SeaUrchin,

If you can, I would like to talk to you off-line. My address is [email protected]

Many thanks,
Tim

SeaUrchin, I'm really enjoying your report and look forward to the rest!

SeaUrchin, this is just lovely! (Wow, I'm not tall, but probably would have given myself a concussion with that beam! Ouch!) I can't wait for the next installment. I am so glad that you just opened the windows and sat to drink in Roma, the views, the street sounds, the lovely sky. So many people rush about, but when I am on vacation, I wan to really savor and enjoy things. You, my friend, appear to have mastered that fine art. Bravissima!

BC

SeaUrchin how was the check in with Swiss as I am flying with them our of Miami to Rome with my daughter. Please see below for my question
made my flight reservations under my name of Myra not under my first name of Myriam which is on my passport. When I got my passport I asked for the name Myra to be added, but there was not enough room for Myriam Eva Myra + last name to be added. They told me to sign it as Myriam Eva Myra + last name. I have it this way on my driver's lis. as well. Since there was not enough room for all 3 names. I have contacted Swiss Air and gave them our passport numbers and let them know of the issue with the names. They took all the info down asked me to bring other ID's which I will bring my Driver's Lis. SS. card and voter reg. card. They supervisor told me that there should not be a problem with this.
I have been reading info on travel websites and some say don't worry all of there complete names (those with long names like mine) are not on their tickets, names have been misspelled, which has happened to me on a couple of occasions and I have had my reservation scome up with a partial of my name.
What do you think?

Thanks for the replies and yes, bookchick, I have learned the art of La Dolce Vita!! It makes all the difference in the world.

islandgirl, I really can't say for sure what will happen at the airport. They really scrutinized my tickets and passport at the transfer security in Zurich. Maybe you could get one of the people you spoke to to put something in writing for you to show the gate agents? We actually had to run between planes on the way back, so make sure you have enough time for the security checks. We got on the plane at the last minute all because of the long lines, paperwork and they decided to body search my friend. I thought she was right behind me at the xray machine, I didn't realize they had pulled her into a booth. Running to the gate, I was calling back to her and turned around and she wasn't there! I had no idea where she was and didn't know if I should get onto the plane or not. The whole plane parts of the trips are exhausting, good luck, but I think you will be ok with all of your ID's.

SeaUrchin,

Your situation with your friend at the airport sounds like the scene out of the latest Bridget Jones movie. You didn't put anything contraband in her suitcase did you? :)

There's just no rhyme or reason to the detailed search, is there? That's why I like to give myself plenty of time at the airport...of course, coming home I'm not as frantic, there would be worse things than being stuck in Rome, Zurich or London....:)

Wednesday:
We had some juicy sweet red oranges, fresh bread and expresso for breakfast in the apartment. I spent a long time looking for one of my earrings. The loft was sort of dark and I had to take the bedding apart and crawl around on my knees but it was just not anywhere. I looked in the bathroom and even in the bidet. Then I thought of the thread here on Fodors where the lady (sorry, if you are reading this, it just struck me funny) soaks her clothes in the bidet and let out a laugh Seashell asked, "what is funny?" I said, "the bidet". She said, "I don't even want to ask." I said, "someone on Fodors was writing about putting her clothes in the bidets". She said, "my goodness, what do you people write about anyway? Sometimes I worry."

I felt like paying respect to Caesar over by the Forum even though we missed the ides by one day. We crossed over one of our three bridges, sisto, cesto or garibaldi (BTW, willtravel, I did like it over there, it seemed more like a real neighborhood) which we became to know very well over the week. We were taking a shortcut to the little monument when we walked by two men leaning in front of a shop. One of them had his foot on a vespa and I heard him call out Signora, Signora, but we kept on walking. Then he called out Signora (my own name) and I thought who knows my name on this tiny street in Rome of all places? I looked back at him over my shoulder and it was the jeweler in front of his shop. He said, "you walk by with your nose in the air". I said, "I can't turn around every time a man calls out to me." He laughed and said, "you must be a very rich woman". I asked why and he said, "you leave your nice gold earring in my shop and don't even call me for it!" I remembered then that when I had tried on the new earrings I laid one of mine on a stack of pillows. He could have kept my earring and my 10 euro downpayment, but he was honest about this transaction anyway, so I got my new earrings and I love them. He had tiny gold colosseum charms and I didn't get one but I should have for my bracelet.

It was late so we skipped Caesar and went over to the cat sanctuary instead at Torre Argentina. The day before with "S" we had walked near it and I said to him, "let's go see the cats."
Him: "what cats?"
Me: "The cats that live over there" and I pointed across the street.
Him: "What do they do?"
Me: "Ummmmm, they sit there"
Him: "Sit there?"
Me: "Yes, they sit on the ruins and you watch them."
He gave me a look, but gave in and we looked over the railing and I pointed out different cats, "look that one is lying down, that one is sitting up, there, look, that one is walking".
He shook his head at me and laughed.

Seashell and I watched them again and then realized that we had better get going back to Trastevere because at High Noon were were meeting Barb for the first time in person. We got to the fountain at the square and there she was. It was a happy meeting and it seemed like we had known each other personally for years (we had emailed and phoned once in a while, having met here on Fodors years ago). We peeked into her nice apartment right off the square and then we went over to our apartment for lunch. We had a grande time then went back into "town" to P. Navona and had wine and olives at an outdoor cafe and watched Rome go by.

Here is the website to Torre Argentina:
http://www.romancats.de/

SeaUrchin - Enjoying your report. Thanks for the info on the cats. That will be a must see when I go to Italy next year (hopefully)

SeaUrchin, This is so much fun! I can't wait for the rest.

Thanks! lyb, it was so odd, one minute I saw her picking up her purse from the xray belt and then she just seemed to vanish on the way to the gate.


That afternoon we strolled around some more and bought train tickets for the next day to Florence. Note that some travel agencies sell train tickets and some are not authorized, look for the sign posted somewhere outside before you wait in line inside, yes, written from experience.

Barb went to her apartment to rest, she had just landed that morning, and Seashell and I went to a cosmetic store. We picked out some nice fragrances and makeup and I was putting mine on the counter to pay, when the sales woman looked at them and said, tsk tsk, are you American? I said yes. She said I thought so, you are buying all the wrong colors for yourself. I wondered if this is how Americans are picked out in Europe so easily, is it because we have wrong makeup colors? I let her lead me back to the array and she dabbed and smeared colors on my hands and cheeks and then decided the right colors for me. They actually did look better, so we switched them around and I thanked her. She said slowly, madame....it is my occu..pation. I guess she was French, I liked her style.

Later with my new makeup all in place and color corrected we met Barb and went back to the Aristo Campo again, we had that excellent wine and I had pasta with eggplant and we split antipasta. We had dessert and coffee and ended another great day.

On the way home, I got a call from "S", I told him we were taking a taxi in the morning to the train station (Barb wasn't going to join us) and then on to Florence. He said that we would probably be overcharged by the driver because the Rome cab drivers had a way of pushing a button when they shift gears to make the fare jump higher. He told me a phrase to say in Italian, I repeated it and asked what it meant. He said it means, "take me to the train station and don't use your finger". I thanked him for the thought but secretly decided that phrase was a little risky. He asked me to call him when we reached Florence and I wondered why he thought something would go wrong.

Tomorrow: Florence.

What a lovely time you are having - wish I was there! Continue! Continue!

Please continue. The foreshadowing is nervewracking.

Reply to Benita:
Hotel Santa Maria is nicest budget hotel in St. Maria Trastevere..
Reasonable prices in a lovely area of Rome

Thanks for your response to my concern about the ticket passport issue.
Looking forward to hearing about your trip to Florence. Which train did you take and what was the cost? I will be in Rome one week and then on to Florence for a week with my 16 year old daughter. Would appreciate any advice. Ciao

Thanks all.

Islandgirl (which island?), we paid about 54 euro each for round trip tickets to Florence. We had reserved seats in 2nd class on the eurostar and it took about an hour, fortyfive minutes each way. We left at 9:30 AM and returned the same day at about 9:35 PM. It is easy to buy your tickets from the correct travel agents in Rome.

Keep in mind though that we have been to both cities many times so our days are not typical touristic days, no museums, few churches, etc. You might want to do a search here and get more valuable information on the tourist spots. I hate to say tourist spots, it makes the wonderful artworks and antiquity seem like artificial attractions, when they are so wonderful and interesting to visit - and real!

I'll help you where I can though.

I am drinking my morning coffee and laughing SeaUrchin..perfect way to start a Day..

SeaUrchin, all islands, but mostly the ones in Caribbean. I use to live there and was raised partly in PR.Have traveled to the Vancouver Islands, and the islands off the east coast of Canada, Mexico, etc.
Yes, I could tell that you were immersed in being in Rome and doing as the Romans. I pepper all my trips with this kind of relaxed attitude and then salt them with the sites that are important and must sees.It is more important to be in the moment than to be rushing off to stand in line. I am taking my 16 year old daughter on her annual big trip.
I think I have all the must sees nailed down and have a great list of restaurants that will fit my budget and will make stops at the local market for my wine stash, fruit, cheese, meats and bread.
Is the wonderful jeweler you mentioned in the ghetto?
Look forward to hearing from you and if you need advice on the Caribbean, Paris, Provence, Brussels and Spain, Canada and Mexico I can help. Ciao

Your enthusiastic report keeps making me think Italy should be my next trip - someday. Also, its nice to hear that someone else gets a little teary-eyed when they're really happy.

Hello SeaUrchin,

I booked my trip to Italy for this July, and since I'll be in Rome for 4 days, I was wondering where you booked your apartment. I'm a little weary on whether or not it's worth renting an apartment, going to a bed and breakfast or staying at a hotel. An input is highly appreciated. Thank you,