A very brief trip report of a very brief introduction to Rome!

In November I spent three days in Rome on an EF Educational Tours training conference/tour to prepare me to be a group leader next June when I take a group on an EFTour. Below is a little bit of background information and my trip report. Admittedly this trip report is rather “selfish”; since I didn’t do any of the planning, I can’t offer any tips or help really, just relate my experience. And the brief nature of this gift meant that I just got a taste of this marvelous place--but a very delicious taste!

Background: In 2005 my daughter (whom I was homeschooling) and I went, with her best friend’s public school group, on an EFTour to England. Currently I teach literature at a very small private school (there are about 50 high school students). Last year I offered to take students on an EFTour to England, and so now I am going to be a Group Leader of a small group of 9 going in mid-June 2011. EFTours offers a training weekend trip to first time Group Leaders (for FREE!), so I signed up to take a short trip to Rome!

(A caveat: I am not a “fan” of tours for me and my husband, but this wasn’t about us traveling, this was about trying to make a trip happen for some of my students. I found EFTours to be reliable and they make travel more affordable than other student tours. There are drawbacks to any tours, and there are things about EFTours that some may not love, but this report is not about that company or my decision, but about a trip.)

EFTours made all the arrangements and I just did minimal preparations before showing up at the airport on November 10. For my trips to England, and to help my husband on his trips, I usually do lots of research, map searching, reading, planning, etc., but not this time: my airline tickets were provided, my hotel booked, my transportation arranged, my touring itinerary pretty much set, my meals mostly provided.
This was going to be a FAST trip; I arrived early on Thursday and left early on Sunday, with about half the day at least on Friday dedicated to “classes,” the “conference” part of the teaching tour. So I knew that what I saw would be seen quickly and that I wouldn’t have much free time or transportation to see much that wasn’t on the EF agenda. But that was going to be ok with me—whatever I saw would be a GIFT!

Travel: I flew Continental from Corpus Christi to Houston then to Newark and then to Rome. I had a 5-minute connection in Newark which made me very nervous, but I was assured by EF and Continental people it would be fine (and that Continental would be responsible for me if any delay occurred). The trip to Houston was uneventful; the long layover okay; we left on time but ended up 30 minutes late at the gate; I made the trek to the right gate in about 10 minutes to find them boarding but still there! Yeah! The trip to Rome was a bit bumpy several times so didn’t sleep much. I sat near another EF group leader. (I thought there were about 40 of us Group Leaders, but it turned out there were 3 groups of about that many; we were in 3 totally different groups and I never saw my seat neighbor anymore after landing!)

Arrival: Upon landing I found my way easily to Passport Control where there was a long but fast moving line. The reason it moved fast is that the guys were hardly looking at the documents! Stamp, stamp, move it along. Got luggage, headed out through Customs and there found the EF staff in red shirts as expected. Here our experience as “people on tour”—so that we would better know and understand what our student-tour will be like—began. The staff was warm and excited and helpful. Ours was the first of the various flights arriving; we would be waiting until our whole contingent arrived from all over the US, so we had plenty of time to find the ATM machine, some water, and whatever else we needed that could be found in the airport. At some point some of us were escorted out to the waiting buses (this is when I figured out that there were actually. 3 groups of us—mine was the Red Bus!) and we stowed our luggage, but I came back inside, preferring to stand and walk and visit with the staff and some others rather than sit in the bus. We first-arrivers had to wait maybe 90 minutes until the last ones arrived.

Let the tour begin—Day 1: Our Tour Director is a native of Rome and charmed us with her smile, her wit, and her warmth from the very beginning. She used the “brolley” method of “follow-me” which worked well in the crowds of which there were constantly many.

It had been sprinkling some and was raining as we rode the bus into town, so my first views of Italy and Rome were through the gray streaks of pouring rain—but I was near ROME! The TD talked almost non-stop in a most appealing way—she was either teaching us about EF, or about being a group leader, or about Rome (mostly about Rome!). The traffic as we neared the city was horrendous. What could it be like on a sunny Friday in April!? She discussed the lack of public transport options and Roman love of the car—and the motorbike/scooter! Those little things darted around both sides and in and out incessantly. Nervewracking!

One of the first things I noticed, and the thing which maybe surprised me the most, was the presence of graffiti everywhere. From the outskirts into the center of the city, on every flat surface on the main streets as well as sidestreets as far as I could see, there was graffiti. The TD said the city was trying to crack down, but I didn’t see much cleaned up. It was a bit off-putting and strange, even though she said it wasn’t gang-related. Now, none of the ancient “stuff” was “tagged” that I noticed, and some of the nicest shops were clear, but still it was everywhere else.

Very soon, of course, the bus began passing by lots of places, old and newer, that I wanted to get closer to. This is the part I DON’T like about tours—the driving quickly by, even with interesting and informative commentary, without slowing down, getting out, looking a little. But this was not unexpected, so I wasn’t disappointed. It took almost an hour to drive into town.

Our first stop was a parking area near the Tiber with a view of St. Peter’s as we walked to Piazza Novenna. Here we got a bit of an orientation “lecture” and a bit of information about the area before we had some look-around time. The sky had cleared, the cobblestones were shining, the fountains were flowing—I’m in Rome! I met a girl (well, adult but younger than me!) who was on her first European trip and, as someone about to finish a MS in Antiquities, was so amazed and excited to be in Rome that she was fun to be around! I love enthusiasm. She was in Rome!

Next the TD took us on a walk toward the Pantheon. On the way we stopped in at Chiesa S. Luigi Dei Francesi and saw some awesome (not used in the trite sense—they really struck me with awe) Caravaggio paintings. The on to the Piazza Della Rotunda where we got some ideas for food and shopping and off we went. Several of us found a place next to the Pantheon for pizza and sat outside in the continually brightening afternoon. Then we went into the Pantheon. This was great; we had time to wander around and enjoy this amazing place. Next a meander through some narrow shop-lined lanes for a bit of shopping and then we found the gelato place recommended—Della Palma. Wow! Best ever! Choices beyond count and taste past delicioso! It was almost time to meet back up with the group so we headed back to the Piazza.

We had a bit more of a walking tour—stopped by the Largo Argentina where Julius Caesar was stabbed and also walked through the Jewish ghetto just a bit. I don’t remember all we saw, as is the way of these fast walks, but they serve to fill one with the air, the taste, the sounds, the atmosphere. Hey, I’m in Rome!

Then back to the bus and another hour-ish drive to our hotel, Hotel Alba, where we settled in our rooms for a brief rest. This hotel was great, since I didn’t have to deal with getting to and from the city. It is far out of town, but as we were having bus transport, I didn’t have to deal with any transportation hassles. I think a train stop is near. I had (unexpectedly) a room alone with a king-sized bed, plenty of room, and a big bathroom.

After another brief information session about how the days would be scheduled, we boarded the bus again for another trip into Rome where we were let out in the same general area as earlier and then walked to a restaurant, Anima Sapori. On EFTours, dinners are almost always arranged ahead of time and we had that experience tonight. It was fine; we had roasted veggies and pasta and a main (chicken?) dish, I think. All fine. Not as in “fine dining” but as in above average. A night stroll past the Piazza Novenna and then a long ride back to the hotel. But as on EF student tours, this bus time was mostly used as teaching/information-disseminating so it’s always interesting.

Day 2: Breakfast in the hotel was an extensive continental—yogurt, coldcuts, breads and pastries, fruit.

Today we had to “pay our dues” for this gift of a tour—several hours of teaching sessions. But they were excellently done; we heard from several different staff members about EFTours and about being a group leader. Hearing from two teachers who have led dozens of EFTours was great as they had lots of practical info to share. After lunch in the hotel and a bit more conference, we boarded the bus again. It was an absolutely gorgeously sunny, cool but warming day.

This time we were taken to the Piazza Venezia and the Vittorio Emanuele II Monument about 3 pm and given until 11 pm free time. Different groups just kinda formed for one reason or another. There were 5 of us that gelled, and they were willing to go with me to one major site I wanted to see that wasn’t on agenda for tomorrow—Michaelangelo’s Moses. A couple of the others wanted to walk to/through some shopping areas. So off we set, first going back up the hill from the monument to see some ruins closer for my Antiquities friend. Then past Trajan’s column and toward the Forum and Coliseum which we’d see tomorrow and to S. Pietro in Vincoli (St. Peter in Chains). We found the church, looking for the stairs on the map, pretty easily. The front of the church is deceptively plain, even ugly. But inside it is a lovely church, and on the right at the end is the tomb with Moses sitting authoritatively. As we entered there was a light shining on the sculpture. As I got to it and prepared to take photos, the light went out and with the dusk approaching, it was pretty dark. So I got out my flash; later the light came back on and I took pics without the flash too. Then I figured it out; there was a coin-operated light. Put in your coin—get a little light for a while.

After a suitable time of appreciation, we exited to be treated with a sky full of sunset colors briefly. Then we set off to find---we didn’t know or care much. Some stores. Some food. We pretty much wandered and I’m not sure where! The others in my group did some shopping; I was holding out for the shops at the Vatican and Coliseum tomorrow, but I did find a cute scarf for my daughter. We ended up back near the Pantheon and decided, as the night was absolutely lovely, to eat on the piazza at M. Agrippa al Pantheon outside (They rolled down plastic shades and had little stoves for heating if necessary, but it was very pleasant—and I’m cold-natured). We had bruchetta, wine, and our different entrees (I had roasted lamb and potatoes—excellent) for 20euros each. Then we went back to the same gelato place and it was just as good! The Pantheon had been open when we sat down but was now closed, so I didn’t get to go back in, but being in the Piazza Della Rotunda was a wonderful way to wind down the day.

We walked around some more, getting a little confused and actually walking all the way to the Piazza del Popolo, further than we meant, but I loved getting the feel of the city, seeing the crowds and lights and shops and TRAFFIC! Eventually, in plenty of time, we walked back to the Piazza Venezia where we met up with our group as they trickled in and we boarded our bus for the trip back.

Day 3: Another gorgeous day. Blue skies. Today we experienced one of the benefits of being part of a tour—skipping lines. Every place was packed and had long lines at the ticket purchase and entrance areas, but we did not have to wait. After breakfast we headed to the Vatican where we were met by another tour guide. In Rome tourism is highly regulated, we learned, and tour guiding is tightly controlled. Our EFTour leader could not be a “tour guide” in some situations—she could not stop in the city and give us much information about what we were seeing (I don’t think on the bus counted) and she could not be our guide at the Vatican, the Coliseum, or the Forum. Anyway, we got headsets and radios and were conducted by a lady who did a marvelous job. She led us to the Vatican Museum and to the Sistine Chapel with a very very good explanation of what we were seeing. (Actually a lot of what we were seeing was PEOPLE! It was wall to wall packed jammed thronged. I can’t really imagine what it must be like at peak times. We never had lines or waited, but once in the hall or chapel or wherever, it was super crowded.) The Sistine Chapel really does defy my words. I am so blessed to actually have been able to see it with my eyes. Pictures of it actually do it justice in some way—you can see things without the crowds or closer up. But looking at pictures doesn’t allow you to experience the majesty, the bigness, the space of it. Way cool.

And the same can be said, I guess, for St. Peter’s Basilica, our next stop. Again, professional pics can show such a place pretty well; good photos can look up close and get wide angles. But being there is such an experience. I honestly didn’t feel as moved spiritually as in St. Paul’s or Westminster, but it was still moving to be there. My favorite part was not the dome, like I imagined, or the Pieta, which I looked forward to seeing and was not disappointed by, but the mosaics. I was astonished by them. I didn’t know all those huge pictures were not paintings. Amazing.

Afterwards we went to a nearby shop which sold mosaics, souvenirs, and religious articles where we had time to look around and also get some lunch. Then it was on to the Coliseum. And the only real major disappointment/glitch of the whole trip, but also one that was instructional. This morning the TD had told us that she had just been informed that the Forum would be closing earlier this day. Our tour group already had a scheduled admittance at the Vatican and at the Coliseum, times that could not be changed. But now in order to get to the Forum before the last admission time, we would have to leave the Coliseum earlier than expected. So we ended up having 30 minutes there. Quite a disappointment for me, as this was the site on the top of my “want to see” list for Rome. But this was also a good experience for a group leader; this was a situation that would likely be similar to something our own students might experience. Sometimes despite the best expert, excellent work by the Tour Director, things crop up that are beyond the TD’s control; we group leaders need to prepare our students to be ready to adapt and face some disappointments with grace.

We were met by a different tour guide in front of the Coliseum and, once again listening to our audio sets, we were whisked quickly on a whirlwind glance at this mighty edifice. The crowds again were thick, but I thoroughly enjoyed my introduction to the Coliseum! Something to come back to someday!

Next we walked the block or so to the Forum, still with our guide. She took us into this area and explained what several of the major ruins were. Very picturesque and interesting. Lots of picture taking going on!

When we were done, we were given a little less than 2 hours free time and then we were to meet back at Monument at the Piazza Venezia to take the bus to dinner and a night tour.

Well, at this time, as people were milling around deciding what to do, there was some miscommunication between myself and a couple people I’d been walking around with. I wanted to walk to the Tiber and the Circus Maximus; lots of people in the big group thought they’d head north to a church with monk bones. I thought my “buds” all wanted to go that way and I didn’t see any of them, so I headed off by myself. Which my hubby had said not to do. Anyway, I had a map and a destination and a phone and the address of the restaurant and some money. So off I went. And got turned around pretty promptly. And it got dark. And traffic was crazy. I never felt “scared” but I did feel confused. The streets were not always clearly signed and they also didn’t seem to match my map. I did find the Circus Maximus and walked its length and then somehow stumbled upon the Tiber, where I’d wanted to stand on a bridge and just look for a while, but now I didn’t have time. I kept heading toward what I thought was the general direction of the monument but—wow, it just never did loom into sight. I was walking and walking (somewhere like the Aventine?) and considering how to summon a taxi. I still had nearly an hour so I kept going. And then I, I think, stepped into a dirt circle surrounding a tree that grew out of the sidewalk, lost my balance, and fell, kinda on to one knee, but the heavy camera around my neck pulled my head forward and I kissed the sidewalk. “Oh signora!” said the man with arms full of trays of something. But he didn’t offer to help me up. I got up fine; it wasn’t a hard fall, just bumped my knee and barely grazed a palm. But I did bump my lip pretty good. It was bleeding just a little and already felt huge. No broken camera or teeth, though! I walked on a half a block, legs a little shaky, and then just turned around and went into a candy shop. Decided it was time to get help to call a taxi. The young lady and older gentleman behind the counter didn’t speak much/any English; I pointed on my map to where I wanted to go and hoped they could show me where we were; we didn’t seem to be on my map! I motioned walking to the monument and he shrugged and said 2 kilometers. I had 45 minutes. No problem. Except I didn’t know where I was! I signed, “Phone” and said, “Taxi?” and he nodded and picked up his phone and after a brief conversation said, “Five minutes!” I was so grateful but didn’t have time to buy any chocolate! I walked outside and a taxi drove up; I opened the door and said, “Do you speak English?” and she did and understood where I needed to be and said it was very close. I asked how much and she said (I thought) “56 euro.” (An EF staff member had taken a taxi from the airport to the hotel Wednesday and been charged 90 euros because, as she discovered when looking at a map, he had taken a circuitous route.) I said, “How much?” And she said, “ Five or six.” (Oh, not 56!) In about 5 minutes of whizzing down the busy, well-lighted, often tree-lined streets, we were there. I gave her a 10 and was glad. I had about a 20 minute wait before the rest of the groups began arriving. Lesson learned: I, who am prone to fall, should not go anywhere by myself! And I should have done what I usually do, which is to follow a map, not my nose. Not sure why my brain disconnected on me that way. Wish I knew where the chocolate shop is!

Next the bus took us to our farewell dinner, another decent dinner at Mangrovia, somewhere near the Train Station. While there, I snuck back out to a street stall for a beanie for my daughter. I hadn’t had much souvenir shopping time this day. Oh well.

Then back to the bus for a “Rome by Night” tour. We did some drive-by-looks and some drive-to-get-out-for-a-look. We went to Trevi Fountain which was still covered up with people. Then on to the Spanish Steps. Both of these were very cool at night with their soft illuminations, but for pics I wish I’d gotten there in the daytime. We also went up on the Piazza del Campidoglio for a great view and to St. Peters square, where at both places I found something on which to rest my camera and so was able to take decent pics in the difficult light because of the steadiness. Rome at night is lovely and I’m glad the TD led us on this adventure. Then back for our final night’s sleep!

Travel back home day: We all left the hotel for the airport at different times,
but EF staff accompanied all of us to the airport. I left at 6:30 with a pretty big group. Check in and all went hitchlessly and our plane left on time; I bought the world’s ugliest camo hat for hubby in the airport, just to show him I didn’t forget him.

When we arrived in Newark, I had the worst US-re-entry experience I have ever had (granted, I’ve only had 4 other experiences but….) I started to go into great detail here about it, but suffice it to say that they seemed seriously understaffed EVERYWHERE with poor or insufficient signage; also every person I dealt with was rude or uncaring—the immigration officials especially but also the airport and airline employees. I never want to go through Newark again in my entire life. The rest of the legs home were pretty uneventful. Arrived on time, tired out but so glad to have had this opportunity to see a real wonder of the world. Kudos to EFTours for a good job done!

I enjoyed your candid report.

"Graffitti" is an Italian word -- an Italian invention, really -- and you often can find it on historic builidings!

I am perpetually shocked by the rude welcome given to people arriving in America at Newark airport.

Just a taste, but an extraordinarily good taste based on your report.

I am so sorry about your fall and your bloody lip, but it sounds as if all worked out fine.

Thanks for the write-up and enjoy your time as a trip leader, bookworm!

Very good report! Enjoyed reading it!

Thaks for taking the trouble to report. You will be a good Tour Leader because I can feel your enthusiasm. Too bad about your fall. I'm sure it happens a lot, but your were courageous to go off on your own at all. Glad it turned out OK

texasbookworm - thanks for sharing your experiences with us. Your days in Rome must have seemed like a whirlwind dream. That was a fast trip. It is energizing to zip about, especially in such a wonderful city. I, too, suspect you will do an excellent job as a tour leader. You seem to have an positive attitude and a willingness to be flexible. We will all look forward to reading about your time with your group.

tC

ttt 4 later

SOOO true about St. Peter's. It can only be appreciated by gaping, jaw dropped viewing.

My second time in Rome was after reading Agony and the Ecstacy, and the San Pietro in Vincoli was the highlight of the second trip.

Congratulations on your part to show teens the majesty of the past.

Great report!! I have traveled as a tour guide and done an EF "convention". They definitely give you an idea of the pace of the tour with students. Your experience on your own in Rome will be a story to tell your students....about why they should always stay with a group!!! So glad to hear your adventure turned out okay, waiting to hear about your trip to England.

Thanks for all the encouraging words! Yes, I learned or was reminded of much that will be most helpful when being a group leader. And if I'm ever back in Rome, I have such a great introduction that I will feel pretty confident--but I really do need to learn some Italian if I ever go back!