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This would make a pretty funny movie!
I can't believe D waded into the water w/o realizing she still had her shoes on (and pants not rolled up). She must have taken a boatload of Dramamine. Barb - you've missed your calling as a chick-lit novelist! |
I've always wanted to take that bus ride down the coast.
This story definitely has "best seller" written all over it. Doesn't someone out there have some contacts in movieland? |
<i>"Do you laugh or cry?"</i>
Frankly, I'm ready for a diet. The eating never ends. Yet, in the film version, I see lots and lots of food and the characters eating or chewing on something constantly. And when they're not eating and chewing, they're talking about the next meal or last night's meal. Some of the funniest scenes and dialogue must take place at the lunch/dinner tables with plenty of close-ups of women talking and cackling with their olive-oily-mouths full. One of the characters needs to arrive thin and gain weight rapidly as the days in Italy wear on, like Warner Purcell (Jim Broadbent) did in "Bullets Over Broadway." In fact, now I'm seeing Diane Weist as Barb. |
Oh Barb, all kidding aside, you have to write a book! I think of the various novels I have purchased that were alright but..then along comes your trip report! I know I speak for many of us when I say I am going to hate it when your trip comes to an end. BTW, I would have been a raving maniac by this time, LOL. CinCin!
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This is for those of you who wanted some additional info on Ambien. Ambien is included in a powerful class of drugs known as sedative/hypnotics. Ambien works by affecting chemicals in your brain that may have become imbalanced and caused insomnia. It induces sleep and relaxation.
Ambien is intended for short-term use, usually 7-10 days. Longer term use should be monitored by your physician. Ambien is habit forming and you may experience withdrawal symptoms if you suddenly stop taking Ambien after you have taken in for 2 weeks or more. If you are taking Ambien for a period of 2 weeks or longer, be sure to consult your physician before stopping the drug. Some people experience carry-over symptons including memory loss. Carry-over symptoms are more likely to occur if you don't sleep for a full 6-8 hours. DO NOT DRINK while taking Ambien. Alcohol enhances the effect of the drug. Do no take other sedatives, sleeping pills, tranquilizers, muscle relaxers, prescription pain meds, and check with your do doctor for possible interactins with herbal remedies. Ambien is contraindicated if you have kidney disease, liver disease; asthma, bronchitis or other respiratory diseases; depression or have suicidal thoughts. Symptoms of an adverse reaction or over dose are confusion, dizziness, difficult ot slow breathing, and of course, unconsciousness. Ambien can safely be used under the care of a physician. I take Ambien when I travel because it helps my body to adjust to the different time zones. I try not to take it for more than a couple of days, because I too wake up feeling kind of groggy the next day, even if I've gotten a full night's sleep. There's a new sleep aid out, Lunesta. It is supposed to be as effective as Ambien, less likely to cause carry-over effects, and considerably less habit forming. There still is no perfect cure for chronic insomnia if that's your problem. Try relaxation exercises, guided imagery, yoga - sometimes it take a combination of things to get that insomnia monkey off your back. Also, sleep apnea can be a cause of chronic insomnia - you might want to see a neurologist and be tested. And, no, I am not a neurologist, but I am a health care professional, Physician's Assistant. Ear plugs can really help too, especially if you sleep with a snorer or are highly sensitive to noise. Good luck! Hope this helps! |
This continues to be great.
I understand the age problem, but I really hate leaving Maggie Smith out of the cast for the movie. Can she be the narrator, telling the story decades later? Please? Thanks so much Barb! |
Well, at this point I really must jump in. Rarely does a trip report go on this way, and it would be even more rare for me to follow it to its conclusion. But follow it I must -- I've become addicted as much as the rest of you.
The first person who popped into my mind to play Barb was a Judy Dench-type. But I also think Diane Weist or Diane Lane would be great playing the role. This would make a delightful movie. Great scenery, great food, "interesting" characters. Barb, more, please. I for one do not want to see this story end although you were probably happy to see it so. And yes, I have my TCFH story too. After five years we still are not speaking. My TCFH tearfully said, and I quote, "I want to do more in Paris than walk, look at things, and eat." And, that was just the beginning -- things went downhill from there. |
Barb, hip, hip hooorayyyyyy!!!!
<When the usual melodrama over the bill starts, I grab my half bottle of vino, plunk down my money and bid them all a buono notte with a smiley face. I’m even tempted to kiss the cute waiter on the way out, but I restrain myself.> Thankfully no one has arrived yet at the office because I am giving you a standing ovation. Barb is a big girl and the Diva can fend for themselves. You SHOULD have kissed the waiter!!! It absolutely has to happen in the movie. The half drunk bottle of vino adds dramatic effect. Keep it coming Barb! |
I am reading all of this report because of being curious why so many people wrote comments.
Probably I don't have the same view so I won't say much, maybe I'll wait for the movie. But I want to say three things. First, I worry about offering or giving someone drugs when they are drinking. I don' think a friend or anyone should do this. It's wrong. And in the report I saw two places where it happened: "D is pouring her second glass of wine and re-telling me for the third time about the time she travelled to the South of France ( 34 yrs. ago) and how all the men were after her. …. I ask her if she needed any help sleeping and offered her an Ambian, lol. " And at the Hotel Lorelei (I know this place): 'I actually gave her an Ambian and then I tip toed around the room, periodically peeking at her to see if she was asleep." To me, this is not what a real friend does. Second, alot of people are saying that Barb is so patient and kind, and she is saying how she think a long time before writing it, but I think that is not the truth, because I saw another message she wrote before she came to Italy. She said: " Thanks again to all you folks for your help in planning this trip and I promise I will do a trip report when I return - it will probably be a doozy given the dynamics of this group of 6 daring divas and luckily they don't read Fodors, so I can really report all the dirt! So arriverderci, ciao, and wish me luck." To me, this shows she was already planning to say bad things about the women even from the beginning, to "report all the dirt", and she just used them for that. Third, I want to say something of the young man she meets outside the hotel who is a waiter. Isn't she a woman over fifty year old? She says: ".... Now I know, no one is going to mistake me for Italian, as hard as I try, but I do try to blend in as much as I can. I have learned the customs..." If you did not know it before, Barb, Italian women don't easily go around with some younger waiter they never met, it is not a custom here. And you don't "blend in" that way. You become more obvious, of course. I agree the story can be an American movie. Will be very funny, and typical. |
<i>"First, I worry about offering or giving someone drugs when they are drinking. I don' think a friend or anyone should do this. It's wrong. And in the report I saw two places where it happened...To me, this is not what a real friend does."</i>
More possible hogwash and a bit of judging without knowing all the facts. First, nobody's forcing drugs down anybody's throat. If I choose to take some form of sleeping pill from a friend who offers it after I've consumed three glasses of wine, that's MY RESPONSIBILITY. My friend does not have the power or the control to make these decisions for me and, if I choose to take it, my friend is not to blame if I suddenly drop dead. (Of course, I have no control over anger, grief, fear, and guilt once I'm gone.) Second, how can a reader assume what pharmaceutical experience any of these women have had unless the author tells us? And, finally, the author has the right to say whatever she likes. Just because the main character offers the Ambien to her friend doesn't necessarily mean she will administer it or follow through on her offer. The offer could be another way of saying to a friend, "Shut that fuc&ing trap already and go to sleep so I can write in my journal!" In this case, the Ambien offer is the kinder, more genteel choice - a true sign of enduring love and compassion. <i>"Second, alot of people are saying that Barb is so patient and kind, and she is saying how she think a long time before writing it, but I think that is not the truth...To me, this shows she was already planning to say bad things about the women even from the beginning, to "report all the dirt", and she just used them for that."</i> A professional actor would kill to observe such a colorful, "real-life" experience. If Barb conjured up the madcap idea of bringing six biddies together in Italy and saved-up enough money to finance this clever contrivance to serve the writing dream of her life, then I owe Barb more than just a simple congratulations. That Barb must be fuc&ing brilliant! Given how the planning stages progressed and what was revealed, I get the strong sense that Barb was the most "used" individual in this group. Every situation in life offers a give and take. So what if the creative individual takes more simply by observing. In my world we call that talent. <i>"Third, I want to say something of the young man she meets outside the hotel who is a waiter. Isn't she a woman over fifty year old?"</i> Now I'm ready to punch delldee in the face. For fear of truly dispelling with colorful cuss words, I'll stop here. ps Please refer to my comments above regarding "opinions." |
About the young waiter.... Now, haven't people seen the movie "The Graduate"?
I see a Mrs. Robinson in the making. :-) |
"If you did not know it before, Barb, Italian women don't easily go around with some younger waiter they never met, it is not a custom here. And you don't "blend in" that way. You become more obvious, of course."
"I agree the story can be an American movie. Will be very funny, and typical." Miaow! |
delldee22 - you are being a bit tough on Barb, but it is obviously because you don't quite have a grasp of American idioms. To tell all the dirt does not mean that Barb is planning to tell bad things about the Divas, just that she plans to tell all. She obviously knew it would be amusing at best to travel with them, but just as obviously, didn't expect what she ended up with!
I'm also going to forgive Barb for offering Ambien after the Diva has had 3 glasses of wine. The one time I took Ambien was after 2 glasses of wine on a flight to Vietnam. I didn't know that you shouldn't do that (go ahead and flame me for being uninformed or just plain dumb - I deserve it) - an airsick bag never go such a good workout! NYtravelsnob - I'm not faulting Barb, but not many people can make a good decision after 3 glasses of wine. That's why they should not be allowed to drive. And Barb - don't worry about the nasty posts here - you are doing a great job with this and many, many of us are truly enjoying and learning from your wonderful prose. If you look at any of the long threads on Fodor's, you will see that there are always some negative responses. I think the # of negative posts here is much lower than most! Can't wait for the rest! |
Delldee22, I wouldn't worry that your opinion appears to contradict the majority. Not only is a diversity of opinion good for the board, but besides, of the 50,000 plus who have registered here, most don't post. So who knows what the 'majority' really think.
Remember, too, that on the Internet all of us are only who we say we are. For all we know, Barb and all of her Divas are writing this account together, and having a good laugh at our expense. Which probably hurts none of us very seriously, except for the point about the Ambien, which I agree Barb did not handle well [yet]. Now go easy about women over 50 years old. You'll be one yourself one day, and not only that, but remember: the great Italian actress Sophia Loren is closer to SEVENTY than 50, and still considered a knockout by men of many ages. |
I think Sophia Lauren is actually 71!
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It's too early, I thought the above post said she was 60....
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AP, my edit crossed with your post. Indeed, the great Sophia was born on September 20, 1934, which makes her 71. I saw her in a French film a couple of years ago - a murder mystery/comedy, and darn it, I can't remember the title, but she was, and looked, absolutely fabulous.
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Barb, thanks so much for the candid enthralling trip report. It's always appreciated when people who love travelling take the time to share their experiences, good and bad, with the rest of us, and you do it in a way that makes for superb reading. Please don't let a few dissenters put you off finishing this excellent report!
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Cara Sue xx
"Now go easy about women over 50 years old. You'll be one yourself one day, and not only that, but remember: the great Italian actress Sophia Loren is closer to 60 than 50, and still considered a knockout by men of many ages." I am more than 60. I know women of my age can be very nice looking. And Sophia Loren will be beautiful forever. I am only saying that Italian women that I know don't go around with young waiters that they just met, and if they ever do, they will be much more discreet than this! it is not a custom here. To the one who said you will punch me in the face, I think you are showing more about yourself than about me or what I said. Are you so violent with all who disagree with you? This is a sign of a small mind. Well I am not afraid of you. It is still 200% wrong to offer drugs to someone who drank. If you punch me, I will only rise and say it again, because it is true. |
Oh AP, it IS too early. I am confusing Sophia with Catherine Deneuve in "8 Femmes" - Ms. Deneuve is, of course, a mere spring chicken of 62.....
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Oh AP, it IS too early. I am confusing Sophia with Catherine Deneuve in "8 Femmes" - Ms. Deneuve is, of course, a mere spring chicken of 62.....
Delldee, good for you! And I'm glad you agree with me about Sophia (who is great, even if I did momentarily confuse her with Catherine Deneuve.) You mustn't worry that this tale is meant to be typical of anyone, Italian or American. And now I must stop editing, because I'm confusing people. |
<i>"NYtravelsnob - I'm not faulting Barb, but not many people can make a good decision after 3 glasses of wine. That's why they should not be allowed to drive."</i>
I consume entire bottles without getting drunk. What are some of you girls drinking? Well, all tongue-in-cheek commentary aside (every young-Italian-man/older-American-woman pun intended), I do NOT condone giving prescription medication to anyone who doesn't already have the prescription. And ADULT common-sense should dictate the decisions regarding alcohol use with prescription drugs. I'm no doctor, I'm no judge, and I don't tell friends what they should and should not do. That's how I define a friend. Am I guilty of sharing my scripts with friends? You bet. I wouldn't have discovered Allegra had it not been for a friend who leant me one during a bad allergy attack while on location in some awful field. That single pill saved the job, took away my allergic reaction, and introduced me to an allergy medication with no side effects. (Granted, wine wasn't part of this discovery.) I know nothing about Ambien. I'm a Xanax girl, and half-a-pill of the lowest dosage available does me just fine when I really need to get to sleep. If any friend asks me for one while we're traveling, I don't hesitate to give them one. However, I've never asked any of my friends if they want one. They have to ask first. I've asked my doctor about drinking alcohol before my tiny dosage of Xanax. He said as long as I'm near a bed, I should expect no disaster to occur. I only take Xanax when I know I'll be in bed within 20 minutes of taking the pill. |
...was that 5 or 10 mg of Ambien? I have such a high tolerance to drugs/alcohol, it takes twice as much to knock me out. The dentist gives me a whopping dose of gas and it barely phases me. One teeny ambien with a little alcohol won't kill her, make her addicted or anything else. These are not the narcotic pills of yesteryear..yep, alcohol and opiates/barbituates can be toxic.
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delldee, life isn't much fun without drugs and booze.
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Hi Barb,
Terrific read. >...even though Eiffel had had a breakthrough with her fear of heights on Ischia and was somewhat cocky to start , it quickly vanished as soon as we started down the Amalfi Coast on our way to Positano. Let’s just say, we had to practically pry her fingers from the back of the seat in front of her to get her off at Positano ...< My Lady Wife and I sympathize with both of you. She developed vertigo on the bus to Positano and could not take the bus again - even sitting on the landward side. We saw the AC from the water. ((I)) |
<i>"To the one who said you will punch me in the face, I think you are showing more about yourself than about me or what I said. Are you so violent with all who disagree with you? ...Well I am not afraid of you"</i>
Oh, sweetie, get over your bad self. I was poking a little fun at your dull, controlling, judgmental and puritan presumptions. I'm a black-belt, dear, so...be <i>very</i> afraid, 'cause this Xanax-poppin'-Sangiovese-guzzlin'-biatch can kick yo' azz. O:) |
I come to a travel forum for advice on where to stay, restaurant suggestions, sneaker/birkenstock arguments; layering v. down filled coats; recommendations regarding what others think as beautiful sights, cultural exchanges, etc. I enjoy the humor of most of the posters, get teary eyed at some of their kindnesses, enjoy the pretensiousness of some, the forcefulness of some, the ironic smart-a$$ answers of some...
Holier-than-thou, self-righteous moralisms, I sure can do without! Older women, younger men...sheesh. "Never in Italy" Jjjjeeeeessss.... Is it younger man (green-with-envy are you?)...or the fact he was a waiter? W hich is it that was so annoying? Barb!?? Good for you! Bless you in all sincerity. |
1. I'm thinking Felicity Huffman to play Barb.
2. Boy oh boy, there are for sure a whole second crew of Divas right here, aren't there?! People, get OFF the nattering and second-guessing about drugs, alcohol, food, weight, charming waiters, etc. Talk about judgmental! Just READ and knock off the superiority sniping! Do you really think you are required (or even entitled) to instruct Barb at this point? Do you really think she's required to hear it after going to the trouble of posting this long report? JUST NOT THE POINT! 3. We're lucky to be getting all this from Barb -- and what would you say if this all turned out to be fiction? It's still a HOOT! Repeat: just READ and enjoy or go somewhere else. |
Since there are literally thousands of official group travel agencies out there, I wonder why Barb didn't just refer the Divas to one of them. She did not mention if the Divas were paying her for her services...hmmm...but since she took on the task of dealing with the Divas...and planning and re-planning itineraries, she definitely should have considered making herself the official, salaried Diva Tour Guide, or recommending them to a tour operator. Why plan a trip for a couple of friends...and 3 strangers?
I personally love to travel alone...and would be happy to disappear for months if I ever had money and time, without talking to anyone I know. That's travel to me! But I have traveled to Greece with my big Greek-American family and a few close friends on several occasions and they were the most memorable journeys of my life. We are a very flexible and fun loving group...so it was usually easy. I'm sure we have a different view of Greece...as a wonderful homeland our parents had to leave behind for an anticipated better life. My oldest brother did "take charge" of the domestic travel and rooms...since he's in the business. But since he insisted that we visit together again when we can...I guess we were not too bothersome! I ended up just moving to Crete a few years later...easier commute to family reunions. But many people don't even want to fly from LA to NYC alone. There are different people out there...many people want to travel alone but they are afraid to...it's the fear of the unknown. Which is the exciting part when I travel...to just get off the train if a village looks interesting...but can be the reverse for many. Why people are afraid to get a little exercise if they are fit to do so is a also a dreary sign of our times...climbing a few hills or flights of stairs is a fact of life in Europe...if anyone in Europe wants to visit historic monuments or take the metro...there aren't many elevators and escalators. Paris is a good example...a great walking city! And there are few shopping malls with escalators...but people are still shopping, shopping, shopping. But since the Divas indicated early on that they might (hopefully) unintentionally make everyone else they travel with miserable...by bringing with them their fears about everything and anything, that was a big red light for our dear Barb. SMALL group travel (10 people or less), if arranged by local experts who are also working closely with the local community, can be a much more wonderful and rewarding experience...especially if it's bona fide ecotravel or educational travel...travel that gives back to the local community...not talking about Coco's latest line of pink suits with black trim here. Poor Barb...hope she's recovered by now! Good news is that she will probably recover financially by publishing her story in the )))) Monthly. Cheers, Nikki Rose |
This thread is now listed on the home page as number 1 under "Current Hot Topics".
Go, Barb. ((I)) |
I'm packing for Italy so no time to catch up!! God Bless with the baby and your daughter Barb!!
No disrespect to people who have posted their own adventures in this thread but I'd like to see it purged of all comments both positive and negative and reposted as a stand alone narrative of one person's trip. Well, I'm off to guide a KIA, a smoker and a smoke detester. : D Wish me luck!! kakalena |
LOL! I've been giggling and chuckling out loud all morning; after having chanced upon this thread. HUGELY entertaining. LOL!
I don't know, Barb. If you go solo from now on will the trip reports be near as interesting?! :-) I'm personally hoping for sequels! <grin> |
kakalena-
You can do that easily. I'm a Mac user but I'm sure you can do the same on a PC. Just click drag and copy the whole thing into a text editing program like MS Word or what ever you use, and go through it deleting all the other messages. |
NYC Travel Snob- if you don't stop your posting, I won't stop laughing and I won't get any work done today!
No one could have let delldee have it better! =D> From a fellow one-bottle of wine guzzler. |
One more post to a record thread! This is a very compelling read, Barb -- bit like having to peek at a road accident as you pass...
Have to add a note to the Ambien sidebar. I discussed with my doctor (great guy) whether or not to take it as a sleep aid on a long flight. In response, he told me about a red-eye flight he took from CA to NY. A number of passengers popped an Ambien or something like it on take-off, and promptly dozed off. Unfortunately, the plane had mechanical problems and had to return to LA. And back on the ground, they were still sound asleep... I think the crew had to scoop some folks out and plunk them down in the terminal to sleep it off. (Which is why you won't find me taking anything like that! If I can't sleep on the flight with my mask and earplugs, well, I'll be tired the next day. Won't kill me.) Okay, now back to the subject at hand. ;-) |
SB_Trvlr- I don't believe that story for a minute. How does your doctor know that all these people took Ambien? And how does he know how MUCH Ambien they took? I mean sure if you pop half a bottle you may be that knocked out depending upon your metabolism and tolerance for such drugs.
Gimme a break about the Ambien, people. Most anti- or alarmist comments I've heard about Ambien, especially on this board, are from people who have never taken it. For me, I usually take two Ambien at the beginning of a long flight and proceed to drink two mini-bottles of wine throughout the duration of the flight. I'm still here. At most, it relaxes me, dulls the senses a tad, but my no means am I knocked out senseless. Obviously, it has different effects on everyone, but this is not a sleeping pill of the old time, Marilyn Monroe variety. |
Except with words, I couldn't hurt a fly. I'm just jealous that Barb gets to have all the fun. Thank goodness she's so generous.
ps I, too, prefer reading her story without all the interruptions. Typically, I shut the phone/answering machine off when I anticipate a good bang. Thank goodness for cut-n-paste because this story deserves to be read TIVO-style. |
NYFS - Bravo - now I know you and I could travel together! Simpatico. Come on people, do you really think I would force drugs on unsuspecting people!! I've used 5 mg Ambian for years now when I travel. Do I have a few glasses of wine over the course of an evening, yes, did I talk to my doc about this many years ago, yes. I made sure the first time I traveled to do a "test run" with it before I left the safety of my home. And if I take one, it's when I'm turning out the lights for the evening. FYI, D never took it. That's why I was tip toeing around. I would never presume to tell anyone else what they can and can't take and I think those of you who have a problem with my report, to either stop reading, or get off your f--king judgmental high horses and get a grip. Whew, that felt good!
BTW, I didn't flaunt NHF around Sorrento, we enjoyed some time together, why not??? This is 2005, I am single, certainly over the age of consent and even my 94 yr. Mom gave me a pat on the back, so there - put the claws back in and try to relax. Breath, breath. |
NYFS - of course that should be "we" could travel together. Saying the f word got me all excited.
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<b> LET THERE BE NOT ONE MORE WORD ABOUT AMBIEN! PLEASE!</b>
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