A Stirring Tale of Romance, Beauty & Mis-Adventure: Degas Invades Italy!
Jun 18th, 2006, 09:05 AM
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Okay, I'm back. Happy Father's Day to all you good folks. I got some nice presents and an early fancy dinner. Great to have good kids!
Regarding the Sugar Daddy question raised earlier - I'll take the 5th on that potentially explosive issue!
Rome Arrival: Quick and easy. Waved through immigration with only a few odd looks. Our bag was third off the plane. Guess my CIA handlers made it happen. Walked over to the train station in the airport.
Bought tickets to Florence, got some cash from an ATM and jogged lightly to catch a departing train into Rome. In and out in less than thirty minutes. Made the connection to Florence with five minutes to spare and snoozed a bit on the ride.
Warm temps with bright skies. Nice start to our vacation.
I'll post our trip itinerary in a few minutes, and then give you some trip impressions.
Regarding the Sugar Daddy question raised earlier - I'll take the 5th on that potentially explosive issue!
Rome Arrival: Quick and easy. Waved through immigration with only a few odd looks. Our bag was third off the plane. Guess my CIA handlers made it happen. Walked over to the train station in the airport.
Bought tickets to Florence, got some cash from an ATM and jogged lightly to catch a departing train into Rome. In and out in less than thirty minutes. Made the connection to Florence with five minutes to spare and snoozed a bit on the ride.
Warm temps with bright skies. Nice start to our vacation.
I'll post our trip itinerary in a few minutes, and then give you some trip impressions.
Jun 18th, 2006, 10:17 AM
#65
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Did I mention the squat toilet and the broken latch on the train to Florence?
I freely admit my aim was slightly off with the jetlag and all. But if you are so bashful, then don’t hang around a public toilet entrance on a moving train!
Thank goodness I had some of those little hand wipe packages for my serious business cause you know soft paper is scarce as hens teeth. I swear that in a jam, you can use that Italian stuff as Grade 1 sand paper.
So we eventually arrived in Florence and quickly got off the train, energized and alert to pickpockets as we walked briskly through the station. Had no idea which way to exit, but we were making good time!
Place was a madhouse and I had to pee like a racehorse. Couple of very shady-looking characters lurking about - they had to be up to no good. Cops should have detained them just on general principle.
Blinded by the sun as we walked from the station, we walked the wrong direction for a block or so before vectoring towards our modest B&B. The cobblestones soon extracted a heavy toll and the wheels jammed up on the LW’s suitcase, causing her to drag the darn thing the last two blocks which seemed like a football field long! We lugged them up a steep set of stairs and were immediately confronted by the smallest elevator in existence.
Like all Americans, we jammed everything inside so that we could barely move (thank goodness I had re-applied my ban roll-on stick on the train) and then impatiently pushed the up button six or seven times for good measure. That often helps to get those ancient European devices to work. But just our luck, nothing happened. So there we waited, and waited and waited. LW figured it out that the door was not fully closed. But the bags had shifted so it took awhile for us to close the darn thing, and we thrashed about for a few more minutes muttering little encouraging threats to each other. I really wished that scene could have been filmed, but with the audio off!
We literally fell out of the elevator, bags sliding all over, but we calmly re-adjusted our clothing, lifted our heads high and entered the establishment with dignity and style.
Only problem was, it was the wrong entrance. No matter, we retreated a bit and entered the right way doing our best not to look sheepish.
Our florence itinerary was as follows:
THU: arrived Rome and train to Florence
Afternoon
Santa Maria Novelle
Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella
Orgnissanti
Ponte Vecchio
Piazza Signorina
Piazzo Vecchio
Loggia della Signoria
Piazza del Duomo
Duomo
Baptistery - Bronze Doors
FRI: Florence
Mercado Centrale - Indoor Food Market
San Lorenzo Street Market
San Lorenzo Church
Biblioteca Laurenziana
Museo di San Marco
Piazza della Santissima Annunziata
Spedale degli Innocenti
Church of Santissima Annunziata
Afternoon
Church of Santa Croce
Bargello (Museo Nazionale
Palazzo Pitti
Giardino di Boboli
Forte di Belvedere - views of Florence
San Miniato al Monte
Piazzale Michelangelo
SAT:
Daytrip to Siena via train (bus strike)
Night walk around Florence
SUN: daytrip to Lucca via train
I freely admit my aim was slightly off with the jetlag and all. But if you are so bashful, then don’t hang around a public toilet entrance on a moving train!
Thank goodness I had some of those little hand wipe packages for my serious business cause you know soft paper is scarce as hens teeth. I swear that in a jam, you can use that Italian stuff as Grade 1 sand paper.
So we eventually arrived in Florence and quickly got off the train, energized and alert to pickpockets as we walked briskly through the station. Had no idea which way to exit, but we were making good time!
Place was a madhouse and I had to pee like a racehorse. Couple of very shady-looking characters lurking about - they had to be up to no good. Cops should have detained them just on general principle.
Blinded by the sun as we walked from the station, we walked the wrong direction for a block or so before vectoring towards our modest B&B. The cobblestones soon extracted a heavy toll and the wheels jammed up on the LW’s suitcase, causing her to drag the darn thing the last two blocks which seemed like a football field long! We lugged them up a steep set of stairs and were immediately confronted by the smallest elevator in existence.
Like all Americans, we jammed everything inside so that we could barely move (thank goodness I had re-applied my ban roll-on stick on the train) and then impatiently pushed the up button six or seven times for good measure. That often helps to get those ancient European devices to work. But just our luck, nothing happened. So there we waited, and waited and waited. LW figured it out that the door was not fully closed. But the bags had shifted so it took awhile for us to close the darn thing, and we thrashed about for a few more minutes muttering little encouraging threats to each other. I really wished that scene could have been filmed, but with the audio off!
We literally fell out of the elevator, bags sliding all over, but we calmly re-adjusted our clothing, lifted our heads high and entered the establishment with dignity and style.
Only problem was, it was the wrong entrance. No matter, we retreated a bit and entered the right way doing our best not to look sheepish.
Our florence itinerary was as follows:
THU: arrived Rome and train to Florence
Afternoon
Santa Maria Novelle
Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella
Orgnissanti
Ponte Vecchio
Piazza Signorina
Piazzo Vecchio
Loggia della Signoria
Piazza del Duomo
Duomo
Baptistery - Bronze Doors
FRI: Florence
Mercado Centrale - Indoor Food Market
San Lorenzo Street Market
San Lorenzo Church
Biblioteca Laurenziana
Museo di San Marco
Piazza della Santissima Annunziata
Spedale degli Innocenti
Church of Santissima Annunziata
Afternoon
Church of Santa Croce
Bargello (Museo Nazionale
Palazzo Pitti
Giardino di Boboli
Forte di Belvedere - views of Florence
San Miniato al Monte
Piazzale Michelangelo
SAT:
Daytrip to Siena via train (bus strike)
Night walk around Florence
SUN: daytrip to Lucca via train
Jun 18th, 2006, 11:17 AM
#69
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Darling, I hope you genuflected upon entering Officina Profumo Famaceutica di Santa Maria Novella. But, of course, an oaf like you, Degas, probably tripped over the untied laces of your blue wrestling shoes and went flying into one of the vitrines holding Chicona water. I can just imagine the Japanese fashion cognoscenti chuckling at you as you pulled shards of glass from your orange fishing vest.
Continue on. I do need something to amuse myself as I comb out the tangles in my Mongolian bathmat.
Satan in Dior
Continue on. I do need something to amuse myself as I comb out the tangles in my Mongolian bathmat.
Satan in Dior
Jun 18th, 2006, 11:39 AM
#71
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Florence Impressions
Very lovely place
Wonderful sunset views
Can get crowded
Wild scooter drivers should be shot on sight
A shame its sometimes dirty & trash filled in spots; especially around the markets. Needs larger trash cans and more frequent pick up
Sidewalks could be a bit wider and atad lower - twisted/broken ankle danger!
Superb art
Easy to walk around
Nice to walk out in the hills, and along the river
Great location from which to take daytrips
Try to see some of the lesser known areas away from the crowds
Very lovely place
Wonderful sunset views
Can get crowded
Wild scooter drivers should be shot on sight
A shame its sometimes dirty & trash filled in spots; especially around the markets. Needs larger trash cans and more frequent pick up
Sidewalks could be a bit wider and atad lower - twisted/broken ankle danger!
Superb art
Easy to walk around
Nice to walk out in the hills, and along the river
Great location from which to take daytrips
Try to see some of the lesser known areas away from the crowds
Jun 18th, 2006, 12:40 PM
#73
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Hill Town Impressions
Degas favorite: Lucca
Flat
Shady walk along wide city walls
Bikes for rent at several locations
Huge antique/flea market on Sunday
Several interesting towers - views
Nice place to wander aimlessly
LW Favorite: Orvieto
Underground tour very interesting
Superb medieval section
Great restaurants
Pretty perimeter walk with views of the countryside
Easy to reach from Rome (1 hour, frequent schedule)
Siena was impressive, and a close second for both of us
Degas favorite: Lucca
Flat
Shady walk along wide city walls
Bikes for rent at several locations
Huge antique/flea market on Sunday
Several interesting towers - views
Nice place to wander aimlessly
LW Favorite: Orvieto
Underground tour very interesting
Superb medieval section
Great restaurants
Pretty perimeter walk with views of the countryside
Easy to reach from Rome (1 hour, frequent schedule)
Siena was impressive, and a close second for both of us
Jun 18th, 2006, 02:02 PM
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Then there was the little train mis-adventure that started bad, but ended up in a bit of fun.
We basked in the warm sun, waiting happily for the 1630 train back to Florence after a great day in Lucca.
A train suddenly chugged into the station at 1628. It was a small train, only four cars and quite dirty so my warning lights started blinking.
But the LW urged me aboard and we smugly set off, thinking we had this train thing licked!
Still, something just didn’t seem right. I asked the conductor and he immediately got very upset. Yes, you got it, we were on a local train rapidly headed in the wrong direction.
Well, he eventually got the train to stop at tiny shack behind a deserted warehouse outside some little town. We stood like stones at the door, not wanting to get off, but he literally pushed us out, saying “Train come soon”.
Yeah, right - we waited and waited.
A tall skinny gal drove up and started gabbing on a cell phone, but got back in her luxury car and sped away before we could ask about a taxi. We then asked a guy walking by and he told us in broken English that there were no busses on Sunday and no taxi would come out there.
Rats.
Finally, we saw some old grandmother types riding bikes and explained the situation the best we could - us speaking no Italian and they speaking no English. No luck.
So we decided to walk back to Lucca, but the road had no shoulders or sidewalk and was very busy with speeding traffic.
Rats again!
Then the road crossing guard started sounding and we just knew we had wandered too far away from the station to make it back in time to catch the last train of the day. We started sprinting, but the train was getting louder and louder and we were still blocks away.
Just as all was lost, the gang of biking grandmothers sprang into action. Riding full out to the station, they got there just in time to stradle the tracks and flag down the train. We jogged up moments later, waved wildly to our elderly saviors, and hopped aboard, a little winded, but laughing at the strange turn of events.
Got back to Lucca with a couple of minutes to spare on the REAL train to Florence. And I’d just like to say that I remained very calm and did not lose my temper or berate my LW during the whole episode!
We basked in the warm sun, waiting happily for the 1630 train back to Florence after a great day in Lucca.
A train suddenly chugged into the station at 1628. It was a small train, only four cars and quite dirty so my warning lights started blinking.
But the LW urged me aboard and we smugly set off, thinking we had this train thing licked!
Still, something just didn’t seem right. I asked the conductor and he immediately got very upset. Yes, you got it, we were on a local train rapidly headed in the wrong direction.
Well, he eventually got the train to stop at tiny shack behind a deserted warehouse outside some little town. We stood like stones at the door, not wanting to get off, but he literally pushed us out, saying “Train come soon”.
Yeah, right - we waited and waited.
A tall skinny gal drove up and started gabbing on a cell phone, but got back in her luxury car and sped away before we could ask about a taxi. We then asked a guy walking by and he told us in broken English that there were no busses on Sunday and no taxi would come out there.
Rats.
Finally, we saw some old grandmother types riding bikes and explained the situation the best we could - us speaking no Italian and they speaking no English. No luck.
So we decided to walk back to Lucca, but the road had no shoulders or sidewalk and was very busy with speeding traffic.
Rats again!
Then the road crossing guard started sounding and we just knew we had wandered too far away from the station to make it back in time to catch the last train of the day. We started sprinting, but the train was getting louder and louder and we were still blocks away.
Just as all was lost, the gang of biking grandmothers sprang into action. Riding full out to the station, they got there just in time to stradle the tracks and flag down the train. We jogged up moments later, waved wildly to our elderly saviors, and hopped aboard, a little winded, but laughing at the strange turn of events.
Got back to Lucca with a couple of minutes to spare on the REAL train to Florence. And I’d just like to say that I remained very calm and did not lose my temper or berate my LW during the whole episode!
Jun 18th, 2006, 02:25 PM
#77
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seetheworld
No, we were just so darn glad to hop on that train that we plum forgot to take a picture of those sweet old ladies. Man, they could ride like the wind on those big old fashioned bikes!
The incident cost us about 75 minutes, but we'll remember it for a long, long time.
No, we were just so darn glad to hop on that train that we plum forgot to take a picture of those sweet old ladies. Man, they could ride like the wind on those big old fashioned bikes!
The incident cost us about 75 minutes, but we'll remember it for a long, long time.
Jun 18th, 2006, 02:42 PM
#78
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Here comes Rome:
MON: Florence to Rome
Morning Train to Rome
Afternoon
Colosseum
Arch of Constantine
Forum
Piazza Campidoglio
Piazza Venezia
Vittorio Emanuele Monument
Sunset at Pantheon
Dinner in a hidden piazza
TUE: ROME
Chiesa Gesu
Piazza Novana
Santa Maria della Pace
Castel Sant Angelo
Afternoon
Vatican
St Peters
WED: ROME
San Giovanni in Laterano
Appian Way Walk
Catacombs of St. Callixtus
Catacombs of San Sebastian
Afternoon
Trevi Fountain
Shopping
Spanish Steps
Pincio Gardens
Piazza del Popolo
Santa Maria del Popolo
THU: ROME
Morning daytrip to Ostia Antica & beach (subway)
Afternoon
San Pietro in Vincoli
Mouth of Truth
Santa Maria Sopra Minerva
San Luigi dei Francesi
Church Concert after dinner
FRI: ROME
Daytrip to Orvieto (train)
Night Walk Around Forum
SAT: ROME
Daytrip to Tivoli (subway & local bus)
Night Walk - Central Historic District
SUN: fly home
MON: Florence to Rome
Morning Train to Rome
Afternoon
Colosseum
Arch of Constantine
Forum
Piazza Campidoglio
Piazza Venezia
Vittorio Emanuele Monument
Sunset at Pantheon
Dinner in a hidden piazza
TUE: ROME
Chiesa Gesu
Piazza Novana
Santa Maria della Pace
Castel Sant Angelo
Afternoon
Vatican
St Peters
WED: ROME
San Giovanni in Laterano
Appian Way Walk
Catacombs of St. Callixtus
Catacombs of San Sebastian
Afternoon
Trevi Fountain
Shopping
Spanish Steps
Pincio Gardens
Piazza del Popolo
Santa Maria del Popolo
THU: ROME
Morning daytrip to Ostia Antica & beach (subway)
Afternoon
San Pietro in Vincoli
Mouth of Truth
Santa Maria Sopra Minerva
San Luigi dei Francesi
Church Concert after dinner
FRI: ROME
Daytrip to Orvieto (train)
Night Walk Around Forum
SAT: ROME
Daytrip to Tivoli (subway & local bus)
Night Walk - Central Historic District
SUN: fly home
