, May 20, 2011:

Sharon and I went for a short walk on yet another glorious sunny morning in Florence and then made a stop at the cafe on our corner to sample the apple strudel and peach flavored iced tea. We all then set out to locate the Uffizi Gallery at Loggiato degli Uffizi and discovered that if you haven't purchased your tickets in advance, you can still go there and acquire a ticket for 15 Euro and not have to wait in a line. You also choose the time for beginning your tour. A regular ticket, which places you in a very long queue, is 11 Euro. The extra 4 Euro was well worth it to avoid standing in line, and it also enabled us to explore the surrounding area and return at our designated tour time. Tickets were cash only. We strolled around the adjacent area for a short time before our tour and encountered a mime with a sense of humor. Marianne is wearing those adorable turquoise sandals that she purchased on our first Florence shopping spree while Laura is sporting a lovely scarf. Sharon and I are just hanging for dear life to our handbags!

At the Uffizi, headsets are available for an extra fee for a self-guided walk through the enormous gallery. Additionally, it is possible for two people to share, as you can rent a remote that is attached to a headset and an extra corded ear device is included. What you have to remember, however, is to walk together and do not stray in order to prevent yanking the other person across the room. We learned this the hard way.

Each room is numbered, so on the remote, you press the number of the room you are in and the "play" button to listen to the commentary. We enjoyed hearing some of the background and history relative to the artists and their works, but soon found that by the time we spotted which painting was being discussed on the recording, the commentator had already moved on well in advance of our ability to follow. Some of the paintings were enormous and their frames so intricately constructed.

We toured many of the forty-five rooms, which are arranged in chronological order from the 13th to the 18th centuries. We eventually gave up on the commentary, instead choosing to read any information that was displayed. It was easier! We saw the paintings, one of Adam and one of Eve, by Lukas Cranach Il Vecchio from 1528, which Laura pointed out is the same Eve displayed at the beginning of Desperate Housewives. Good catch, Laura! There were also ancient Roman sculptures to behold.

We stayed in the complex for lunch, dining on a second floor patio and soaking up the pristine fresh air setting. Once again, only cash was accepted at this location. Bottles of water were 3 Euro and a small personal cheese pizza was 5,50 Euro. We weren't allowed to have the tops to our water bottles to take with us, as everything had to be consumed in the restaurant. We found the restrooms on the second floor level to be quite crowded with another very long line, but there was a first floor ladies' room that was clean and had no line. A welcome discovery!

The Uffizi Gallery was amazing, and we could have stayed there all day just looking at the ceilings in the hallways. This is a location that requires unhurried days to explore and absorb the history. We learned that the Michelangelo statue of David--the real one--the one which is kept indoors and photography is not permitted--is actually not located at this gallery. David lives at Galleria della Academia on Via Ricasoli, so Laura retrieved her trusty map and navigated us in the direction of that site. Once again...walking, walking, walking.

During our trek to Galleria della Academia, we encountered the filming of three Jersey Shore guys. It was easy to recognize "The Situation" from Dancing with the Stars. I wondered how much time he spends working out because he does have quite the muscular physique! There was a gang of screaming young girls literally running after the Jersey Shore boys, and the body guards were trying to silence them. Not an easy task. They were truly on a mission of some sort.

Arriving at Academia, we paid our 6,50 Euro and entered the museum doors after waiting in a short line. We were in awe as we gazed at the enormity of Michelangelo's marble statue of David, reported to be 16 feet tall. In 1873, he was moved into the gallery from his outdoor location at Piazza della Signoria to preserve him from weather conditions, vandalism, and any other maladies he might experience while being exposed (pardon the pun) to the elements 24/7. A smaller copy stands in front of Museo di Palazzo Vecchio, as noted in the photo below.

We were particularly astounded at the detail of the original statue, including the prominent veins in his hands and arms. Okay, I realize he is naked, but his hands and arms were what we were concentrating on. Photos of the original David are not allowed inside Galleria della Academia, but several people were spotted sneaking a shot or two with their cell phones and cameras until the guards would sternly chastise them. Did anyone in our group break the rules and take photos? We will not offer any admission of guilt, and whatever happens in Florence stays in Florence.

One guard told me that it took Michelangelo five years to create David. I have read a variety of time frames for this job, but perhaps the guard knows best. This gallery houses works of other artists including Botticelli, as well as the "Luigi Cherubini" Conservatory of Music musical instrument museum, which displayed many old musical instruments including a venerable harpsichord. We could almost visualize men with powdered wigs and women with long, puffy dresses dancing the minuet to the music.

Thinking that it was definitely time for me to check email, I had noticed an Internet, fax, copy, phone card store across the street from our hotel in the underground mall area and proceeded to dive into my neglected email following our return from our day of culture. In this store, the clerk looks at your identification, gives you a pass code to type in, and assigns you to a particular computer. The charge was 1 Euro for 15 minutes and 1,50 Euro for 30 minutes. Time begins to tick as soon as you enter the pass code. I truly believe that the keyboard was adjusted to prevent rapid typing. I decided that this is definitely done by design because in the interim, that clock is tick, tick, ticking away. It warns when you are close to timing out, and I've always read that it is important to actually sign out from where you are on public computers in order to clear everything that needs to be removed. If there was unused time left on that pass code, they could actually enter it and be exactly where you were in your email or whatever task you were performing if you weren't completely signed out.

This was our final full day in Florence, and we considered our thoughts on this location. The population of Florence is approximately 450,000, but it is a relatively easy city to navigate once you have your bearings. We laughed at recalling that on one of our numerous long walks, there was a store with orange luggage displayed in the window, and this was our landmark to turn onto a street that would take us back to our hotel. This particular evening, we walked past that piece of luggage and continued marching for what seemed like miles and miles, only to spot that same store with that lousy piece of luggage looking back at us. How on earth did that happen? We had been walking for a very, very long time and ended up right back at that same store again. There was sort of a "v" of streets at that location and we had chosen the incorrect section of the "v," making a complete circle and being astounded to come face to face with that orange luggage. Once we determined our error, we proceeded along the correct section of the "v" and found our hotel.

Our weather in Florence had been extremely pleasant with temperatures in the 70's and 80's, mostly sunny except for two brief late afternoon showers, with the sun quickly returning.

We agreed that we all felt safe, that it was incredible to experience all of the historical works and the architecture, that it was fascinating to see the strikingly well-dressed, gorgeous Italian people including guys in impeccable suits, and that it was enjoyable to be re-introduced to accessorizing with scarves. Laura had an excellent suggestion to use two-sided fabric tape to hold a scarf in place, as they do tend to shift. Marianne felt that the police uniforms were really sharp. Sharon noted that in our hotel, no iron and ironing board were present and we had been told that they were not permitted in the rooms. We thought it was interesting that we never felt rushed over a meal. As Marianne mentioned, we were encouraged to linger and fully enjoy the dining experience.

This was our final night in Florence, and we had planned to dine at a restaurant recommended by my friend, Sandi, but unfortunately, I had forgotten to bring the address with me. I had emailed her to ask for it once again, but was unable to retrieve the message in time for us to experience her suggestion. We decided to dress up for our last Florentine dinner and to return to the restaurant where we dined on our first night--Ristorante Coccodrillo.

Our waiter, Donnie, recognized us and seated us in a lovely rear outdoor courtyard where he treated us like royalty. He brought us champagne, a platter of cheeses, meats, bruschetta, mushrooms and honey bread, along with a platter of focaccia bread. Patrons at the next table wanted the same thing, but he told them it wasn't on the menu! He topped off our meal with Limoncello and gave each of us a big hug when we said goodnight.

Tomorrow we will do some last minute shopping and then forge on to Sorrento!