bfrac & friends–a parade float in Roma/an angel in Orvieto on the first day
 

The players: bfrac, P and B. Friends, business partners in various ventures, all married, love travel, art, food, wine, and fun.

The beginning: It is July and P starts talking about wanting to go to Italy to paint and I encourage her to do it. She has many air miles accumulated and I check flights for her in October and they are available. She finds this website www.artistinitaly.com and falls in love with the idea of staying here for a painting holiday. I look at the website and get so excited for her, it is just lovely, in a great location (well, of course, it’s in Italy), a nice place for a woman traveling alone, reasonably priced; everything she could possibly want. They have space available for her in October and she signs up. Cool. I’ll help with the airline ticket, rental car, etc.

I look at the website again. WOW, they offer a stay for non-painters too. Hmmm, could I possibly go to Italy without Giacomo? Can I live with the guilt of taking a vacation and leaving him behind? Would he mind very much?

Meanwhile P tells B she is going on this trip and B looks at the website. B is an artist as well. B jumps in immediately (they often travel together). There is space available for B in the program and she signs up.

I spend my nights tossing and turning and dreaming of the possibility. P emails Amanda again and asks if there is space for me, too. OMG there is space for me! Can’t wait for Giacomo to come home and discuss it with him. I start giving him P and B’s updates and he says “I can tell you really want to go too, so go.” Yippee. I’m so happy I should be twins.

Two days later we get together to book our tickets through our various airline miles accounts and with confirmation emails in hand we are set for October 15-25. The 17-24th with Artist in Italy in Umbria near Chiusi and a day early in Orvieto and a day after in Roma. I have several day trips planned for during the week since I’m free and not involved in the lessons, although I am welcome to go on any field trips they take.

My dear friend from Sardegna, Professoressa, agrees to tutor us for the next couple of months. P and B are starting new and I can use the practice.

I have so much Fodor’s research to share with P and B and we have a pretty good plan of what we would like to do while in Orvieto and Roma. Arrive Orvieto, see the Duomo, do the underground tour, see the rest of the town and then the next day go to Civita di Bagnoregio and take our time getting to Chuisi to check in at Artist in Italy.

Finally departure day arrives and the fun begins...

We're all waiting for the next installment, please!

Cant wait to hear about Orvieto, one place i cant wait to see.

Thanks Yvonne and KN,

Finally departure day arrives and the fun begins…

Departure day October 15: I’m packed and ready with one bag to check and a carry on. Checked luggage has plenty of room to bring stuff home. I’m trying to hold it together about leaving Giacomo and the cats; out the door with a little bit of nervousness and holding back tears. Get to PHL early but P and I have vouchers for the US Airways lounge and we get to hang out there in comfy chairs and relative peace and calm. The voucher entitles you to bring a guest so B can hang out with us. We wouldn’t have abandoned her to waiting at the gate.

The flight is uncomfortable and uneventful. We all have aisle seats a little spread out so we aren’t really close enough to converse. Watch movies, nap a little and at 8:20am we land in Roma! The sun is shining and it is a gorgeous day.

Thanks to a printout from www.slowtrav.com we have concise directions through the airport to the car rental office; the only glitch was the elevator wasn’t working so we had to go up the escalator with the luggage. We have rented an Alfa Romeo 159 wagon. It is a super cool looking car. We rented through www.kemwell.com and they included a free Garmin Nuvi which they shipped to P before we left home.

Load the car, P is programming the Garmin for our destination in Orvieto and I pull out my directions and maps. I navigate and B drives. All is well until we get to the exit for the A1 and the Alfa’s engine starts to hesitate a bit. Uh oh, B and I look at each other and say nothing. It continues and then the engine light comes on. Messages start flashing in Italian. We had not thought about needing to study auto mechanics in Italian language until this moment. The fuel gauge starts spinning back and forth from full to empty like Linda Blair’s head in the exorcist.

We pull over at the first service area. The gas attendant shakes his head no, he can’t help but if we go to the first exit which is Settibagni, there is a dealership there that can help us. Ok, off we go; B coaxes it along. No Alfa dealer, everything but Alfa. No help, so we go back to another service station we see. They can’t help either. The car is possessed and that fuel gauge is starting to scare me.

Now the fun really begins. P and I armed with separate cell phones start calling Europcar to try to get some help. Obviously we can’t drive the car without risking blowing the engine and we don’t want our first purchase in Italy to be an Alfa Romeo 159. I can’t tell you how many times we each told our story to a Europcar representative, only to have our calls disconnected when they transferred us to whoever is supposed to help us. By now it is noon. Finally, I am put through to someone in Milan who says he will send a tow truck for us in 40 minutes. We are to go with the driver to the garage and then I am to call him back and he will have located another car for us, then we will have to call a taxi to go get the new car, wherever that may be. 1) I am not happy about the calling him back scenario. 2) The number he gives me appears to be missing a numeral. When I repeat it back to him he assures me it is the correct number. Not to worry. Yeah right.

Forty minutes later to our surprise the rollback truck arrives. The driver is such a gentleman and we are relieved that at least we will be on the move again.

Next B and P are on a parade float…

bfrac,

Gages spinning like Linda Blair's head are NOT a good thing. I'm so sorry you had trouble, but at least you had friends along to hlep.

I can't wait to hear the rest. My neighbors went on an artists tour to Italy last year. I wonder if it was the same company?

The number he gives me appears to be missing a numeral. When I repeat it back to him he assures me it is the correct number. Not to worry. Yeah right.>>

this happens to you as well? I'll have to tell DH - he always says it's me.

looking forward to the happy ending!

Dayle, I don't know what would have happened if we weren't together working it out. I kept thinking to myself, thank God I'm not alone.

ann, It did happen to me and it was not a correct number even though the agent assured me it was valid.

<b>B and P are on a parade float…</b>

While we wait, we endlessly discuss our possibilities of how to get another car, how to get someone on the phone again to help us, which office we might go to, etc. I really want to avoid driving in Rome on a Friday afternoon during rush hour. Giacomo and I returned a rental car in Rome in 2006 and it wasn’t as easy as we thought it would be. We thought we had clear directions to the rental office on Via Cipro but we took one exit too soon off the A90 (toward stadio, this comes back to haunt to me 3 years later). Anyway, I digress.

The truck arrives and we all jump out because we’re so excited something is at least happening now. The driver is looking at the three of us and P and B elect me as spokesperson. He hops in the Alfa and moves it behind his truck and starts doing chain stuff. I say, “We are going with you, yes?” “Si, signora.” Then he looks at P and B, and asks me if they will please get in the car so he can load it onto the rollback. This is my first laugh of the day, I just can’t help it. They are going to ride in the car, on the rollback! I see the trip report starting to take shape.

P and B have by now figured out what is going to happen and start laughing. “Yaay, it will be just like riding on a parade float!” and out comes the camera. We’re punchy at this point. P photos them ascending onto the truck and the ride down the highway, all the while they are perfecting their queenly waves at the folks staring at them.

Meanwhile in the front of the truck I ask the driver where we are going – you guessed it, into Rome. Funny thing, we take the exit for stadio and I see the exact place with the porchetta wagon where Giacomo and I had stopped to reassess our position three years earlier. But the biggest difference is that this driver knew where he was going and I actually saw the stadio this time.

We arrive at the garage, which is closed for siesta, so the driver hangs with us since he can’t leave the car until someone shows up. He is so sweet, he even offers to take us for coffee at the bar on the corner. P and I start the phone calling again to find out where to go for our next car. No luck. That number the agent gave me did <b>not</b> work and we were back to square one, having to explain what was going on and getting disconnected time after time. We are debating going back to the airport or to a local office to try and get a car when a nice man starts talking to the tow truck driver and offers to talk to the Europcar people for us. One more time P makes the call and hands the phone to him. Lots of loud, rapid fire Italian of which the best we can make out is that we are three women, left on the street with our bags and no car and someone must get us a car now. Success! He hands the phone back to P and she is told by a nice lady that she will call a local office and arrange a car for us. She will call right back. Oh no, not again, but she does and has a car for us not too far away. Hugs to the tow truck driver and our telephone liaison. A taxi is called and we are off. Hmmm, we’re on Via Cipro, I’ve been here before. BTW, the taxi driver is absolutely gorgeous.

Europcar agents pay for the taxi and once again we are standing in the street with our bags. The first guy comes out with keys to a Fiat Punto and sees all the bags and goes back to find another car. It appears and all we can do is laugh. It is a Fiat Qubo in the ugliest shade of green you have ever seen. I mean you can see this green from space.
And we’re off, with B at the wheel, in the midst of Friday afternoon rush hour traffic in Rome.

<b>Next, our angel in Orvieto and, yes, it is still the first day…</b>

Oh, gosh, what fantastic memories you have made, already!!

I'm loving your trip report so far! I would have been absolutely exhausted on your first day.

bfrac,
This is priceless!! It is always a GOOD thing to have a gorgeous taxi driver. I had a gorgeous and helpful taxi driver in Naples...:-) Does make the day a bit better, si?

Unfortunate about the shade of green! Look at this this way - easier to find in the parking lot!

Oh it was very easy to find in a parking lot! If you Google Fiat Qubo, it comes up with the green ones. People were actually looking at the car and laughing.

We were so tired and hungry, it was beyond imagining. We were just fueled by adrenaline at this point in the day. Luckily I had packed a baggy of almonds in my carry on and this is what we ate that day.

That taxi driver... when we arrived at the Europcar office I handled unloading the luggage with him and asked him how much for the fare and he answered dodici and he must have thought I was illiterate because I couldn't help but stare. Luckily one of the agents appeared and paid him.

I quite like that jaunty green!! :-)

It was a very reliable car and it worked out well for us since Artist in Italy was on an estate with hilly white roads. It certainly gave us something to talk about and remember.

Enjoying your report . . . and waiting to hear if you actually ever arrive at your destination!

bfrac...just found your report...bookmarking to read and follow! :-)

"I’m so happy I should be twins. "

A wonderful thought! The site for the art week looks very inviting. Great prices also. So sorry about your car probs but color being the theme, perhaps the green one was meant to be...

I'm lovin' the trip details...blow by blow and I'm enjoying the way you write.
Will continue to read as you continue to write.

bfrac...

What a first day! But at least you had a handsome taxi driver! ;)

Love your writing style...looking forward to more of your adventure!

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the comments. I will write some more this afternoon after I get some work done.

OK I was curious enough so I googled it. I laughed! Bright, yes, but it could have been much, much worse! Just think about all the lovely descriptive words used to describe some shades of green......insert little sick- faced icon.

Dayle, trust me, everyone laughed. It really kept us entertained all week. But I will always remember that car with fondness and good memories.

<b>Yes, it is still October 16, day one…</b>

One thing I forgot to mention on the previous post was that Giacomo had asked me to call him and let him know we arrived and were safe and sound. Well, I hadn’t called because he would have been worried sick if he knew what was going on. So while I’m riding in the tow truck my phone rings. It’s Giacomo. “You’re never going to believe where I am… in a tow truck.” I was right, he was worried and called Professoressa and just about anyone that would talk to him to get him through the day. I promised I would call back when we arrived at our hotel. I think P had emailed her husband and B’s husband was waiting to hear from one of the others.

So we’re off, happy to be driving again and in control. Little do we know there is one more hurdle to overcome.

P is reprogramming Garmin, B is creeping along in traffic while building up her left calf and thigh muscles on the clutch and I’m reading maps. It takes at least an hour or more to get out of Rome and onto the A90 again. Finally, we are back on the A1 and happily blow by the exit for Settibagni. New territory ahead!

B admits exhaustion and I volunteer to drive, so we stop at the Autogrill for something to drink and to switch drivers. When we park to go in I’m worrying about our luggage being in view and someone breaking into the car. P says, “No one will think we have anything worth stealing because they will know we have no taste just by looking at this ugly car.” Very true.

Back on the road and we exit for Orvieto in no time at all. I have my Viamichelin directions to drive up into town and the hotel said once we get into town to follow the signs for the hotel, and we have the Garmin programmed with the address of the Hotel Palazzo Piccolomini; sounds simple. Up into the hills we go.

My cell phone rings, B answers it; it is P’s husband calling to see what is going on. P’s phone is not working, will call back soon, she promises.

It soon becomes apparent that Garmin does not like Orvieto. I am trying to follow Garmin’s directions and we do not see any signs for our hotel. Garmin takes us into a parking lot for some kind of official looking building. I retrace our steps and go back to the lot by the funicular and we still don’t see any signs for the hotel.

Garmin is recalculating and we start off again. Turn left in 300 yards – there is no left turn. Recalculating – turn left in 200 yards – there is no left turn. We are doing our best to read the signs and finally see one sign for the hotel. Our car will not fit down that street. It is getting dark. Recalculating.

My cell phone rings and B answers; it’s Giacomo still worried because he hasn’t heard from me. B tells him we are in Orvieto but not at hotel yet, will call soon… promise. He calls Professoressa again with an update.

Recalculating! She’s getting testy. Please drive the highlighted route! There is no highlighted route. I see a restaurant parking lot and stop. I’m done. We can walk from here. Okay, I’ll call the hotel and ask them to come get us. Actually, I beg. He (Jude) is so nice and patient, but only two people are on staff and he can’t leave. He tries to tell me how to get to the hotel from where we are, it is just a couple of turns, but I’m shutting down at this point. I see an angel in the form of a young man walking across the parking lot and ask him for help. He probably thinks I’m crazy but agrees and gets directions from Jude on the phone and tries to tell me.

I say, “What is your name?” “Nikky.” “Nikky, can you drive us there?” Of course he will because he will never be rid of us unless he does, and I seriously doubt he wants us for his dates that night. I hand him the keys and climb into the back with B and sit/lay across the coats, cameras, etc. P is riding up front and finds out our Nikky is really Russian, living and working in Orvieto.

In about 3 minutes our <i>angel</i> Nikky delivers us to the front door of the Hotel Palazzo Piccolomini www.hotelpiccolomini.com . We all hug and kiss Nikky and give him a tip for being so kind to three exhausted and stressed ladies. Jude is waiting for us and we are finally at our home for the night.

Jude quickly assesses the situation and makes us a reservation immediately at Le Grotte del Funaro. A good meal and bottle of Sagrantino di Montefalco fix all that went wrong today and we are quite giddy that we finally made it. Dinner consisted of three appetizers which none of us remember because we devoured them so quickly, B had the assorted meat dinner, P had Chianina steak in a red wine sauce and I had wild boar with roasted potatoes. Two bottles of water and I can’t recall if we had dessert or coffee. Total was €87.

Short walk back to hotel and bed.

<b> Day two, pizza and wine for breakfast</b>

bfrac! If only I had known you were going to Orvieto and staying at Palazzo Piccolomini - I could have told you exactly where to park and how to get to the hotel.

We stayed there 3 nights quite a few years ago, but believe me, it's definitely in the permanent memory banks!

Can't to hear how you liked the hotel and town!

Glad to read that you finally made it to the Piccolomini. I've stayed there two different times while visiting Orvieto! Waiting for more of your report.

Dayle, did you drive to the hotel? That is what they told us to do and then they took the car away which we were only too happy to let them do. Please tell me what you did so I can note it for next time. I definitely want to go back there with Giacomo.

Simpson, we liked the Piccolomini very much. Did you drive too? More report tomorrow.

I wish you'd warned us we needed sunglasses to view the Qubo. I can imagine the laughing now that I've seen it!

The Qubo was efficient, exceptionally comfortable in the back seat, but bright....yet fun.

Bfrac, it is sooooo much fun to relive these experiences and you capture them so well. In Orvieto, it was like our GPS was having a melt down....just like us!

The photos we have of us on the tow truck bed are priceless....it certainly must be illegal to ride on a tow truck in Italy...but we did, nevertheless.

It is funny how none of us remember what we ate for appies at Le Grotte...we usually take a photo of every dish! Just goes to show how tired we were...having been awake and alert for almost 40 hours!!!!!

So many Rome trip reports, so little time! :)

Looking forward to reading this tonight...

~M

Buon giornio Bfrac!

Bookmarking to later read about your amazing adventure....

bfrac,

We parked at the parking structure beneath town. We didn't know where the hotel was, so called them and they came and picked us up. We got the easy way, I admit! However, the hotel let us know that we could take the underground acensori (SP?) - escalators!!! They go right from the parking structure and up multiple escalators and come right out just a fews steps from the Palazzo Piccolomini. We went up and down several times over the 3 days were were there, doing day trips out. We travel light and our rollers easily fit on the acensori, just like at the airport.

So, drivers to Orvieto take note.

Funny, I was thinking the same thing about riding in the car on top of the tow truck! Never in the US, what with lawyers, insurance and rules. Only in Italy!

What a fantastic adventure so far.

We loved the escalators from the parking lot in Orvieto. They went on and on and on and..... :)

~Myra

Myra, we didn't see them since we drove into town but I'm sure next time I will opt to use them. Thanks for reading. Will update soon.

We have renamed our gps thing "Go Back" because that's often what it says to us!

Orvieto hotel looks wonderful.

Glad you finally arrived and with a story to tell.

TD, I know what you mean about the gps. I still rely on my maps more than it, but in some cases I liked it.

Having just had my first experience with a GPS in the mountains of NC, I've decided I will rely on my own excellent sense of direction and map reading abilities (and gut instinct) in Europe!

Dayle, good plan.

Although I have to say that on our last day our driver in Rome relied on one and it worked great in Rome. I was very impressed.

Dayle, thanks for that info about where you parked. I will definitely note it for the next time. I am hoping to take Giacomo to Orvieto next trip, especially since we didn't get to spend as much time there as we had hoped.