donco - Thank you so much. I think it was Paul Brill. That name sticks out. I thought at the time to see such an English sounding name to be related to the Borghese odd.

Sad to say, my first (of course hopefully many) trip to Bella Italia was about to end!!

Tom

You have restored my faith in mankind thank you this is a lovely report.

Thanks Tom....still readin' it and still lovin' it.

I'm sad for your trip to end... but happy to be reading about it!

hint, hint... Will you do a list of 'favorites' at the end? I remember Tra6 doing that and it was wonderful... favorite 'moment', view, dish, etc... I have mine written in my journal, just no time to type them up yet!

Hello Tom, you had such a beautiful time in bella Italia! Thank you for sharing your trip. I am so glad that you were able to meet up with others, I know how that must have made your trip extra special!!! I need to go back and check out more of your photographs. Wishes to you that your next planned trip to Italy takes place as planned!

Kristy - I was planning on doing a list at the end. Some of the choices are going to be hard.

Tom

Day 12 - Rome

I have read here that to avoid the long lines at the Vatican Museums is to go early or later in the afternoon. Did I heed this advice. No, great big silly me.

I get there at about 10:30 and wait in line for an hour. Today is the day after the recent canonization ceremony so it seems like half the world is here. And I thought I was cramped in coach!LOL

There are at least three tour groups that I can see. And the tour guide is zipping their charges through the museum. After about 45 minutes all the pushing is just too much to really enjoy the museum.

So I just make beeline for the Sistine Chapel. It is very crowded, but when I get in and turn around and see 'The Last Judgement', WOW!! I forget all about the other people. I am just in awe of the whole place. The Moment!

One piece of advice that I got from this board, was to exit when a tour group leaves because this exit lets you out right at Saint Peters. Works like a charm.

I enter the Basilica. Amazing, just amazing!! It is here that I take what turn out to be some of my favorite photographs from the whole trip.

After about an hour I head over Castel Sant' Angelo but it closed. Well I will just have to visit it the next time I am in Rome. So I head back to the apartment to start some packing.

While packing I realize that I need to go out and buy another suitcase to get everything home in one piece. While I am out, I stumble across the Cat Sanctuary. Actually I was looking for an internet cafe, which I never found, but enjoed the cats.

I get back to the apartment and finish packing and get ready for dinner. Laurie and I meet up around 8:30 at Piazza Navona and choose one of the restaurants and grab an outside table. The food was good, but I was getting a little sad that this was my last night in this wonderful country. I made a vow right then and there that I WILL be back!!

I go back to my apartment and finish off one of the bottles of Chianti I bought on the tour in Florence and call it a night.

Tomorrow - saying goodbye to Bella Italia

Oh Tom, the night before one leaves Italy is so sad. I always hate that. But do tell us about your last hours of your trip.

And in the meantime, buona notte Tomaso!

This has been such a wonderful read. You simply must take yourself right back to Italy so that we can read another of your reports, LOL!

TexasAggie - If you pay half the tab and I am on the next plane out of Seattle!!LOL

Tom

Day 13 - Rome/Seattle

I get up just past sunrise and head over to Piazza Navona and my little cafe for one last cappuccino. The sun is hitting the top of the buildings on the west side of the Piazza, giving it a beautiful orange glow.

From here I walk over to the Ponte Umberto for the last picture I take in Bella Italia. It is of St Peters in the distance, it too has a very tranquil orange glow. The Final Moment.

I go back to my apartment to prepare to leave. Stefano, my driver shows up 10 minutes early. Where was he on the day I arrived in Rome? LOL

On the way to the airport Stefano's cell phone keeps ringing. Seems that two ladies in the office called out sick today and all calls are being routed to him.

We arrive at FCO and the line to check into Delta is extremely long, but not nearly as long as the one for British Airways. The plane is boarded and departs on time.

Due to a strong headwind we arrive at JFK a half hour late, leaving me an hour and a half to get through customs, claim my luggage, go through security and then get all the way to the other side of the Terminal.

Well there is a snag going through security. Seems that the metal plate in my right ankle keeps setting off the detector. I finally just take my sock off and show the gentleman the scar."Okay, you can go"!! LOL

When I finally make it to the gate they are just boarding. WHEW!! After we take off, I order a beer, then do something I have never done in my life. I actually sleep for 4 hours on a plane!! Good thing that the man sitting next to me had headphones, for I am sure my snoring could have woken the dead!! LOL

Well, there you have it, my first of what will be many trips to Bella Italia. Thank all of you for the kind words. This was without a doubt the best experience of my life!!

Ciao

TRSW

Great report! It was a lot of fun going along for the ride. Thank you.

It was fun travelling through Italy with you Tom!!! I love all of your "moments". And yes, isn't JFK horrible. I have never changed planes there without having an almost heart attack before catching the plane to get to our west coast.

Thanks again for sharing all your beautiful days in Italy...I, as you know, so enjoyed your trip report.

Thanks for the great, fun report, TRSW. Boo-Hoo, now I've got to locate another serial travel report to amuse me very evening!

Really enjoyed your "moments," Tom. On my trip to Italy in Sept, the first day in Venice, while I was really enjoying all the beautiful things I was seeing, I really wasn't "grabbed" by Venice. Then after dinner I paused on the top of the Rialto Bridge for the view, and that was my first "moment"! Ah, yes, I'm in Venice, and it's beautiful! Glad you had such a great trip. I also can't wait to return to Italy!

Bellisimo! Tom - I am so with you on the return trip. My first was 2002, then last month, and the next one will be within two years. There is so much of the world (and my own good 'ol USA) that I have not seen, but I am drawn to Italy in the way you described.

I promise to do my report over the Thanksgiving break (can you tell I work in education?)- and that will still be within one month of my trip!

As I promised Kristy that I would, here is a list of my 'favorites' from my trip;

Favorite thing about the trip in general - That I canceled the tour and went solo!! It was a trip of great self-discovery. It helped bring me out of my shell and open up to meeting new people.

Favorite 'Moment' - Without a doubt, the night Pat and I happened upon the dancing lessons. I just couldn't believe I was seeing this!

Favorite dish - Another easy one. The gnocchi at 'Bibo' in Florence. So soft and fluffy and the sauce...yum!

Favorite dinning experince - The night at 'Il Latini'. What a fun night!!!

Favorite view - I can't pick just one. There were soooo many. But the three that stand out the most are;
1)The veiw from the Campanile in Venice
2)The view from the top of the Duomo in Florence
3)The view of the Tuscan countryside from the walls of San Gigimnano

Favorite city - I have been asked this many times and honestly I can't choose. Each city is totally different and have their own unique charm.

Favorit thing to do - Just wander around the city and get lost.

What I miss the most - The FOOD!!!!

Regrets -

That I did not spend more time in Venice. There is so much more that I need to see there.

That I was not able to cook a planned dinner in Florence for Luciano and Susy, the owners of the Pensione I stayed at. Due to the head cold it didn't seem like a good idea.

There were many things I wanted to see and do but didn't. I am fine with that. I will just get to them next time!!!

All and all, a great trip and I can't wait for the next one!!

Tom

One more thing. I am done loading all my photographs at pbase. There are four galleries to make it easier to navigate through them:

www.pbase.com/trsw/venice_2005

www.pbase.com/trsw/tuscany_2005

www.pbase.com/trsw/rome2005

www.pbase.com/trsw/ostia_antica_2005

Tom

TRSW, what a great trip and report. I can certainly empathize with how you feel about Italy.

TRSW, your joy is contagious and your photographs are wonderful. Thanks for a terrific report.