Embankment Park in London in full spring bloom. What a surprise!
After two wonderful weeks, the tour is over. I left Italy on Saturday and had a layover in London. The rest of the group stayed on in Rome for another day. Karen had missed out on the Vatican as she did not feel well so we made arrangements for her to do that tour on Saturday and then other things the group missed or just to rest up as I think they were getting tired and a few starting to get a cold. In total we had amazing weather for the beginning of April 14 out of the 15 days were sunny and between 65-70 degrees. This is not normal for this time of year but I guess this group is just lucky.
For me, it was nice to see London again. I had made arrangements to go to another West end musical. This time I went to see Legally Blond as I had not see it either. It was very good and just packed for a Saturday afternoon. I then spent a few hours walking along the Southbank and then headed out to the hotel by Heathrow for an early departure on Sunday and then back to work on Monday.
Thanks to all who followed the tour this year and hopefully I will get more links to pictures from the groups soon.
Berninis Four Rivers Fountain in Piazza Navona at night
Today we got out early in the morning and visited the Vatican Museum and St. Peters. It is getting close to Easter and it is spring break for the kids, so even though it is April and not officially tour season, the Vatican is very busy now. They are setting up the chairs and the giant TV screens for the event. We met our guide Marilena across from the entrance at 8:30 to be there when it opens. It was still crowded but as always, with a guide like Marilena who has been doing this for almost 30 year, you go straight in. I waited for them as they went through but today was actually cold. It rained last night and is gray today so rather than sit in the square in front of St. Peters which is normally what I enjoy, I needed to find a coffee inside to read my book.
Normally my groups take around 2-2.5 hours but today, this group took over 3 hours to pop out of the church. They ask alot of questions and are truly interesting in soaking up as much as they can. They LOVED it and adored Marilena’s explanations and help. The guides also really like them as they are so interested in what they have to say and their passion for the history. The only down side was that Karen was sick this morning and decided not to go. When we called her at lunch she was still not up to going out. We stopped for lunch at a place close to Piazza Navonna that I have been to before several years ago with two ladies from New Orleans(they knew the owner) and I had the most incredible mushroom fettuccine - it was just to die for. When we returned we picked up Karen in the lobby and she was very disappointed in not seeing the Sistine Chapel. I texted Marilena and she has room for Karen on a 2PM tour tomorrow so the group is going to take her out there so hopefully all will be well. The ladies are out shopping now and Bob decided to skip that.
St. Peters square where they are actually bringing in Olive trees and grass sod for Easter and laying it right on the pavement
Today is the last full day of the tour. I originally thought everyone was leaving tomorrow as that is the normal end of the tour but they are not leaving until Sunday. I have extended the hotel another night for them but I have to catch my flight to London tomorrow morning. Darn…There is still quite a bit to see in Rome so I hope they catch some museums and churches or just wander around the beautiful older neighborhoods.
Bob nominated as our wine steward - especially nice with the vino da tavola in really nice glasses
Arrived in Rome yesterday and after our walk did the restaurant that I love(and also recommended by the leather salesman the group ran into in Florence) called Maccheroni. It is just a few blocks from the Pantheon. Yummy pasta and wine again. I had chicken and the group did a sharing of all of their different pastas(not so sure Bob wanted to give up his carbonara).
Today was ancient Rome day going through the Colosseum and the Forum with our guide Sal. He is Marilena’s brother and I have had him for my groups a couple of times and he is fabulous and very passionate about telling the history of Rome. It seems that they are cracking down on the fake guides in the Colosseum now which is good; Sal was asked by officials to see his badge and so was another guide that we ran into. This reminds me, I also had the most civilized taxi ride on the way to the hotel and so did the rest of our group. This has always been a big hassle for me as they are nasty as thieves when you arrive as a group and try to rip you off but all went well this time. Anyway, back to the Forum and Colosseum. It was another beautiful day and luckily, not as hot today so being outside all morning was wonderful. We even needed a light coat on the walk down there. I just love walking through the Forum. They are even doing new excavations but just to be surrounded by not only beautiful ancient columns of ancient temples but just chunks of marble on the
Group at the Colosseum in Rome
ground that you know were adorning the top of a grand building over 2000 years ago.
We had some pizza at my favorite Rome pizza spot that Sal introduced me to(Rosso Pomodorro) and then the group went off to the Vatican for a very special tour underneath the Vatican called the Scavi tour. There is an ancient Roman necropolis underneath St. Peters and the monument and perhaps even the bones of St. Peter himself. I an anxious to hear about it when they return as it was a treasured tour when I did it a few years ago. Only a few people a day get to do this and it is special.
Trevi fountain on our walk around Rome
Today we traveled from Florence to Rome by fast Eurostar train - 1.5 hrs. I discovered for the second time, that I was missing my passport this morning. GOOD GRIEF! After some brain searching I remembered I had used it for ID at a museum the day before. We decided that we should go to the train station and I would take a cab back to the museum after dropping off the group to go on to Rome without me if I did not make it. The train was scheduled to depart at 10:10 and luckily was 10 minutes late in departing from Florence. I made it back to the station with my passport at 10:10 and still got on.
Again, the weather in Rome is beautiful. A bit cooler and
Group in front of the (almost 2000 year old0 Pantheon in Rome
with a breeze but not a cloud in the sky. I think folks are actually chilled if they sit in the shade. We got to the hotel in the center of the city(1 block behind the Pantheon) and headed out for a walk of the highlights of the old city of Rome and some lunch. We visited the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Trevi fountain and the Spanish Steps and had a delicious lunch on the square surrounding the Pantheon. The waiter was delightful and the pasta yummy. After our walking around to the sites, we walked down the shopping street from the Spanish steps(Gucci, Prada, Cartier, Jimmy Choo, the list goes on) we darted off the side streets and had an iced latte…more yummm. Tomorrow we will meet our guide(either Marilena or her brother Sal) for our tour of ancient Rome; Colosseum and the Forum.
Diner near the Duomo at a place called Osteria della l'Olio
At this writing we have spent almost 3 days in Florence. Again, the weather has been incredible - almost too hot which is incredible for April. We had a little bit of an adventure getting here. When I looked at the train schedule there was a 9:18 from Siena to Florence. Well, it seems that was not the Sunday schedule. We had to go to plan B and back to the bus station and take a bus into Florence. All worked out ok but we have had a few train adventures. I think the theme for Joni will be “just get on the train NOW”. When we arrived we dropped off our bags at our amazing apartment right off of Piazza Signoria and grabbed some lunch and met Emma for our tour. She took the gang into Accademia to see Michelangelo’s David which the group just LOVED. We then took a tour through the city which in a word is an open air Renaissance museum. It was so nice to have Emma along for explanation that the group later decided to hire her for the next day to see some of the churches and the Medici chapel.
View from Bob and Joni's apartment window of Piazza Signoria
The group got a recommendation from Chico(in the leather store) for dinner and off we went and it was fantastic. We definitely have not been starving ourselves at all. Joni tried truffles in pasta for the first time and she liked it. The next day was a free day for the group. In the morning they went to the Duomo and climbed to the top of the Duomo which is 493 steps up the inside between the domes. YIKES. The afternoon was with Emma for Santa Croce, Medici Chapels and San Lorenzo. I think Bob is starting to get his fill of museums but every time the ladies shop - he powers through a few more.
Today was Uffizi and shopping day. Emma told us about a market that the locals go to that is up only on Tuesday. It is along the river on the outskirts of town and was a GIANT flee market kind of place with several nice things at really good prices. We got some earings, shirts and I even got a light coat for 15Euro. After the Uffizi they went back to the leather market by San Lorenzo for some SERIOUS shopping. When I saw them later drinking wine in the square they had several beautiful leather purses and Jodi got two of the most beautiful leather coats. A good day all around. We head to Rome tomorrow so go from the Renaissance back to ancient Rome.
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