Day 7 - Florence

It's 7am and the bells are right on time, waking me from a very deep sleep. The head cold is nearly gone. When I open the windows I am greeted not with the morning sun, but cold and rain. Oh well, everyday can't be perfect.

After breakfast the rain gives me the perfect excuse to go shopping for a new jacket. I go into a couple different department stores and all they seem to have are heavy winter coats. These won't do, so I head back down to the markets at San Lorenzo and prepare to make the one really big splurge of my trip.

I pass stall after stall then find the perfect jacket for me. I start talking to the man at the stall and the next thing I know I am in his store. he grabs a large, I tell him this won't fit. Even another one the sales people says it wont fit, but he has me try it on anyway. Sure enough it doesn't fit. The other guy starts laughing and grabs a larger one. This one fits perfectly.

Now the fun begins. I ask him how much. He shows me the tag, 480 euro!! He asks how I am going to pay, I tell him with a credit card. Out of nowhere he whips out a calculator, punches in some numbers and shows me 320. I tell him this is more than I want to spend. He asks what do I want to spend? I say 200 and he says he can't go that low, but he does have some coats in this range, but of course they are of lesser quality(of course LOL).

He says he can go as low as 290. I tell him it is still too much, thank him and turn to leave. He stops me, tells me he likes me and since I am the first customer and business is slow, I can have it for 250. Sold!!

I have an afternoon tour booked again through CAF out to a winery in the Chianti region. When I get to the bus depot Cheryl is there, she is taking the same tour. Also two young men from England who are staying at the hotel are also on the tour.

Alessandro, our guide, tells us the history of the castle we are going to be touring. It was once owned by the Patzzi family. On the ride out he tells about their failed attempt to assassinate Lorenzo Medici and the wrath that they suffered at the hands of the Medicis.

When we arrive the hills and castle are shrouded in fog. We are then turned over to the man who runs the winery now. We tour the castle and the cellars. Then there is a tasting of three of the wines they produce. Two different Chiantis and a white.

Before we leave there is the obligatory stop at the wine shop. I purchase the two Chiantis, a bottle of Grappa and a bottle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Tonight I have plans to have the first of four dinners I will have during my trip with other Fodorites. Tonight it is travelphile (Kristy and her husband Jeremy). We are meeting up at Il Latini. We are there for the second seating at 9:00, but don't get seated until close to 9:30.

We are seated at a table next to a woman who is a local and a regular here and her boyfriend. Adelaide pulls our tables together and introduces herself and her boyfriend Lutz.

It will take us more than two hours to complete dinner. With Adelaide helping to improve Kristy's Italian , or Lutz translating something from English into German then from German from Adelaide back into English. It was a great time.

As for the food. There is a 2 liter bottle of the house Chianti on each table, lots of water too. Then the Antipasti starts arriving in droves. There is a big slab of salami, tons of prosciutto, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and assorted vegetables. Then you are given a choice of several different pasta dishes. I go for the gnocchi in a marinara sauce. Then they offer the meat choices, as soon as Bistecca Alla Florentine is mentioned all hands go up.

They bring out the steaks. These things have got to be at least 2" thick!! Kristy, Jermey and I try our hardest to finish the two that we are sharing, but it is not going to happen. This followed by desert, Grappa with biscotti, a bottle of desert wine and limoncello. All for 40 euro each.

We are nearly the last to leave. It takes about 10 minutes to say say goodbye and go our seperate ways. A very memorable evening!

Tomorrow - Rome and the nicest person in the world

Tom - You're too kind... for our Il Latini dinner he left out the part that I was HORRIFIED when I saw what Bistecca Alla Florentine was, LOL. Bear with me...

I swore I had read it was a thin steak pounded with the herbs, garlic and such - I'm not sure where I read it, or what I really had it confused with, but when this two inch thick thing with bones shows up - very rare, the table had a good (well deserved) laugh when they saw my response!
At least our table mates got theirs first, so I knew by the time ours arrived. I do love beef, but I have a 'thing' against meat with bones in it - and I grew up on a farm. It tasted good though!

The night was wonderful, the food and camaraderie couldn't be beat! I have to add that Adelaide was a Florentine and asked us to see the bill when it came, she said since we were 'with her' she wanted to be certian we were charged the 'locals' price. I thought I had read it was always 40EU, but apparently not...

Keep up the great writing Tom!

What a wonderful trip report! Love the enthusiasm....takes me back to my first trip to Italy when I was all of 20.

Day 9 - Florence/Rome

7am comes, the church bells ring, well I assume they ring. I didn't hear a thing and wake up at 8. Maybe a wee too much vino last night. LOL

Since I have 11:00 train reservations, I stroll down to the Duomo one last time just to admire it. Goodbye my friend.

On the train ride down to Rome I take the time to edit my Florence pictures. I arrive in the middle of a thunderstorm. Made me feel like I was back in Seattle.

After waiting maybe 10 minutes I catch an official cab and we are off. Now I see why Formula One racing is so popular in Europe. My driver seems like he auditioning for one of the teams. What he has in driving skills is offset in his sense of location. He drops me off about five blocks shy of the apartment I have rented.

I wander around about 20 minutes trying to find the apartment to no avail. I stop into an eyeglasses/optometrist shop. I ask the gentleman in my best pidgin Italian "Dove` Piccolo del Leuto"? He kind of snickers and tells me he speaks English. He gets a map and tries to tell me how to get there.

I must have looked like a deer in headlights because he tells me to follow him and he will take me there. (I must talk to the Pope and put this man in for Sainthood!!) When we get there I can see why both the taxi driver and I couldn't find it. This is not a street, hell it is barely an alley way!! I thank him and he tells me to enjoy my time in Roma, and off he goes.

I meet Cecilia, the owner of the apartment. She has a cleaning crew cleaning the apartment and offers to take me on a tour of the neighborhood while they finish up. She tells me they will be done in about 20 minutes.

The first place we pass is 'L' Orso 80. Even without my notes I know this name. Even Cecilia tells me to just start with the Antipasti plate and then if I am still hungry order more food. This is something that I have read many times here on Fodors. Well I know where dinner will be at least one night while I am in Rome.

After the tour I decide to just head out and explore. In no time I am standing in front of the Pantheon. The sky decides to just open up and let loose. So I go into the Pantheon. It is hard to believe this building is over 2000 years old.

After the rain subsides I go back to the apartment to unpack and get settled in. This apartment is even bigger than the one I had in Venice. It has a sea life motif(see the photo of the fish mosaic). I go out to the local market and stock up.

After dropping off the supplies I head out to explore the city. Turns out that my taxi driver dropped me off across the street from Piazza Navona, a place I will spend some time in every night while I am in Rome.

From here I make my way to Fontana De Trevi. Awesome, just simply awesome. But very crowded!! I will make my way back here later to take some pictures.

I head back to the apartment, tonight will be the one and only night that I make dinner for myself. Since I cook for a living, this is a BIG deal to me. Now I can say I have cooked in Italy!! It was nothing fancy, just some pasta with a sauce of olive oil, garlic, tomatoes and basil. I open a bottle of Chianti and enjoy my dinner(yes, this 'the moment')

After dinner I stroll over to Piazza Navona, grab a table at an outdoor cafe, and enjoy a Limoncello and people watch. Ah, I could see myself living here!!

Tomorrow - Getting lost and the Scavi Tour

Must learn to edit myself - It should say Day 8.

Tom

Hi Everybody

Is it just me or has the site been acting funny? Every time I get to the Europe page I was no longer logged in.

I promise to continue the report today

Tom

It’s not just you Tom. It’s been down for a while. I didn’t realize how much I would miss it, I guess I have a problem.

Anyway, I think those huge heads were part of a temporary exhibition. The last time I was there Dale Chilhuly had a great exhibit of blown glass.

I’m looking forward to more fun.

Tom, I have been thouroughly enjoying your report. So much of it reminds me of my first trip to Venice and Florence, as well as my trip last week.

BTW - I am also still wondering what that blue, glowing waterfall looking thing was down near the Arsenale.

I think all the "heads" were maybe part of The Bienalle? I saw them, as well.

Statia - I am thinking that the blue thing was also part of the Biennale.
Same for the giant cylinder at the train station that when you walk into it there is this Andy Warhol type artwork of the Mona Lisa in a multitude of colors.

Tom

I think you are right, Tom. We actually wandered into a museum at one point (which we'd mistaken for the Naval Museum) and saw some work for the Biennale, as well. Very modern stuff.

We saw the blue "water fall" for the first time from a vaporetto way out in the lagoon (near the Lido), and then again several times at night near San Marco. We were very close to it during the daylight hours near the Arsenale, but never did make it up close to check it out. Too mesmerized by magical Venezia, I suppose.

It definitely was not part of the scenery when I was there last and although beautiful...I just didn't feel that it fit the Venezian atmosphere. Just MO, though. Guess that's why I never sought it out.

Day 9 - Rome

The first thing I do is start a load of laundry. And I thought the showers in Italy were small! LOL I head over to Piazza Navona to grab a cappuccino and a pastry.

From here I head off in the direction of the Vatican. But instead I end up following down the Tiber River. The rain from the day before is now just a mist. If I didn't know that I was in Rome, I could have swore I was back in Seattle (FYI..It doesn't rain as much in Seattle as people think)

At some point I make a left turn and by accident I happen upon The Forum. Now I had planned on going here and the Colosseum the next day but decided to go ahead and check it out.

As I am entering I can hear, and see, a large protest march going on in the distance. It seems there is a big march for union rights going on. I bought one of those books that has overlays of what the Forum looked like and head out to explore. This is a truly amazing experience. The ruins are magnificent!! I spend at least two hours wandering around.

I try to use my map reading skills to plot a new way back to the apartment. What a dumb thing to do!!LOL As I will find out tomorrow, this should have taken 30 minutes. But today it takes 2 hours!! I just wander aimlessly taking in all the side streets and shops.

After I get back to the apartment I start another (small)load of laundry and nosh on some of the prosciutto, cheese and crackers I picked up the day before. I start my third load of laundry, and again head out for the Vatican.

I have reservations for the Scavi tour. This tour will be one of the biggest highlights of my whole trip. Our guide is Brian, a second year seminary student from Scranton Pennsylvania. You can tell from the start that he really loves to give these tours. He does the tour in the style of the old serials from the 30's and 40's. He would bring you up to an ending point, then say it would be continued in the next room!!

Near the end of the tour we end up in an underground chapel. Brian tells us that there is a service held here everyday at 7am but, unless you wear either a red or white hat, you can't get in. He gets a good laugh from this!!

After the tour I head back to the apartment and start yet another small load of laundry. The previous loads seem to be taking forever to dry!!!

For dinner I go to 'L' Orso 80. Even at 8:00 the place is packed!! I get a table, and on the advice of Cecilia and many Fodorites, I start with the Antipasti Misto Alla Cassa. Food starts arriving left and right. My favorite is the fried Risotto Balls!! Let me tell you this is more than a 'starter' is a complete meal. And at 13 euro, is a bargain!!

After dinner I head back to Piazza Navona in search of the perfect 'Tuscan Countryside' painting for my little sister Carla. There are many vendors to choose from. After much searching, I find the what I think is what she wants. I call her and describe the painting. This is exactly what she is looking for. She still hates me, but is thrilled I have found what she wants(The Moment)!!!

Time to call it a night. Before I go to sleep, I start yet another small load of laundry.

Tomorrow - The Colosseum, lunch with a view and another Fodorite dinner.

Hi Tom, still loving your trip report!! I smiled about your walking along the Tiber, I love to do that! I am sure you have the same overlay book that I have of the Forum. It sure helps understand the Forum better. The dryers in Italy do take forever to dry clothes but you were lucky to have a dryer as they are not as common as in the US.

Now back to your time in Rome..more details please!! Best wishes.

More, More! Your report brings back the freshness of Italy. I laughed at your being "arted out", we always said we were "churched out"! Have yet to find Italian food outside of Italy that tastes the way I remember it. Your report and that of Maitaitom's is seriously making me consider another foray into Italy 30 years after my last visit (at the expense of my beloved France!)

Thanks for the treat!

LoveItaly - There was no dryer, thats why it was taking sooo long to dry. I even tried to iron them to speed up the process.LOL

klondike - The food is what I miss the most!! I have been back less than two weeks, and can't wait to go back.

Tom

Day 10 - Rome

The sun is back! And there was much rejoicing!!(think Monty Python) The first load of wash is nearly dry. So to speed up the process I resort to using an iron for the first time in at least 5 years just to have clean socks and undies.LOL

I head over to the little cafe in Piazza Navona again for the morning cappuccino and pastry. From here I head out for the Colosseum. When I get there the end of the line is nowhere to be seen. So when I am approached about joining a small tour group, I jump at it.

Before going in we are given a little history on the Colosseum. We stand in line maybe 10 minutes. The tour lasts about 25 minutes and is very informative, well worth the extra 8 euro to not stand in line. We are then free to go off on our own. Talk about a photographers dream!! First I shoot with my SLR. Then I walk all around again with my digital. I spend about an hour inside, then walk completely around the exterior snapping away.

After I am done I go in search of a market to pick up a bottle of wine. I have been invited to a GTG by a couple that I met through SlowTrav that live in Rome. I find Andrea and Sandras house very easily. Of course they live on the top floor, and of course no elevator!! huf huf huf.

When Andrea opens the door I am greeted by the aroma of what will turn out to be a delicious pasta sauce. I am the first to arrive and am given a tour of the house. Within 15 minutes everybody arrives. The are some freinds and associates of our hosts and fellow Fodorites Jim and Judy(jbaez)Laurie (LaurieNYC) and another couple from SlowTrav. All in all about 14 people. Since the weather has taken a turn for the better we decide to move up to the terrace. I could not believe the view, it overlooks the Colosseum!! Just awesome!(the moment)

The GTG lasts about 2 1/2 hours. The pasta was great as was getting to know all these people. I told Sandra and Andrea that I would be more than willing to rent out their extra bedroom and become their personal Chef. They say, jokingly, "now that is something to consider". But I was serious(sort of).

After the GTG ends, Laurie and I walk back to the Colosseum. Laurie and I have been emailing each other for months and it was nice to finally meet. We talk for a while then decide to meet again later tonight for dinner.

I head back to the apartment and my slow drying laundry. This time I decide to use the hairdryer to get the job done. I thought I was going to kill the thing.

Laurie and I meet up at 8:30 at the Trevi Fountain then just go off and explore the city at night. We eventually arrive at the top of the Spanish Steps. Even at night they are very crowded.

After we make our way to the bottom we head down a side street and find a little cafe for dinner. I cant remember the name, and I have the reciept in front of me now and can't find it. The food was just okay, probably my least favorite meal on the whole trip.

After dinner, as I am walking back to my apartment, I call my other sister Rhonda to tell her I am having the time of my life and don't want to come home. She says she is happy for me and she hates me!! LOL When I get back most of the clothes are dry finally.

Tomorrow - Ostia Antica and another Fodorite dinner.

I'm really enjoying your report. Favorite line: Ah, I could see myself living here Lovely pbase photo gallery - especially the black and whites.
Re: the police in riot gear at the station - I don't know what day of the week you were there, but I've encountered the riot police at train stations a number of time in Italy and it's always the same thing: the fans of a visiting football team arriving for the match or departing after the match! It's always been entertaining (and nonviolent) whenever I was able to stick around and watch. Lots of chanting, singing and flag waving. Depending of course on who won the match

Hi TRSW, Wonderful trip report! DH and I bought one of those books with the overlays also-cool huh to see what things really looked like. Looking forward to reading the rest of your report. Your "moments" certainly resonate! Thanks

Nutella - The day I saw the riot gear was a Saturday at bout 10am. So I guess it could have been for a soccer game. Glad you like the b&w's. I have always loved b&w photography. Those are just the digital ones. My film should be back from processing them any day and I will update the pbase site when I get them.

donco - The book with the overlays was really cool. I brought it with me the next day when I went to the Colosseum.

Tom

First off let me say that about a month before my trip I started a thread asking whether or not it would be possible to see Ostia Antica and be back to Rome in time to use 3pm reservations for the Borghese museum. Well the answer is yes, barely, if you skip the museum at Ostia.
Day 11 - Rome

Laurie and I have decided to go check out Ostia Antica today. I meet her at her hotel at 8:30 and we head to Termini to catch the train out. The ride takes about 35 minutes.

Once inside we both are amazed at the size. I really like all the marble mosaic floors that are still intact after all these years.

When we get to the Teatro there is a large group of English high school kids and their chaperone's. A bunch of them take turns standing at what would have been center stage acting out different scenes. We watch this for about 10 minutes, very entertaining. When we get ready to leave, two of the chaperone's take center stage and go into the most awful rendition of "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" I have ever heard!!LOL

From here we make our way the cafeteria for a quick bite to eat. There are four dogs just wandering around. Seeing how we both are animal lovers, we have to just say hi to them. They are all very sweet dogs and love the attention. <insert moment>. It made me really miss my Diablo!!

We tour Ostia for about another hour then make our way back to the train station and head back to Rome. We make it to the Borghese with about 45 minutes to spare so we walk through the gardens. It is all just soooo beautiful!!

Going through the museum I am overwhelmed by the statues, especially the Bernini's. Then there was the series of two-tone marble busts. WOW! But the thing that I really liked were the 'paintings' on the second floor that were really made out of tiles. They were very intense and I can't remember the artist name. If anyone knows what I am talking about, I would appreciate it if you could post the artist name, thanks.

Tonight at 8 there is another Fodorite GTG/Dinner at der Pallaro. I really have no clue where this place is. When I tried to get directions from mappy.com it couldn't find the street(alley) that my apartment was on. But fortunately for me, as I am heading in the general direction of the restaurant, I run into Fodorite jbaez(Jim and Judy) and two of their friends that are traveling with them. We make our way to der Pallaro and meet up with Laurie and fellow Fodorite sssteve and his wife. Seems they have no record of our reservation but find a table that will accomodate the eight of us.

I know that I said I would keep good notes, but I really don't remember what I had for dinner, but I do know it was good and the company was great! Right before we were getting ready to leave, mamma comes over to say high. If you have a copy of Rick Steves Rome book, she is pictured on the chapter page the 'Where To Eat' section. We all go outside and have a picture taken with mamma, well I don't because I am chosen to take the pictures. What a great night!!

Tomorrow - "The Vatican"

Borghese Gallery and Bernini were/are awesome! The mosaic artists I found listed in the Borghese guide are: Marcello Provenzale; Paul Brill; and Palma il Giovane.
Looking forward to the rest of your report.