European Discovery

Before I complete our last few days I have to add our celebrity sighting that I completely forgot about.  It was the night that we ate dinner at Maccheroni near the Pantheon(yes the one with the pirate waiter).  We were sitting outside and all of a sudden Judy(who loves movies) said “Hello, that’s ” and started waving to someone with a big smile on her face like her best friend was walking through the door.  I looked over my right shoulder and it was James Cromwell(actor in LA Confidential and Babe to just name a few movies).  He smiled an nodded at us(and especially Judy still waving and still smiling) and went into the restaurant.  We did not see him again so they must have taken him to a more private room.  The others figured if “that actor” eats here then the food must be good.  I could have told them the food was going to be good

This kind of reminded me of last year when I saw Italy’s Prime Minister; Silvio Berlusconi in just about the same spot but he was coming out of the fancy seafood place across the street.  The Italian ladies from the next table that I had been talking with all evening and I decided to get up and follow/stalk him to get a picture but that is another story…..

Michelangelo's incedible sistine chapel

On day 10 the group had the morning off and then we met and took the public bus to the Vatican Museum.  We took the public bus to the entrance and met my wonderful Rome guide Marilena from walksinsiderome.  I did not go into the museum with them so off they went to see the exhibits, and Michelangelo’s masterpiece Sistine chapel.  The first time that I saw this chapel I had to sit down and just stare at it for quite a long time.  I met the group after they exited the chapel and St. Peters after a couple of hours and they just looked beat!  They said that they enjoyed it but I think they were also very tired because the crowds can be bad inside the museum with the big groups even if we have a private tour.  I think next time we might want to try early in the morning  before the heaving masses arrive.

The next day we caught a train to Naples from Rome.  We were running a bit late which was a bit stressful as the taxi’s went an odd way and we had to find each other in the train station.  We missed the hassle of the “helpers” in the train station which I was ready for this time.  A Canadian woman that we

Our wonderful group with Gaotano in Pompeii with Vesuvius

sat next to had her money stolen from her purse and she things it was them.  There are these people that pose as rather official helpers that help get bags on the train but they are not official at all.  If anyone is thinking of riding the train, really be careful and do not let ANYONE that you do not know help you with your bags on or off the train.  They tried to help us when we arrived in Naples and I really pissed him off because I told him no several times and told my entire group not to let him help.  After about 6 tries he gave up and swore at me.  Our Monetti private drivers met us on the tracks and took us to Pompeii.  In Pompeii we met Gaotano Manfredi who was our fabulous guide through this incredibly preserved Roman city which was frozen in time in 79AD.  We were joined by a family from Canada because they were late(and I had messed up a bit on the date) so he put us together.  it has just poured down rain before they got there but it stopped when we arrived.   We got a fabulous tour and an extra by visiting the bath and brothel outside the walls that I have not seen before.  In the brothel, there are very explicit paintings of various rooms in the establishment and the services performed in each.  I think my group was leaning towards a preference for room #4.  After the tour we continued on to Sorrento.  There was a mess up with my hotel and instead we were put in the Grand Vesuvio but it was just lovely;  all rooms had stunning views of the Bay of Naples.  Sherri voted that if I would have brought her here first she might have mutinied from the tour and just stayed there.

A couple I snapped(getting engaged) at the Trevi fountain in Rome

I find myself finally able to catch up today.  On day 8 we took the train from Siena to Rome via Florence.   We road the small regional train to Florence(about 1.5hrs) and then the ES(EuroStar) train from Florence to Rome(about 1.5hrs).  I was very proud of my group when we arrived into Rome.  I always take a taxi from the train station to the hotel and invariably, if we act as a group, the taxi drivers try to rip us off no matter how much Italian I use or how I know very well how much it should cost.  On the train I asked the group to divide into groups of 3 people and pretend they did not know the others, get in the cab from the taxi line and show them the address directly without speaking.  I know it is a weird request but they all did it and today, IT WORKED.  Everyone got a good price from the meter which I think is a first.  After lunch and a rest, I offered to take everyone on a highlights orientation walk of Rome.  We started with the Campo di Fiori, then Piazza Navonna, the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain and then the Spanish Steps.  Bernini’s Fountain of the 4 rivers was finally not under scaffolding this year and it looked fantastic. Don had a book which talked about the “monster” great photo op so we walked a different way to the steps and found a fantastic building with a doorway that looked like a monster but unfortunately, under renovation so no photos.

Sherry and our pirate waiter with Brenda looking on

After our walk we rested and then went to dinner at a little restaurant that I like near the Pantheon called Maccheroni.   It was fantastic and everyone loved everything and we got to sit outside.  The waiter was just a crack up and a huge flirt.  He took a liking to Sherri flurting all evening long and he gave us a free primi of homemade ravioli stuffed with 4 cheeses and a wonderful zucchini flower sauce; yummnnn.

The next day was on to follow in the steps of Ceasar and tour through ancient Rome; in particular the Colosseum and the Forum.  The day was beautiful amazingly enough because we had rain, thunder and lightning the night before that woke everyone up. We met Tosca at the Colosseum at 9:30 after a short walk from our hotel.  There are 3 guides in www.walksinsiderome.com that I use and finally I get to meet the last one; Tosca.  We started with the Colosseum which is actually named Flavian Amphitheater but has had a nickname of the Colosseum because of a giant 120ft statue of Emperor Nero(later turned into Apollo) that used to be nearby.  The colosseum was completed in 80AD and took only 10 years to build and is the largest building every built by the ancient Romans. To me, it is one of the most incredible buildings in the world and shows the amazing engineering and architectural feats of the Romans which were forgotten for over 1,000 years.   Even today, the colosseum has fewer working toilets than it did 2,000 years ago!  After the Colosseum, we walked next door to the Forum which as of last year, requires a ticket

Our group inside the Colosseum

for entrance.  I always reserve my tickets in advance so we do not wait in line.

We visited the main Roman Forum starting with arch of Titus, temple of Augustus and Faustina, Julius Caesars grave, temple of the vestal virgins and then finishing with the arch of Septimus and Severus.  One of the things that amazed the group was that we were literally walking on the same stones as Caesar; the basalt road is still there 2000 years later.  It is quite funny to think that all of this was buried by dirt and used as a cow pasture until tentative excavations were done in the 1800’s.  It is also a kind of “archeological soup” as there are ruins from many centuries all in one place and earlier excavators mixed them up a bit.  Tosca was wonderful and with the help of a great book which shows what it looks like today and then an overlay of what they think it looked like 2000 years ago the group really could imagine the magnificence of what Rome would have been like back then.

We then walked the “several” steps up Capitoline Hill(designed by Michelangelo) and then down and around, finishing with Trajans’ column and in front of the monument to Vittorio Emmanuel II, Italy’s first unification king.   I took Don, Judy, Susan and Joe to Rosso Pomodoro for the best pizza in Rome(and also fantastic salads).  The other ladies had heard from a friend of Sherri’s that they had to visit the “keyhole”. I asked Tosca where in the world this was and she showed me on my map.  They decided to walk down to that after having some lunch.   I know this sounds wierd but it is a keyhole(literally) through a gate of the Villa of Malta on the Aventine Hill that is suppose to have the most amazing views of St. Peter’s dome.  After a little adventure with some local police/guards to help them find it when only 5 feet away, they said it was incredible.  Their photos could not really do it justice but I will have to try it next time for sure.  This link and photo is not bad; Villa Malta keyhole.   A great day except for Sherri’s foul looking blisters.

An interesting title?  Yes, we have had a couple of interesting days.  First of all the trip to the emergency room in Siena.  I will not go into details but in short both Brenda and Susan K. had some health issues and it was late in the evening with no regular pharmacies open.  They ended up going to the hospital emergency room(as that is what is open with a doctor) and were seen and have received medications.  They both seem to be doing better now and were treated well and found the service professional, fairly quick and could communicate in English.   I am very relieved as this is not the first tour person that has gone to this hospital(both turned out fine).

Famous dome of the cathedral in Florence

In the morning we took the public bus from Siena into Florence and met our guide Paola at the Accademia to learn about the greatness of Michelangelo and the time that he lived and worked.  The group loved him and Paolo who explained everything to clearly and easily and with such passion.  They said that they ended up getting many “strangers” trying to join the tour and listen to her.  The group was in awe of the beauty of the David.  We then went on a walk around the center of Florence which is in itself one giant outdoor museum.  The weather was beautiful again and not too hot.  We visited the Duomo and got to pop inside and learned of the building and of it’s famous dome by Brunelleschi completed in 1436. I find it amazing to think that they built this church without a dome because no one knew how to do it and they decided to wait 75 years for someone to be born that could.  It is still today the largest masonry dome in the world.

My Florentine art critics in the Uffizi

After the tour we said good-bye to Paola and went for a quick pizza, pasta lunch and sit down.  After lunch it was on to the Uffizi.  I think this is one of the greatest art museums in Europe.  My favorite room is the one with the Botticelli’s(Primavera and the Birth of Venus) where I could just sit for hours.  I gave my group two hours which is not really enough time to see everything but is enough so that they will be too tired if they stay longer.  They did enjoy it but by the end were getting a little art overloaded.  They decided to all have a sit-down and take a photo for me of them performing at their best in the Uffizi. Thank you to Judy for her photo. It is a busy but satisfying day.  We then walked back to the bus station along the open market that surrounds the San Lorenzo church.  They have wonderful leather, scarves, etc and I think Susan S. wins for purchases that day with a handful of beautiful Italian scarves.   After a rush to get to the bathroom before our bus left, and then a longer bus ride than expected, we got back to Siena pretty exhausted but had a wonderful day.

Goodness, I am getting way behind again.  No internet connection in Siena for my laptop that was open late! I will catch all of the way up tomorrow.

Our leaning tower of Pisa

Our train ride was short from Cinque Terra to Pisa, we stored our bags at the train station and headed to Campo dei Miracoli by public bus.  It is another beautiful day, sunny and in the 80’s.  The group had a couple of hours to explore around the campo and have lunch.  The campo is beautiful but is most famous for the it’s bell tower; the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It was built in 1175 and started leaning nearly as soon as it was finished.  The last time I was here the tower had big cables around it but I am happy to report that they are gone and the tower is no longer in danger of collapsing.  It is stable for the first time in its almost 1,000 year history.  No one had made reservations to walk up to the top of the tower-296 steps.  Sherri was going to do it but the only time available was 1:00 and our departure time was 1:30. By the time that she thought it would be o.k. the ticket was gone. Next time.  I think they all enjoyed the visit but Judy said that it was a shock.  From photos she expected it to be out in a field and not in the center of a large city.

Our Tuscan wine tasting at Fonterutoli

The next day was Tuscan village hoping and wine tasting day.  I could not get my normal 3:00 reservation so instead did it at 10:30.  I was a bit worried about everyone drinking wine at 10:30 in the morning but I have to say; THEY stepped up to the challenge and even had some grappa.  Don definitely made a face trying that.  We go to a tiny village up at the top of Chianti country called Fonterutoli.  I love it because it has been in the same family for over 800 years and they try to keep it preserved as it was.  I got to taste but not really because I was driving the bus but I had some very happy and giggly travelers when we were finished.  All agreed that drinking 5 different wines before 12:00 is the best order.  Plus the tour and the tasting with adorable Vittorio did not hurt.  Joe, however, was the only one not to waste a single drop.

Just another view along the roadside driving in Tuscany

After wine tasting we went to visit San Gimignano for some shopping and Tuscan views.  Along the way we stopped for “grape photos” as not all of the harvest is in yet and there are still lots of grapes on the vines.  The scenery all around is just drop dead gorgeous with oh’s and ah’s all around as we drive through the countryside.  Not many purchases in San Gimignano so mostly views and more gelato.  We returned to Siena, rested and then went to the Campo to Ristorante Guidorricio and the lovely owners Ercole and Elizabetta for our multi(7 course) Tuscan feast.  I love this meal because over the years Ercole has helped me pick out his freshest and favorite recipes and they are served to the group family style and as a surprise.  We are usually the envy of the entire restaurant as more food just keeps coming; italian starters of meats, cheeses, bruschetta, veggie torte then primi of vegatable lasagna and gnocchi with pecorino and veal sauce, main of tuscan steak with rosemary, lemon and garlic on Arugula and roasted rosemary potatoes and finally desert of chocolate torte all washed down with choices of white then red Tuscan wine.  Yumnnnn  I stayed afterwards for my grappa and coffe and others waddled back to the hotel with smiles.