sundowner

Great fun reading about your trip - thanks!

annabelle2

Sitting at work like many of you, savoring this and waiting for more...great story, Barb. Glad they loved David, at least.

Meanwhile, I am also enjoying the trip trials and successes of other posters!

Marty, yours touched me; I'm sorry for the loss of your friend. One of the reasons (which I didn't mention in my earlier post) for the success of my (mostly) excellent group trip last spring was that the 'chosen' friends have seen me through the last stressful 5 yrs: breast cancer, sick family member and divorce...ay yi yi! Talk about bonding.

After reading all these posts, boy do I feel blessed to have friends I can travel with! (even the snoring ones).

elaine

I was thinking about this.
Solo travel is great. Travel a deux, with the right 'deux', is great.
The larger the group, of course as with any group, the much greater the odds of conflict--in expectations, life style, spending habits, dietary needs, stamina issues, etc. And if some of these additional people are friends of friends, you are even less likely to have spent much time with them, to notice how they divide up checks at restaurants, or what their food issues are, or whether or not they are prompt vs laid back and flexible, how often they whine, how independent they are not, etc.

If I had to pick one possibly imperfect way to travel I'll take my chances with being solo rather than take chances on other people (or they with me). When I'm on my own, I may occasionally miss having someone to share the experience with, but that disadvantage pales in comparison to the tales Barb is sharing.

ncgrrl

I know someone who is, to put it nicely: a control freak. She tends to talk more when in a situation out of her control. It's almost a babble (those trees must be pines, the seat cushion fabric is some type of synthetic, I wonder if it's protected with ScotchGuard) is a coping device for her . I wonder if it's the same for the divas on the train.

As much as I want to scream "STOP" I've realized it's her way to deal with situations out of her control.

I feel the need to find pants with the Eifel Tower on them (though not in bright colors). Do you know where your friend bought them from?

Lovejoy

Your quote from the Diva," How mucho the tie-o’s' brings back a memory from a trip I took to Rome in 1983.
I had just bought a Coke from a vendor next to the Trevi fountains for 1,000 Lire.
As I walked away the person behind me,who could easly fit your description of a Diva,asked the vendor for the price of a Coke.The vendor replied,"Mille lire."The Diva replied in a very loud voice,"How much is that in American money"

Barb

Trying to find a taxi on a rainy Sunday night proved impossible, so we walked back to the station. Soaking wet, tired and cranky, we are trying to figure out which binario our train is on. I know which train is ours, but KIA goes into to the tourist info office to make sure, or to prove me wrong? D and N are off to McDonalds to use the WC. We are ready to board and D and N are not back yet. Again, another mad dash to make the train. We are all in separate seats in three different cars. It was a very long ride back to Rome, staring at two strangers across from me. My head kept nodding down and then it would snap upright, while I was trying to look “normal” and not drool on myself. The man across from me stared at me the whole way, while talking on his cell phone. I know he was talking about me, lol.

So, the Divas are planning on seeing the Colosseum and Forum the next day and I finally have a whole day to myself. I had planned on visiting with Sandra, the woman I rented the apt. from in March. We have become good friends and I am anxious to see her again. 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. All I wanted to do was just sit and listen to my music (my son had given me a cute little travel speaker for my Walkman and it works great) write in my journal and read a few chapters before I turned in. D does not journal and did not even bring a book to read and she says it’s too early to go to bed. She said she usually doesn’t turn in until 12:00 or so, but then she likes to sleep in. She is self-employed and makes her own hours. I offer her a book to read – no go. I finally just tell her that I need some alone time to journal. She takes the hint and goes up to the bedroom. She then tells me that from now, if I have to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, please do not turn on the lights and do not close the door because it squeaks and wakes her up. I am glad she can’t see the murderous look on my face. I ask her how the heck am I supposed to see in the dark. In a slightly nasty voice, she says, with that little flashlight you so thoughtful brought with you. I am just about to tell her where she could stick my little flashlight when I thought of what my son said to me before I left – don’t say anything that will make your trip even worse and maybe ruin a friendship.

The rain seems to have followed us South to Rome. The Divas were meeting in J and M’s apt. to plan out their day, but everyone slept in (I was the only one with an alarm clock). D is still in bed. I thought we should try to get our train tickets for Naples before we all set out for the day and there is a travel agent right around the corner. As I walk into their apt. there is total pandemonium. Everyone is talking at once, and poor J is trying to get them under control. P and N do not want to go to the Colosseum/Forum because of the rain, but they don’t really have an alternate plan. J and M want to go, even if it’s raining. D stumbles in yawning, still in her pjs. I finally say, let’s just go get our train tickets and then you can all decide on what you want to do.

Thank heavens the travel agent was a patient person. I had the schedule in hand, I knew what train we needed in order to be in Naples at the appointed time where Mr. Renalto Cuomo was to meet us and take us to Sorrento. (which I had arranged with their approval) But for some reason, they now think it might be better to leave a little later and can’t I just call Mr. Cuomo and arrange that. I say no. I am starting to get angry. Diva J tries to calm them down, the travel agent is tapping her fingers on the her desk. They finally agree, the ticket is printed – we get a 10% discount because there is a group! but only one ticket(s) and I get to be the ticket holder. Now, we have to pay for it. D only has a 100, N and P need to use credit cards, I have the exact amount, so I give it to N, suggest that she may want to put it all on her card and everyone can pay her. KIA says that’s not fair to N. I can feel my BP rising. I took a deep breath and said, I’ve got to go and left.

I’m walking across Piazza Farnese feeling like a liberated woman! I head off to Trastevere almost skipping along. I call Sandra and we are meeting at her apt. and then going to her “Woman’s Club” for coffee. I can hardly wait to tell her about the Divas.

crefloors

Why are David's hands so big? Well, this is the story I got while looking at him. He was supposed to be put in one of the niches outside one of the churches. It has to do with scale. They want all the figures to look the same and of course with perspective, if all the statues are the same size the higher up they are the smaller they look, so they had to make adjustments when they carved them depending on where they were installed. So, anyway, that's what I heard.

kopp

How big is the "cute little speaker for walkman"? I assume you mean like a regular CD walkman thingie? Speakers would be cool to have, but they'd have to be small to fit in the 21" roller.

smalti

Hi, Barb!

Your report is hilarious! Reminds me of some trips with relatives, long ago.

phieaglefan

BRAVO! BRAVO! More! More! I hate to say it, but it makes me feel better about myself. Had a somewhat similar experience and hated myself for thoughts of ditching the group, etc.

I think this would make a great screenplay!
Thanks for taking the time to share it with us!
H

kakalena

"The Divas are wondering why his hands are so big."

If you're looking at the David who's looking at hands? ; ))))

"How did Eiffel Tower find a bright green plaid? "

LOL!!!

"We are all in separate seats in three different cars."

Thank G-d for small favors. : )

"I’m walking across Piazza Farnese feeling like a liberated woman! I head off to Trastevere almost skipping along."

Go Barbie!!!!!!

I want to know the name of the restaurant at Pitti too when you get your breath.

Great story!!

Kakalena

elaine

I"m not sure that the story about David being carved to fit in a niche is true.
I believe he was always supposed to be out in a public piazza, such as where the large copy is now. Anyway, according to this story all of David is in proportion, with one exception

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs...idpisello.html

Barb

I had a wonderful morning – I met Sandra’s very handsome son who lives in Toronto, but now that he has graduated and has his Masters, he’s moving back to Roma. Sandra is very happy. GianCarlo shows me his lastest paintings. I can feel my BP going down and for the first time since we left, I am relaxing. Sandra wants me to stay for lunch, but she has some errands to run, so we agree that I will come back at 1:30. Even in the rain, I’m feeling happy. I go back to my apt. – ah the silence!! Change into dry shoes and walk to the Campo where I buy a bottle of wine and some flowers for Sandra. Had a wonderful lunch with my friends. They wish me luck with the Divas and I reluctantly walk back to the apt. to meet with Divas to see what the plan for the evening is.

They are still not back, so I play some music, Dido, love her! pour a little wine and write in my journal while I have the chance. I write that I can’t believe how disappointed I am feeling. I have budgeted and saved for this trip, I’ve researched, planned and tried so hard to make everyone happy. I am now thinking to hell with them. Here I am, a person who tries so hard to fit it, be as unobtrusive (is that a word?) as I can. I dress a certain way, I linger over dinner, I enjoy Rome so much and I am with a group of women who are as far away from this kind of person as they can be. I vow that I will totally back off, I will let them flounder, that I will pay for my dinners and then just let them fight it out. I will tell them when they are getting too loud instead of cowering in my seat. Well, it sounded good at the time.

I hear voices, the Divas are back. Again there is chaos. They are wet, hungry and tired, it’s 5:00 pm. I told them about a restaurant I had spotted not far from the Campo and I could go make a reservation for 8:00. They all looked at me with hatred in their eyes. M and N had to eat now!! Apparently P is sick again and is staying in. D and J said they really need to eat too, but could wait. I say, ok, you all go out and eat and I will go out later by myself and walked back to my apt. A few minutes later they all appeared at my door and said, if we can eat at 6:30, we’ll all go with you. Oh no. So we did. We went to La Pallarino, just off the Campo. We were seated in a separate room from the locals, which at first bugged me, but I was thankful later on when the noise level from our table rose. Eiffel Tower and D are pretty good at saying burro (for their bread) and they are happy to see English on the menu. They rush through their one course and my second course of roast young pig has not arrived when they are talking about the bill and leaving. They are all shocked that I would eat young pig. I told them they could go, just leave their money, they insisted on staying with me. When the bill came, the same old scene.. outraged at the coperto (sp) charge and refused to leave a tip. I was too tired to argue with them. Apparently they have their second wind and want to walk to the Trevi and throw their coins in. I want to throw them in, ha. They liked the fountain, but D almost had her camera stolen because she asked this young girl, gypsy, to take her pic. We had talked about the gypsies, I even pointed them out to her on several occasions. Luckily, J was able to grab it from her as she was about to make her escape - too many people to make a fast getaway. Coming back through the Piazza Navona, I just want to sit at one of the cafes, have a drink and enjoy the evening and do some people watching. When I suggested it, they again, had no idea why I would want to do this and reluctantly sat down with me. I told them they didn't have to that I was just fine by myself. I had a small prosecco and J and D had warm milk! N and M had nothing, but sat and yawned and complained how cold it was and how tired they were. It's 9:30 pm! These women are everything I strive not to be. D starts her nightly dialogue as soon as we get back to the apt., but with a new theme now, bad mouthing the Divas. I tell her I'm going to bed, but I don't. I secretly write in my journal and read with my flashlight and hope she falls asleep soon.

Barb

Sorry I didnt get the name of the restaurant in Florence. This is just not like me, as you might have noted from other reports, I always get the names and addresses and all the details. I was just so distracted on this trip.

The speaker for my Walkman CD player is a little Sony that literally fits in the palm of my hand and runs on AA batteries. I will find out the specifics for you and post it later.

FainaAgain

Oh, Barb, you don't know how sympathetic I am reading all this! Reminds me of that one time I was on a trip with my father and his woman (never even a Diva!). At least I had enough sence to reserve 2 hotel rooms!

And earplugs with the wires just stuck in a purse gives an impression of me listening to a radio

wliwl

Is anbody else starting to feel sorry for Barb's "friends?"

Is there two sides to this story?

111op

Ha: "I want to throw them in, ha"

That's a great link, elaine, on David.

I think you're right about David and Piazza della Signoria. There's an interesting exposition on the Piazza in the OUP Very Short Intro on Renaissance Art. I forget the details, but one of the chapters talks about how the sculptures for that square evolved with Florentine politics. David was specially commissioned for this purpose.

OUP link:

http://www.oup.com/us/catalog/genera...;ci=0192803549

Kavey

Just read this thread and Barb, I a full of sympathy! I've had some mildly difficult occasions with travel friends but few and far between and nothing as bad as your experience.
On the other hand, it makes for a fabulous read - thanks for sharing!

kireland

My mom has the pants (and the bright orange top and an electric yellow one to boot - more mixing and matching possibilities). I laughed so hard when I read your description of the outfit - thinking "that's my mom!"

ncgrrl - my mom got hers at "Laura" a women's clothing chain in Canada. They were part of the summer line though (and strangely popular it would seem) so you're probably out of luck!

Barb - Great report - keep it coming please! I know how hard it is to find time to post (what with all this reading of others posts!)- I've been compiling a Tuscany trip report and haven't gotten it ready for posting but will soon. I do plan to share some insights into the group planning pitfalls I experienced - but it won't be nearly as entertaining as yours though!

kakalena

To wliwl

No