...on the slippery steps of the Colosseum. My butt still hurts. <BR> <BR>Just spent two AWESOME weeks in Italy. I couldn't believe I got to view "The Last Supper" all by myself with no others in the room (25 people allowed per section and I was the only one in my section). The room was quite dark, and with no distractions around, it was absolutely incredible. <BR> <BR>I hope everyone who visits Italy will go see Siena. It is simply an unbelievable town. It is so well-preserved it brings you back to the medieval era like no other cities could. Yes, go see Venice, go see Florence, and go see Rome. But your experience in Italy would NOT be complete without paying a visit to Siena. <BR> <BR>I did throw a coin into the Trevi fountain, and so I know I'll be back. <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>

Oh, Alfred, everyone has to trip on a trip sooner or later. On our trip to Rome, my friend Linda tripped and fell face first to the street. She responded as she dusted herself off, "Hey, the Pope kisses the ground, too, right?" And yeah, isn't Italy grand? The coin at the Trevi fountain worked for me!

A good friend from Germany fell also on the steps of the Colosseum. It did sort of spoiled the remainder of their trip as she twisted her ankle pretty bad. <BR> <BR>Word of warning I guess.

Alfred: <BR> <BR>I went last year this time for two weeks as well-it is TRULY amazing and beautiful. <BR> <BR>Where did you attend the "Last Supper"? <BR> <BR>Details?

My classic "trip on a trip" story: on a misty, moisty morning on Ireland's Hill of Tara, bending down to peer into a passage tomb and landing :: splat :: on my butt in the mud. <BR> <BR>Good thing we weren't too far from where we were staying and I could change my pants.

(My big fall was in the Lucerne train station. The lace hooks on my hiking boots caught each other and with my hands full, and the top-heavy weight of my big backpack, there wasn't a thing I could do about it but fall flat on my face) <BR> <BR>Anyway... Glad you had a (wonderfully) memorable trip to Italy!

Does falling off a moped count? <BR> <BR>I was 19 and not too swift. We rented mopeds in Oahu and, without helmets or training or experience, set off at high speed all around the island. I tried to stop on some wet leaves and the bike skidded sideways and fell on my leg. The exhaust pipe burned me, and I learned my lesson.

I was in Tobago 15 yrs ago, walking down a steep street in Scarborough tripped in a pothole and twisted my ankle pretty badly. <BR>I was adviced *not* to go to hospital. <BR>We had rented a house that was a mile walk up a goat path, and had to do this walk daily to get into town to buy food, etc. <BR>Finally after three weeks it felt a bit better. <BR>We left Tobago, flew to St. Vincent, arrived after 12 hrs. of travel time. <BR>It was pitch dark and we were walking from our Inn to a place that served food, which was on the edge of the bay, I fell in a ditch ! and sure enough my injured ankle twisted under me. <BR>Got to restuarant, no food being served , too late. <BR>A piece of chocolate cake, and a few shot of tequila made it all feel better. <BR>I now have a permanently swollen ankle, and memories that my husband and I can laugh at (now.) <BR>Alfred, <BR>Glad you had a beautiful time.(Can't wait to get there next yr) <BR>It must have been an awe- inspiring moment for you to be "alone" with <BR>The Last Supper. I can't imagine lucking out and having that kind of solitude in a busy museum! <BR>

I have fallen (thank goodness) on my trips, but my Mom tripped on a curb, which was a lot higher than the normal size We were in Madrid, near Plaza Mayor when a parade was passing us by. It was late in the evening and there were many people walking in the parade as well as men on horses and a band playing music. We were running to see the show when my Mom tripped. She fell on her knee and I still wince when I think about it. <BR> <BR>Glad you had an awesome time in Italy. I'm planning to go there next fall either alone or with someone! <BR> <BR>Ciao. <BR> <BR>

LOL!!! That should read "I have not fallen...."

I had hiking boots do that 'let's hook together' thing on a traverse trail in Glacier park. 1500 foot drop to the left as I hop along on both feet on a 1 foot wide ledge until I can slow to a stop. Now I am a little more careful.

Siena is truly a great example of medieval Italian cities. You might be interested in knowing that it is so well preserved because half the population of the city died during the plague years and there were no people around to make any changes in the architecture etc. That's the chief reason it look much different from Florence which continued to modernize and prosper. The Duomo was meant to be at least twice as large as you see today, but there was nobody living to build it! Siena is also one of the safest cities you could find in Italy!

Ah yes, I busted my butt once in London on the steps leading to the under street tunnel at the corner that contains the Hard Rock Cafe. It was raining, the steps were slick, and whoeeee down I went right on the steps. Ouch! Other than that never had any falls on all of my travels to Europe.

Thank goodness I'm not the only klutz. (Sorry) In London in September I was speedwalking with my friend Jane (she's the speedwalker, I'm the turtle) past the British Museum en route to bus, dinner and Mama Mia when I tripped on uneven sidewalk and fell flat on my face--in slo-mo: first knees, then hands, then face. Oh well, a couple of glasses of wine at Le Dome across from the theatre and a bag of ice from the nice waiter heloped. And we had a great time at the play. (It did take about two weeks for the bumps to disappear, though.) <BR> <BR>Re seeing exhibits undisturbed: my sister-in-law got us Friends of the Museum tickets to the Monet exhibit in Chicago in '96 (?). I'd seen terrible clips on TV of people using periscopes to see above the throngs. Our FotM tickets got us in an hour before the rest, we raced past the first two rooms full of other FotMs and saw the remainder of the show all by ourselves--it was incredible: room after room of fantastic Monets with no distraction!

aren't those hiking boots lace-hooks HORRIBLE? I have fallen too - running for a train, along the platform - scary and SO not worth it (no more running for me) - I also had a BIG packpack on.... <BR> <BR>my personal speciality though, is falling UP stairs. not down, up. don't ask.

After a wonderful dinner just off from Piazza Navona we were going for a stroll after finding the perfect gelato, when I said to my family " would'nt I look stupid right now if I tripped" Well sure enough I was down on the ground within 1 second! I think it had to do with the height of my heels and the surface of the street? Could'nt have been the wine! Anyways I was'nt hurt but most importantly I saved my gelato! The funny thing was nobody even batted an eye! I guess they see tourists doing stupid things all the time!

I, fortunately, don't fall (I make up for it by doing extremely stupid things over which I have control) but Oldhand is a pro: <BR>1) Port Grimaud, pouring rain, our house on a hill. You guessed it - a bottle of wine, her feet go out from under her, and she luges down the hill. <BR>2) Murano, no wine, stepping from the quay onto the boat; slipped, hung onto the rail, dangling between the boat and the quay. <BR> <BR>And a true story: my uncle and his best friend (grownups) walking to work on icy city streets, my uncle's legs go out from under him, *splat*, flat on his back in the street. His friend leans over, crosses his hands, uncrosses them quickly and yells <BR>"SAFE!". <BR>

I had a very bad fall onto my hip from the end of the sea wall in Vernazza. I had stepped up onto a big rock (at night in the dark) and when I stepped back down my leg went into a hole between the pavement and the rock and I just kept going down. Somehow I made it back to our room just off the main piazza but I passed out several times on the way, lying down on the sort of bench that runs along the seawall. I told my husband, "If I were anyplace else I'd say call 911". I took 2 codeine pills and a sleeping pill and the next day I could slowly get out of bed but it was days before I could sit with any comfort. Still it was so beautiful in Vernazza I really enjoyed my morning just staying in the piazza, not being able to walk well enough for a hike.

Well, when in London I failed to "mind the gap" and half of one foot managed to find the gap. Got it out ok but it took a few days before I could put my full weight on it. Felt real stupid as when it happened I was explaining the tube and the do and don't of it to my son. To this day.." hey dad do you remember when"

My friend fell off the train while getting on at Verona. <BR> <BR>Hey Steve, you sound like a bit of a troll - "Where did you attend the Last Supper" - "details?" Doesn't take much to find out, if you don't know already, that it's in Milan attached to Santa Marie delle Grazie.