Three Coins in the Fountain...A Return Trip To Roma
Oct 28th, 2009, 05:58 PM
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Three Coins in the Fountain...A Return Trip To Roma
Let me preface this trip report with 2 comments:
1. I can be very long-winded when writing trip reports, yes, I have difficulty self-editing. So, if you like reading about my flights to and from Rome, the rental apartment, transportation, all the meals eaten and sights seen, this report may be right up your alley. I do try my best to provide as many website links or contact information as possible for the restaurants, businesses and people I will mention in this report.
2. A huge thank you to all the Fodorites who post any and all information about Rome...I devour any tidbits I get from the enormous wealth of information shared here.
Now for some details...
The 3 main characters in this adventure are:
Me...a 40-ish globetrotting gal who loves history, being outdoors but not necessarily "outdoorsy", adores food and is a newbie "wino";
Mom...my one and only terrific mom, a 60-ish curious explorer who loves history, art, food and wine (and can cook like a pro!) and will jump along for the ride with me whenever asked;
CL...my friend, a 50-ish intrepid traveler who will eat and drink just about anything and is always game for a laugh.
A Little Background:
Mom and I LOVE Rome. I cannot emphasize how much we really enjoy and have connected to the Eternal City. Since December 2007 she and I have been twice and I was there one extra time for 2 days at the end of a spring 2009 trip to the Amalfi Coast.
In April 2009 mom and I were discussing places to go, and per my usual travel addiction I started to keep an eye on the Delta Airlines website for any deals that might come up, we're sky miles medallion members and like to keep accruing miles with the same airline. In early April I found a fare that was "decent", well; at least it was acceptable to our bank accounts so we bought tickets to Rome for October. This trip would be mom's 3rd and my 4th to Rome in 22 months...you can see we reeeeealy like this place.
After purchasing the plane tickets CL and I were discussing my October trip to Rome and I invited her to come along, she accepted, bought her plane ticket and the players were in place. Prior to CL coming on board mom and I had discussed renting an apartment for this trip. CL liked that idea and so I got busy searching for the "perfect" Roman apartment.
I honestly can't remember how long it took me to wade through dozens of apartment rental sites but I used a reference from Fodorite TedGale (many thanks!) and checked out Rome Capital Apartments (http://www.romecapitalapartments.com/).
BINGO! I found what sounded like the perfect fit for us. The Boccaccio apartment was located on Vicolo dei Savelli, 57. This is smack dab between Piazza Navona and Campo dei Fiori in the Centro Storico. It has 1 bedroom with a double bed and a bathroom and a loft sleeping area with 2 twin beds and a bathroom and a living/dining/kitchen area. The 2 bathrooms was a stroke of genius...in my mind it was a necessity with 3 women traveling together and I was right! Here is the link to the apartment: http://www.romecapitalapartments.com.../Boccaccio-140
The apartment is located on the 4th floor and there is a small elevator (3 people could fit in without luggage, one person with 3 small suitcases fit fine). One of the best attributes of this apartment was its location. It was just minutes by foot from not only Piazza Navona and Campo dei Fiori, but just around the corner was Corso Victor Emmanuel where there are plenty of buses and a few blocks from Largo Argentina with even more bus and tram connections. We loved this neighborhood. Noise was an issue in the evenings when the windows were open, but once the windows were closed it was quiet, I was pretty impressed with how quiet it was with the windows closed.
There were several activities I planned for and booked in advance, they were:
1. A half day tour of Hadrian's Villa and Villa d'Este in Tivoli with Francesca Caruso.([email protected])
2. Vatican Garden Tour (http://www.vatican.va/phome_en.htm)
3. Afterhours Vatican Museum Tour with ContextRome(http://www.contexttravel.com/rome/)
I had a rough plan of other activities I thought would be good to see or do, but did not purchase or book anything else in advance. I considered purchasing the Roma Pass, but in the end did not. We each purchased a one week transportation pass for €16 each from a ticket machine near Largo Argentina. I did this since we were in Rome for 8 nights and I thought a 7 days pass would benefit us more than the 3 days on the Roma Pass. I like having the flexibility of being able to take public transportation when I want to and not worry about needing to purchase a ticket each time I need one. In the end this worked for us, although I did not calculate a price comparison.
Stay tuned for day one...Is this a flight to Rome or a Med-Evac flight?
1. I can be very long-winded when writing trip reports, yes, I have difficulty self-editing. So, if you like reading about my flights to and from Rome, the rental apartment, transportation, all the meals eaten and sights seen, this report may be right up your alley. I do try my best to provide as many website links or contact information as possible for the restaurants, businesses and people I will mention in this report.
2. A huge thank you to all the Fodorites who post any and all information about Rome...I devour any tidbits I get from the enormous wealth of information shared here.
Now for some details...
The 3 main characters in this adventure are:
Me...a 40-ish globetrotting gal who loves history, being outdoors but not necessarily "outdoorsy", adores food and is a newbie "wino";
Mom...my one and only terrific mom, a 60-ish curious explorer who loves history, art, food and wine (and can cook like a pro!) and will jump along for the ride with me whenever asked;
CL...my friend, a 50-ish intrepid traveler who will eat and drink just about anything and is always game for a laugh.
A Little Background:
Mom and I LOVE Rome. I cannot emphasize how much we really enjoy and have connected to the Eternal City. Since December 2007 she and I have been twice and I was there one extra time for 2 days at the end of a spring 2009 trip to the Amalfi Coast.
In April 2009 mom and I were discussing places to go, and per my usual travel addiction I started to keep an eye on the Delta Airlines website for any deals that might come up, we're sky miles medallion members and like to keep accruing miles with the same airline. In early April I found a fare that was "decent", well; at least it was acceptable to our bank accounts so we bought tickets to Rome for October. This trip would be mom's 3rd and my 4th to Rome in 22 months...you can see we reeeeealy like this place.
After purchasing the plane tickets CL and I were discussing my October trip to Rome and I invited her to come along, she accepted, bought her plane ticket and the players were in place. Prior to CL coming on board mom and I had discussed renting an apartment for this trip. CL liked that idea and so I got busy searching for the "perfect" Roman apartment.
I honestly can't remember how long it took me to wade through dozens of apartment rental sites but I used a reference from Fodorite TedGale (many thanks!) and checked out Rome Capital Apartments (http://www.romecapitalapartments.com/).
BINGO! I found what sounded like the perfect fit for us. The Boccaccio apartment was located on Vicolo dei Savelli, 57. This is smack dab between Piazza Navona and Campo dei Fiori in the Centro Storico. It has 1 bedroom with a double bed and a bathroom and a loft sleeping area with 2 twin beds and a bathroom and a living/dining/kitchen area. The 2 bathrooms was a stroke of genius...in my mind it was a necessity with 3 women traveling together and I was right! Here is the link to the apartment: http://www.romecapitalapartments.com.../Boccaccio-140
The apartment is located on the 4th floor and there is a small elevator (3 people could fit in without luggage, one person with 3 small suitcases fit fine). One of the best attributes of this apartment was its location. It was just minutes by foot from not only Piazza Navona and Campo dei Fiori, but just around the corner was Corso Victor Emmanuel where there are plenty of buses and a few blocks from Largo Argentina with even more bus and tram connections. We loved this neighborhood. Noise was an issue in the evenings when the windows were open, but once the windows were closed it was quiet, I was pretty impressed with how quiet it was with the windows closed.
There were several activities I planned for and booked in advance, they were:
1. A half day tour of Hadrian's Villa and Villa d'Este in Tivoli with Francesca Caruso.([email protected])
2. Vatican Garden Tour (http://www.vatican.va/phome_en.htm)
3. Afterhours Vatican Museum Tour with ContextRome(http://www.contexttravel.com/rome/)
I had a rough plan of other activities I thought would be good to see or do, but did not purchase or book anything else in advance. I considered purchasing the Roma Pass, but in the end did not. We each purchased a one week transportation pass for €16 each from a ticket machine near Largo Argentina. I did this since we were in Rome for 8 nights and I thought a 7 days pass would benefit us more than the 3 days on the Roma Pass. I like having the flexibility of being able to take public transportation when I want to and not worry about needing to purchase a ticket each time I need one. In the end this worked for us, although I did not calculate a price comparison.
Stay tuned for day one...Is this a flight to Rome or a Med-Evac flight?
Oct 29th, 2009, 04:47 AM
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Thanks for the encouragement everyone!
As for the apartment...yes, it was very clean and another thing I liked about it was that it was not cluttered. So many apartments I looked at on line in the planning stages seems to be jam-packed with "stuff". This apartment had everything we needed.
I will mention we did no cooking at all in the apartment, so cannot comment on the stove/oven. But there was a dishwasher, all the pots, pans, cutlery and plates that you would need and a full size refridgerator(great for keeping large bottles of water and Prosecco!)
There was also a washer/dryer combo (we did not use that either). Our main reason for renting an apartment was purely for the extra room it provided.
As for the apartment...yes, it was very clean and another thing I liked about it was that it was not cluttered. So many apartments I looked at on line in the planning stages seems to be jam-packed with "stuff". This apartment had everything we needed.
I will mention we did no cooking at all in the apartment, so cannot comment on the stove/oven. But there was a dishwasher, all the pots, pans, cutlery and plates that you would need and a full size refridgerator(great for keeping large bottles of water and Prosecco!)
There was also a washer/dryer combo (we did not use that either). Our main reason for renting an apartment was purely for the extra room it provided.
Oct 29th, 2009, 08:16 AM
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Awesome report. I love the details... it's like I am there with you. I'm that way too, I don't know how to do anything in a few words.
Can't wait to read the rest and so glad you and your sweet mama had such a wonderful time.. Many memories I know you will cherish forever!!
Can't wait to read the rest and so glad you and your sweet mama had such a wonderful time.. Many memories I know you will cherish forever!!
Oct 29th, 2009, 06:31 PM
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Now for the flight to and arrival in Roma!
Day One Thursday, October 8th
In my usual style we were at the Savannah airport 2 hours before departure. I know some think that’s way too early, especially since it’s generally a breeze getting through security at the relatively small Savannah airport. But, I have the need to start every airplane journey arriving early at the airport. I have my ritual, get there early, go through security, get my Starbucks coffee and get comfortably seated at the gate and watch the comings and goings around me. I do not like getting to the gate with just minutes to spare, I get too anxious, and so the extra time sitting keeps me calm.
The flight from Savannah to Atlanta was uneventful, with just 38 minutes in the air; we arrived in Atlanta on time. I think it took us longer to taxi from the runway to the gate in Atlanta than the amount of time we were actually in the air!
We had plenty of time before our 4:30pm departure for Rome, so we enjoyed a leisurely lunch and walked to the gate area for our flight. Once a gate agent appeared at the computer terminal I made a valiant attempt to be upgraded to business class. My hopes were raised for a nano-second when the agent said, “Yes…for $5,000”…I returned to my seat in defeat…no luck this trip…my business class upgrade from last December is but a memory on this trip!
As the crowd at the gate area began to grow I took a good look around….I thought…hmmmm…not many families or children on this flight, ok, that’s reasonable, it was October, kids would be in school. What I hadn’t expected was the large number of passengers in wheelchairs. In all the time I’ve been flying I don’t think I have ever been on a flight with so many wheelchair passengers. I mentioned this to mom and CL. CL had a reason I had never thought of…they are probably cruise passengers. Lo and behold once we were on board and heard conversations around us I would guess at least 90% of this flight was cruise passengers. While we were waiting in the boarding area I counted 8 passengers in wheelchairs, that’s a first for me. This seemed, to me, to be a large number of wheelchair passengers on one flight.
This flight was jam-packed and unfortunately I was not able to secure exit row seats, like I have in the past, so mom and I were crammed into the next to last row. It wouldn’t have been so bad, except I don’t think the plane wheels were completely up when the man in front of me reclined his seat for the entire 9 hours…so yes, besides eating my airline food meal, I felt like I was eating my knees too!
The flight was quite bumpy and I made an effort to try and get some sleep. In the end I probably had my eyes closed and was in some kind of sleep mode for about 2 out of the 9 hours.
Day Two, Friday, October 9th
We arrived at FCO 25 minutes early! Since mom and I were seated in the back of the plane we were among the last ones off the flight. CL was seated closer to the front, so she was waiting for us when we reached the end of the jet way. We made our way to passport control and it was a mob scene. I have to mention that the last few times I’ve arrived in Rome it was either a day before Christmas or the day after and it took maybe 15 minutes to get through passport control. This time we waited close to an hour in a crowd of people saying “tomorrow we will be waiting in a line like this for our omelets”…just confirming the cruiser theory.
When it was our time to step up to the (handsome) passport control agent mom and I gave him a big smile and a “Buon Giorno” in our best Italian! He asked us where we were staying and when we said in an apartment he asked us to present him with the reservation confirmation, thankfully I had the printed email confirmation handy. This hadn’t happened to us before and after he stamped our passports and we walked through mom joked, “He just probably just wanted to see where you were staying”.
Fortunately we did all did carry-on only and did not have another wait at baggage claim. Once through passport control I pulled out my phone to call the apartment representative. I must have entered the contact phone number incorrectly into my phone, so after I dialed the wrong number and (I’m pretty sure) woke up a nice Italian nonna, I pulled out my paperwork again and found the correct number. By now it was about 9:30am and we arranged to meet the rep between 10:30am and 11:15am.
Next on the agenda was to go out to the arrivals area and find our driver from Rome cabs (http://www.romecabs.com/index.html). We found our driver with no trouble and he whisked us away into the comfort of his clean sedan.
The drive to our apartment was smooth and the day was shaping up to be a beautiful, sunny, and humid (just like home!) day. Since the street the apartment is on is small the car could not pull up right in front of the apartment building, so we had a short walk. At the apartment there was a group of 3 travelers in front of the door. They had just checked out of “our” apartment and also using Rome Cabs…coincidence! Unfortunately, because the apartment was being cleaned we couldn’t get into it, and the apartment representative wasn’t there yet, so we waited for about 45 minutes.
While waiting I decided to take a quick walk to find an ATM to get the cash we would need for the €400 security deposit. Having found an ATM just a few blocks away I was able to make 2 withdrawals of €200 each. That done, I went back to the apartment to wait with mom and CL, however those ATM withdrawals will come back to haunt me!
Day One Thursday, October 8th
In my usual style we were at the Savannah airport 2 hours before departure. I know some think that’s way too early, especially since it’s generally a breeze getting through security at the relatively small Savannah airport. But, I have the need to start every airplane journey arriving early at the airport. I have my ritual, get there early, go through security, get my Starbucks coffee and get comfortably seated at the gate and watch the comings and goings around me. I do not like getting to the gate with just minutes to spare, I get too anxious, and so the extra time sitting keeps me calm.
The flight from Savannah to Atlanta was uneventful, with just 38 minutes in the air; we arrived in Atlanta on time. I think it took us longer to taxi from the runway to the gate in Atlanta than the amount of time we were actually in the air!
We had plenty of time before our 4:30pm departure for Rome, so we enjoyed a leisurely lunch and walked to the gate area for our flight. Once a gate agent appeared at the computer terminal I made a valiant attempt to be upgraded to business class. My hopes were raised for a nano-second when the agent said, “Yes…for $5,000”…I returned to my seat in defeat…no luck this trip…my business class upgrade from last December is but a memory on this trip!
As the crowd at the gate area began to grow I took a good look around….I thought…hmmmm…not many families or children on this flight, ok, that’s reasonable, it was October, kids would be in school. What I hadn’t expected was the large number of passengers in wheelchairs. In all the time I’ve been flying I don’t think I have ever been on a flight with so many wheelchair passengers. I mentioned this to mom and CL. CL had a reason I had never thought of…they are probably cruise passengers. Lo and behold once we were on board and heard conversations around us I would guess at least 90% of this flight was cruise passengers. While we were waiting in the boarding area I counted 8 passengers in wheelchairs, that’s a first for me. This seemed, to me, to be a large number of wheelchair passengers on one flight.
This flight was jam-packed and unfortunately I was not able to secure exit row seats, like I have in the past, so mom and I were crammed into the next to last row. It wouldn’t have been so bad, except I don’t think the plane wheels were completely up when the man in front of me reclined his seat for the entire 9 hours…so yes, besides eating my airline food meal, I felt like I was eating my knees too!
The flight was quite bumpy and I made an effort to try and get some sleep. In the end I probably had my eyes closed and was in some kind of sleep mode for about 2 out of the 9 hours.
Day Two, Friday, October 9th
We arrived at FCO 25 minutes early! Since mom and I were seated in the back of the plane we were among the last ones off the flight. CL was seated closer to the front, so she was waiting for us when we reached the end of the jet way. We made our way to passport control and it was a mob scene. I have to mention that the last few times I’ve arrived in Rome it was either a day before Christmas or the day after and it took maybe 15 minutes to get through passport control. This time we waited close to an hour in a crowd of people saying “tomorrow we will be waiting in a line like this for our omelets”…just confirming the cruiser theory.
When it was our time to step up to the (handsome) passport control agent mom and I gave him a big smile and a “Buon Giorno” in our best Italian! He asked us where we were staying and when we said in an apartment he asked us to present him with the reservation confirmation, thankfully I had the printed email confirmation handy. This hadn’t happened to us before and after he stamped our passports and we walked through mom joked, “He just probably just wanted to see where you were staying”.
Fortunately we did all did carry-on only and did not have another wait at baggage claim. Once through passport control I pulled out my phone to call the apartment representative. I must have entered the contact phone number incorrectly into my phone, so after I dialed the wrong number and (I’m pretty sure) woke up a nice Italian nonna, I pulled out my paperwork again and found the correct number. By now it was about 9:30am and we arranged to meet the rep between 10:30am and 11:15am.
Next on the agenda was to go out to the arrivals area and find our driver from Rome cabs (http://www.romecabs.com/index.html). We found our driver with no trouble and he whisked us away into the comfort of his clean sedan.
The drive to our apartment was smooth and the day was shaping up to be a beautiful, sunny, and humid (just like home!) day. Since the street the apartment is on is small the car could not pull up right in front of the apartment building, so we had a short walk. At the apartment there was a group of 3 travelers in front of the door. They had just checked out of “our” apartment and also using Rome Cabs…coincidence! Unfortunately, because the apartment was being cleaned we couldn’t get into it, and the apartment representative wasn’t there yet, so we waited for about 45 minutes.
While waiting I decided to take a quick walk to find an ATM to get the cash we would need for the €400 security deposit. Having found an ATM just a few blocks away I was able to make 2 withdrawals of €200 each. That done, I went back to the apartment to wait with mom and CL, however those ATM withdrawals will come back to haunt me!
Oct 31st, 2009, 07:10 PM
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Day Two continued...
The apartment representative arrived at about 11:15am and we were able to get into the apartment. In the grand scheme of things, we probably only waited about an hour, which isn’t too bad. We got a brief orientation of the apartment and paid the balance of the apartment cost. I was able to put this on my credit card, and I paid the cash security deposit that I would get back at the end of our stay if all was in order. We made an appointment for the apartment inspection the day before our departure and the representative left. The whole transaction process took less then 15 minutes.
By now we were exhausted. Mom took a nap straight away while CL and I went 5 steps around the corner to Frigidarium Gelateria at Via del Governo Vecchio, 112 (www.frigidariumgelateria.com), we weren’t too tired to have our first gelato! Thanks to Kristina I knew we would not be disappointed with our choice to go here! I had the tiramisu and CL had the hazelnut gelato and it was excellent…and almost daily trips to Frigidarium would become the norm. We then picked up some bottled water and went back to the apartment to get a few hours of sleep.
After our naps we got up and started to get ready to go out for aperitivo. While waiting I decided to check my emails and to my dismay I had an email from Bank of America saying there was unusual foreign activity on my ATM card. YIKES! I had called before leaving on this trip to notify them I would be using my ATM card in Italy, like I do every time I travel internationally, and have never had a problem before.
The email said I needed to call the bank immediately. Fortunately I had turned on my worldwide calling plan before leaving home, yes I ended up paying a premium for calls, but I like having the convenience of using my phone while traveling. When I called I was told Bank of America considered the ATM I used in the morning as “compromised” I never was given the reason the bank determined it was compromised, but I have my theory which I will mention later. Then I was told the bank stopped access on my card! YIKES again. The first person I spoke to who told me all this was not very helpful, and transferred me to a Visa representative who, once heard my story told me that any adjustments to my card had to come to them through Bank of America….ugh…they had just transferred me to you! She then transferred me back to Bank of America. Fortunately this time I spoke with a gentleman who was able to help me.
Because Bank of America had stopped access to my account with the card I had with me they would have to issue me a new card…great…but I’m in Italy…and they told me it would take 25 days to get the new card to me in Italy! I’m thinking WHAT!!!! I’ll be back home in 8 days! Ultimately the gentleman asked how much money would I need for the remainder of my time in Italy….I gave him a specific amount and he said he would allow access to my account with the ATM card I had with me for only 1 hour and for only the amount I told him.
Believe me; I never scooted out of an apartment so fast. I went to a different bank this time, just to be on the safe side and was able to make 2 withdrawals that would cover my cash needs for the rest of the trip…but good grief…what a way to start my first evening in Rome. And for what it’s worth, when I arrived back home, a new ATM card was in the mail waiting for me.
Here’s my theory…in the morning when I went to the ATM to take out the cash for the security deposit I was able to make 2 withdrawals of €200 each. And, I was able to do these 2 transactions at the same machine one right after the other. I think because I made 2 withdrawals back to back within seconds of each other that is what flagged Bank of America. I say this because CL used the same ATM machine as I did at various times during the week and never had any problems. Big lesson learned…even if the ATM allows me to make 2 withdrawals consecutively don’t do it…space them out, or find a second machine.
Now that I had cash and my blood pressure was returning to normal. We walked over to Bar Farnese and enjoyed our first aperitivo of the trip. Mom and I had found Bar Farnese when we were in Rome in 2008. There’s nothing truly remarkable about this bar/café, but we like the location. It’s in Piazza Farnese and looks out at the Palazzo Farnese and is about one block from Campo dei Fiori…great for people watching. Mom and CL had a couple glasses of wine I had a couple glasses of prosecco. We were in Rome and we were decompressing!
Before we knew it, it was just before 8pm and time for our dinner reservation at Armando al Pantheon (www.armandoalpantheon.it). The trattoria is located just steps away from the Pantheon at Salita dei Crescenzi, 31. I had been dying to try this place since our 2007 trip to Rome when I read about it in trip reports from Ekscrunchy and Kristina and finally I was going to have a meal there.
About a week before we left for Rome I emailed the trattoria and requested a reservation. I got a very quick response confirming the day and time I requested. When we walked in slightly after 8pm about half the tables were full. It was a very homey atmosphere.
We started with the buffalo mozzarella, which was recommended by our waiter and the artichokes alla romana. Both were good, but the mozzarella was incredibly good, so creamy and delicious. The olive oil served with the artichokes was top-notch.
I had the spaghetti all gricia, which had good flavor and was satisfying, but I wouldn’t say it was a “to die for” dish. Mom had the bacala and roasted potatoes special, which is a typical Roman Friday dish), it was very tasty. CL had the anchovy and endive casserole, it salty and lip-smacking good. We had a bottle of white wine and a bottle of water and 2 espressos. The total cost was €80 for cash or €88 for credit card. We paid cash and I thought that was a pretty good price for 3 of us.
After dinner we walked over to the Trevi Fountain and back to the Pantheon with a stop at San Crispino for gelato…after all, we did need to do some taste-test comparisons! I had the pear sorbetto and CL had the cinnamon and ginger. CL definitely won on her selection, but I will say the pear sorbetto tasted exactly like a fresh pear. We each got a small cup at €2.30 each.
We walked back to the apartment and called it a night. The Capitaline Museum was on the agenda for the next day.
The apartment representative arrived at about 11:15am and we were able to get into the apartment. In the grand scheme of things, we probably only waited about an hour, which isn’t too bad. We got a brief orientation of the apartment and paid the balance of the apartment cost. I was able to put this on my credit card, and I paid the cash security deposit that I would get back at the end of our stay if all was in order. We made an appointment for the apartment inspection the day before our departure and the representative left. The whole transaction process took less then 15 minutes.
By now we were exhausted. Mom took a nap straight away while CL and I went 5 steps around the corner to Frigidarium Gelateria at Via del Governo Vecchio, 112 (www.frigidariumgelateria.com), we weren’t too tired to have our first gelato! Thanks to Kristina I knew we would not be disappointed with our choice to go here! I had the tiramisu and CL had the hazelnut gelato and it was excellent…and almost daily trips to Frigidarium would become the norm. We then picked up some bottled water and went back to the apartment to get a few hours of sleep.
After our naps we got up and started to get ready to go out for aperitivo. While waiting I decided to check my emails and to my dismay I had an email from Bank of America saying there was unusual foreign activity on my ATM card. YIKES! I had called before leaving on this trip to notify them I would be using my ATM card in Italy, like I do every time I travel internationally, and have never had a problem before.
The email said I needed to call the bank immediately. Fortunately I had turned on my worldwide calling plan before leaving home, yes I ended up paying a premium for calls, but I like having the convenience of using my phone while traveling. When I called I was told Bank of America considered the ATM I used in the morning as “compromised” I never was given the reason the bank determined it was compromised, but I have my theory which I will mention later. Then I was told the bank stopped access on my card! YIKES again. The first person I spoke to who told me all this was not very helpful, and transferred me to a Visa representative who, once heard my story told me that any adjustments to my card had to come to them through Bank of America….ugh…they had just transferred me to you! She then transferred me back to Bank of America. Fortunately this time I spoke with a gentleman who was able to help me.
Because Bank of America had stopped access to my account with the card I had with me they would have to issue me a new card…great…but I’m in Italy…and they told me it would take 25 days to get the new card to me in Italy! I’m thinking WHAT!!!! I’ll be back home in 8 days! Ultimately the gentleman asked how much money would I need for the remainder of my time in Italy….I gave him a specific amount and he said he would allow access to my account with the ATM card I had with me for only 1 hour and for only the amount I told him.
Believe me; I never scooted out of an apartment so fast. I went to a different bank this time, just to be on the safe side and was able to make 2 withdrawals that would cover my cash needs for the rest of the trip…but good grief…what a way to start my first evening in Rome. And for what it’s worth, when I arrived back home, a new ATM card was in the mail waiting for me.
Here’s my theory…in the morning when I went to the ATM to take out the cash for the security deposit I was able to make 2 withdrawals of €200 each. And, I was able to do these 2 transactions at the same machine one right after the other. I think because I made 2 withdrawals back to back within seconds of each other that is what flagged Bank of America. I say this because CL used the same ATM machine as I did at various times during the week and never had any problems. Big lesson learned…even if the ATM allows me to make 2 withdrawals consecutively don’t do it…space them out, or find a second machine.
Now that I had cash and my blood pressure was returning to normal. We walked over to Bar Farnese and enjoyed our first aperitivo of the trip. Mom and I had found Bar Farnese when we were in Rome in 2008. There’s nothing truly remarkable about this bar/café, but we like the location. It’s in Piazza Farnese and looks out at the Palazzo Farnese and is about one block from Campo dei Fiori…great for people watching. Mom and CL had a couple glasses of wine I had a couple glasses of prosecco. We were in Rome and we were decompressing!
Before we knew it, it was just before 8pm and time for our dinner reservation at Armando al Pantheon (www.armandoalpantheon.it). The trattoria is located just steps away from the Pantheon at Salita dei Crescenzi, 31. I had been dying to try this place since our 2007 trip to Rome when I read about it in trip reports from Ekscrunchy and Kristina and finally I was going to have a meal there.
About a week before we left for Rome I emailed the trattoria and requested a reservation. I got a very quick response confirming the day and time I requested. When we walked in slightly after 8pm about half the tables were full. It was a very homey atmosphere.
We started with the buffalo mozzarella, which was recommended by our waiter and the artichokes alla romana. Both were good, but the mozzarella was incredibly good, so creamy and delicious. The olive oil served with the artichokes was top-notch.
I had the spaghetti all gricia, which had good flavor and was satisfying, but I wouldn’t say it was a “to die for” dish. Mom had the bacala and roasted potatoes special, which is a typical Roman Friday dish), it was very tasty. CL had the anchovy and endive casserole, it salty and lip-smacking good. We had a bottle of white wine and a bottle of water and 2 espressos. The total cost was €80 for cash or €88 for credit card. We paid cash and I thought that was a pretty good price for 3 of us.
After dinner we walked over to the Trevi Fountain and back to the Pantheon with a stop at San Crispino for gelato…after all, we did need to do some taste-test comparisons! I had the pear sorbetto and CL had the cinnamon and ginger. CL definitely won on her selection, but I will say the pear sorbetto tasted exactly like a fresh pear. We each got a small cup at €2.30 each.
We walked back to the apartment and called it a night. The Capitaline Museum was on the agenda for the next day.
