Fiumicino Finale

June 28 You know what's not good? Being woken at 4:30am by your ringing mobile phone when you have a morning flight to catch. Ugh. I picked it up, only to be hit, half-awake, with a charming recorded message informing me that our 11am departure was now a 2:30pm departure. Crap. I tried hard to get back to sleep and had just pulled it off when at about 6:30 I received another recorded message that it was now an even later departure - 3:15. BUT that this situation could change at any time, so we still needed to appear as if the flight were still 11.

Our car got us there in record time so we entered Fiumicini Airport at about 8:30am. We were greeted with an enormous line at the United counter and lots of disgruntled passengers who were just discovering that their flight was almost five hours behind schedule. While in line, Mr."Never Forgets a Face" Tony sees a guy that he swears he recognizes, but just can't place. I think it was good that the line was long and slow - ditto for the security line - so that by the time we reached the gate we were faced with a mere five and a half additional hours of waiting.



Tony catches a few Zs in the Fiumicino Airport.

We had consoled ourselves with visions of fabulous shopping opportunities at the gate but the reality was that of the approximately 15 shopping establishments in the G concourse, at least ten were super high-end such as Dolce & Gabbana and Prada. The one store we really liked was a food store, where Sam and I made several last-minute purchases of pesto, sauce, and pasta. After spending a good 20 minutes fighting our way through two separate lines for a late breakfast, we settled into a corner to try to find ways to pass the time. Sam and I talked, read books, and people watched while the girls played video games. Tony, who had already demonstrated his uncanny ability to sleep anywhere, any time, stretched out on the airport floor and...slept. Upon awaking, he again spotted the familiar face and it suddenly occurs to him that it's the Ravens' Offensive Coordinator Cam Cameron. He decides to go over and chat.

The next seven hours were a blur of wandering, waiting, shopping, and eating. Finally, at about 3:30, our flight was called and we were allowed to board the plane. The flight was long, but fine. Sooo hard to sit on a nine-hour flight after sitting for almost eight hours at the airport. But by then, we were just thrilled to be on our way. Other than some fairly significant turbulence (bad enough for the pilots to make the flight attendants strap in) I can't complain. Upon arrival at Dulles (so happy to be on Virginia soil) we still had to endure the further "herding" involved in the "mobile lounges," passport control, and customs. That took a good half hour. I had texted Joe, who had agreed to pick us up, when we landed and told him that I would text again once we cleared Customs so he would know when to leave home. Right after Customs I texted "now" just as we walked into the International Arrivals area. We moved through the crowd and as the last of our group, I was the only one to notice Joe, who was already in the airport, in the crowd, and holding up a sign that said "de la Paz." I don't know when I've ever been happier to see him. He ushered us out to my car and drove us home in short order. Blissful!

What Do Papal Opulence and Flea Markets Have in Common?

June 27 Answer: we enjoyed both today. Being a bit OCD (what? You hadn't noticed?) I had the troops out the door at 8am sharp to make our 9am reservation at the Vatican Museum. We walked to the Termini Metro stop (down three levels - ugh) for a relatively easy (and air conditioned!!) ride to the Ottoviani stop and then had a ten-minute walk to the museum. It was SO nice to walk past literally hundreds of people waiting in line for tickets. Thanks to Rick Steves we breezed right in the front door to exchange our voucher for tickets.

We loved the Vatican Museum. Really interesting exhibits with English translations. Even the girls were interested. Beautiful surroundings. We took our time, despite the ever-increasing number of annoying tour groups. The Sistine Chapel was something I have looked forward to seeing for more than 30 years and it did not disappoint. Again, thanks to Rick Steves, we avoided the enormous St Peter's Basilica line by using the "shortcut" between the Museum and Basilica - which also saved us a 20-minute walk. The Basilica was just gorgeous. The way it tricks the human eye into thinking it's smaller than it really is is quite remarkable. Upon emerging from the Basilica, we caught sight of the hundreds of people waiting in line in the heat. I felt bad - but also a little superior for doing my homework. Is that bad?

Strolling through St. Peter's Square.

We worked our way through the square and then slowly back to the Metro - stopping for lunch along the way. We decided to take the Metro to San Giorgio, where there is a huge section of old Roman wall as well as a huge flea market. We had SO much fun at the market. Really great finds and the girls had a blast haggling for the best prices for things. Very little cost more than four euros! After shopping we walked back to our apartment via the Colisseum. It happened to be the shortest route, but I didn't mind seeing it again.

Next, we took yet another "siesta" that allowed us to do some packing, clean up the apartment, and buy some fresh bread for another of our famous scavenger dinners. After dinner, we took a ten-minute walk to meet a family whose daughter was adopted at the same time and from the same orphanage as Sydney. Because they live in Georgia, we have not seen them since the girls' adoption in 2005. As Joe pointed out, we have now seen them on two continents and neither one is North America. In any case, Syd and Claire really seemed to enjoy catching up with Sophia as did the parents and the older sisters. It was just really cool to see the girls together and try to wrap our heads around how much (and how beautifully) they have grown since their days in Maonan. Ying-Mei and Ying-Yan have come a very long way indeed.

Meeting up with Sophia in Rome!

As have we, and now, it's time for us to wrap up our adventure and head home. It's been an incredible experience that I feel extraordinarily fortunate to have experienced. Thanks to all who have listened to my ramblings.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum

June 26 Actually it didn't and that works just fine for me. I am over quota on surprises and bumps for this trip and I enjoyed a day of things going according to plan. First of all, it's just Damn Cool that the Colosseum is only a few blocks away. One left turn and then BAM! Colosseum. It's probably not normal that I go looking for things in the places they are supposed to be and yet I'm always shocked to see them. (But it's the COLOSSEUM!)

First glimpse of the Colosseum just a few blocks from our hotel.

We dragged everyone out fairly early to be at the big C when it opened at 8:30. Once again - so glad we did since it turned into a mob scene fairly quickly. I can't imagine what it's like later in the day. Again, just standing outside is awe-inspiring. You can't wrap your brain around the fact that it's over 2,000 years old and yet still, for the most part, standing. To think that things could be built on such a grand scale so long ago - I get pretty thrilled. While touring and reading all the information, I was struck by how relatively accurate the movie "Gladiator" was in terms of its portrayal of the various staged spectacles and use of animals, etc. I could have spent all day there. Nevertheless, we had to move on, and so we crossed over to Palatine Hill and then the Forum. By then it was again super hot out, but those thoughtful Romans have running water fountains all over so we were able to refill and stay relatively hydrated. The Forum was really, really cool (my professional opinion) and I could have spent another whole day here, but the girls were starting to cook in the noon sun, so we decided to pursue some lunch.

After lunch we walked completely across the city to Borghese Gardens. Walking along Via Veneto both ways was very entertaining. The park was just okay, but to be fair, we were so hot and tired, we didn't venture in very far. Everyone was just really wiped out from the heat and days of trudging, so I suggested some gelato and a late afternoon siesta. Good call - just what we all needed. We returned to our apartment for a few hours of book reading on our terrace. Heaven! Later, I took a solo trip to a nearby market and I have to say it was fun trying to blend in a bit. I understood bits of conversations and by now have a decent grasp of Italian market protocol. Just strolling down a Roman street with my purchases, on the way back to my apartment, was very enjoyable.

Second gelato stop of the day. It's just SO good!

After resting up, we headed out for yet another great meal, followed by a stroll. The Colosseum called to me once more and I had to answer. One more look - in the waning sunlight and with the moon rising - belissimo! On our way home, we stopped for yet MORE gelato! Yes - twice in one day (though I abstained because I was still too full from dinner). A sweet end to a very sweet day. Only one day to go! Tomorrow is All Things Vatican!

There's No Place Like Rome

June 25 It's shocking to realize, that as the sun sets on our first evening in Rome, that we have only two full days remaining on this trip. It's been wonderful and exciting, but there is definitely a part of me that misses home, my friends, my son, and of course, toilet seats. Plus, several of us (primarily Tony, who will not be happy with me for sharing) are starting to feel the wear and tear. He's had terrible blisters for the entire trip, which we aggravate by going on daily death marches. Then, our last day in Sorrento, he twisted his ankle and it gave him quite a bit of trouble today. But, being Tony, he roughed it out with no complaining - but we could all tell he was hurting.

Waiting for our final train from Sant'Agnello.

Bright and early this morning we packed up our apartment in Sant'Agnello and splurged on a cab to the train station. We easily made the express train to Naples, which, while better than our first CV train with luggage, was still quite crowded and hot. I was SO happy to disembark for the final time at Napoli Garibaldi and switch to our Trentalia train to Rome. It was the lap of luxury by comparison. We took a high-speed train so the trip from Naples to Rome took just over an hour. We rolled into Rome at exactly noon and then set off on foot to our apartment in the Monti (Monte?) district.

Our landlord was waiting for us and gave us a quick tour of our two bedroom, two bath apartment. We love it - terraces front and back. After dropping our bags off we set out to find a place for lunch and we lucked into a place with wonderful food and a very attentive wait staff. I ordered a fabulous linguini with porcini mushrooms. Tony got a seafood ravioli, Sam got shrimp risotto, and the girls split gnocchi. Everyone was very full and very happy.

Meeting Claire J. in Rome. Very cool. As was the gelato.

Our next mission was to meet up with dear family friends of ours, who happen to be in Rome at the same time. We met them at Trevi Fountain and it was just so cool to see familiar faces. We took photos, shared some gelato, and handed off Buzzy Bee, who is up for even more adventures. It was very, very cool. Next we picked up Rick Steves' "Heart of Rome Walk," which included Campo di Fiori, the Pantheon, and the Spanish Steps.


We finished up around 5:30, at which point Tony's ankle was really finished. So we hiked back to our apartment and sent him and Claire upstairs while Sam, Syd, and I hit a nearby market for yet another cobbled together dinner (highly recommended and delicious). It helped that our landlord left us an enormous bowl of fruit, which will take us our entire three days to get through. Tomorrow - ancient Rome! For me, I think this will be one of the highlights of the trip.

Our Date with Doom: Pompeii and Vesuvius

June 24 Another hot and sunny day here in Southern Italy. I like the heat in general, but all the hiking up hills we've been doing makes the high temperatures and humidity a bit more difficult. Literally, each of the last three days I have had periods of time when sweat was pouring down my face. Not attractive, but I guess I'm not here to look attractive.

This morning we set out at 8am, down our big hill to Sant'Agnello train station, where we went to buy tickets, but...no one was there. Apparently 3/4 of the town basically shuts down on Sunday, including CV train ticket sales. All we found was a hand written note, telling us to purchase tickets at "the bar."

Buy the ticket in the BAR!?

Fortunately we were a few minutes early so we wandered out of the station in search of "the bar." Also fortunately, I was in possession of my dazzling Italian language skills and was able to ask several people, "do you know where I can buy tickets for the train?" They either didn't know or gave directions that sent us in circles. In the last establishment we tried, the counter person basically told us to just get on. When I specifically asked, "are you saying we just ride without buying a ticket?" He just gave a nonspecific shrug that I interpreted as "yes, but you didn't hear it from me." Okay, so we rode the train for free. I still feel a little bad about it, but we had an ugly overpayment scenario yesterday, so we looked at it as some sort of cosmic train ticket justice.

Thirty minutes later, we entered the gates of Pompeii and I was transported. I love, love, love visiting places that I have been reading about my entire life and Pompeii was no exception. We arrived early and we were rewarded with the run of the place for a while. Long, sweeping, empty avenues of destruction. it was awesome! It was obvious that the site was very well maintained. And we had Rick Steves' walking tour to help us find the highlights. We spent several hours wandering around, but by lunchtime, it was absolutely packed with tourists and ridiculously hot. Time to go.

Wandering the ancient streets of Pompeii. Sublime.

We grabbed a quick lunch and then went about booking a bus to Vesuvius. Not as easy as the guidebook tells you. We were looking for one or two specific companies, but they were nowhere in sight. Instead, we were confronted by a number of very pushy people, trying to sell their tours and getting upset if you hesitated to compare prices. We kept walking and found a company we liked much better. And we're glad we did because our tour took the more scenic (and rugged) trip through the Vesuvius National Park. The 4-wheel vehicles we rode in was like a military vehicle, and it, miraculously, got us to within a 20-minute uphill slog through deep piles of dirt to get to the summit. We were told we would be greeted by a certified volcanologist, but when we got off the person, the woman who greeted us only pointed upward and said "it's 20 minutes to the top."

As per usual, we set a fast pace and were way ahead of our group when we reached the summit. Once we got there, we were told that we would be getting a tour in English once the entire group had arrived. We debated waiting, but since we knew we only had about an hour at the top, we chose to go on our own and were able to make our way around almost the entire rim. Glad we did, because we overheard a tour later that was more like a five-minute intro. The views were spectacular. Both looking into the crater, which looked like a lunar landscape, and the views back down to the Bay of Naples and surrounding areas.

Our descent - quite a bit easier than the ascent. The views were worth the price of admission.

It was much cooler at the top and we were even inside clouds from time to time - not surprising since we were nearly a mile up. Soon we made our way, slipping and sliding down the path back to our military vehicle, then to a shuttle bus, and then to our train. We were a bit weary (and did I mention FILTHY?!) when we arrived back in Sant'Agnello. But we were also hungry. Unfortunately we also chose to eat in town on the one day that the entire town was closed. MUCH more walking before we finally found an open restaurant. Worth the walk as the food was good and the staff was great. After walking back up our big hill and scrubbing off a great deal of dirt, we began the process of packing up for the next, final phase of our journey. Tomorrow at 8am, we set out for Roma!

Who Needs a Funiculare?

June 23 We were back on schedule with an early start this morning, which really does pay off here. When you're in places frequented by mobs of tourists, the best plan is to get in early, enjoy, and get out. We had a taxi pick us up at 7:45 for the ten-minute ride to Marina Piccolo in Sorrento, from which we were taking a jet boat to Capri. All went smoothly except we were slightly bummed that the open top part of the boat was chiuso (closed). I was enjoying the ride, which was pretty bouncy until Sam tapped me and pointed to Claire, who was positively green and looked as though she was about to throw up. I jumped up to try to get her to a bathroom and almost ran into a crew member who was wisely holding a handful of plastic bags. I grabbed one and headed back to Claire, who was in bad shape, but thankfully never actually lost her breakfast. She does occasionally get car sick, but she had been fine on the jet boat, so we didn't think to give her any meds. By this time, Syd was feeling queasy too but we were thankfully pulling into Capri's Marina Grande.

Capri - beautiful views everywhere you look.

What can I say about Capri? I can't think of many places that compare in terms of beauty except perhaps parts of Maui. We arrived by about 8:45 so it was still fairly foggy and made the mountains look like something out of Jurassic Park. Our first activity was supposed to have been to jump on an early boat to the Blue Grotto, but with two girls down, that clearly wasn't going to happen. So, we went with the flow and decided to walk up (straight up) to the actual town of Capri. We have done some serious climbing since we got here, but this one took the prize. I think we climbed for at least 45 minutes before reaching the top. I can report, however, that it was well worth it. We explored the town a bit (lots do ultra high-end shops) and then set out for Villa Jovis. Of course we took the wrong path, but we wound up at the Natural Bridge, which was pretty spectacular.

Natural Arch on Capri.

After walking back to town, we made out way aback down to the Marina for lunch at a surprisingly good waterfront "snackbar" where Tony was served the largest mug of beer I have ever seen. The people, as almost always, were wonderful - generous and funny and hellbent on giving phenomenal service. Next, per Syd's request, we tried out the small beach on Capri. The girls had a blast despite the zillions of rocks, playing in the water while Sam read, Tony slept, and I stared at the gorgeous water.

After taking the jet boat back to Capri, we climbed once again up to Sorrento from the Marina and made our way to the train station and back to Sant'Agnello. We stopped for some food to take home and found a great little market with a very sweet man where we found pasta (which he gave a thumbs up to), fresh fruit and fresh bread. We are looking forward to a feast later. We walked up the giant hill to our apartment and it nearly finished us all off. We have had too many climbs the past few days. But we made it and are now enjoying a relaxing afternoon at "home" on our terrace overlooking the Bay. Loving life!

In Pursuit of Pizza

June 22 This morning we decided that the troops deserved a well-earned sleep in. So while Sam and I enjoyed the gorgeous early morning view from our terrace, Tony and Syd slept in while Claire pretended to sleep while actually playing with her iTouch. We really enjoyed the slow start. We finally left our apartment a bit after 10 to head down the crazy, windy hill into Sant'Agnello, where we easily made it to the train station after only 15 minutes of walking. The town is adorable and we need to make time to come back and do some exploring.


So, yes, we got right back on the horse - in this case the Circumvesuviana train. It was a much better experience today primarily because we weren't dragging luggage and we were able to find seats. I did the girls' hair to pass the time. At one point I had Syd sit on my lap so that an older lady could sit. She was so sweet and acknowledged that "la piccola" (the little one) had been sitting there. After the 70 minute ride we emerged into Naples with no earthly idea where we were. The only map I had wasn't detailed at all. I knew I was looking for one of two pizza places, but I didn't want to say that when I asked directions. We figured it out and located Pizza Trianon just around noon.

Pizza in Naples - out of this world!

What can I say? It was totally worth the trip - even if we left right after pizza, which thankfully we did not. After the "nom fest," we hoisted ourselves up and headed over to the Archeological Museum. It was neat to see the Pompeii relics, but I wouldn't rush back. Next we just wandered the city for a while and I purchased a new toothbrush (phew!) and Sam found a Napolitano dessert (sfogiatelle?) that she was looking for. Next we took the long walk to the Port of Napoli area to catch the jet boat back to Sorrento. Loved it! Forty five minutes of sea breezes, heart-stopping views, and bouncing around on the Bay of Naples. It beat the hell out of the CV train.

Jet boat from Naples to Sorrento. A highlight for me.

Sorrento was nuts. First, it's built on top of a cliff, so after exiting the ferry, you have to do a lot of climbing. You get winded and sweaty. Again. Sam and I did an awful job of orienteering in the actual town, which we saw more of than we intended. After a visit to a local lemon/orange nursery, we took dinner more seriously and began our search for the spot we had chosen. Something about buffalo in the name. We spent a good half hour searching, stopping often to ask directions. Just whe we literally threw our hands up in the air in the middle of a back alley, I glanced to my right and just barely caught sight of the sign. So glad I did because the food was phenomenal. Mine was pasta involving San Marzano tomatoes, which I am here to tell you were worth getting lost for.

Arrividerci Firenze!

June 21 So, with the travel "irregularities" that plagued the beginning of our trip, we wound up with one entire day less in Florence. Che peccato! Our partial day (today) was just wonderful and left me wanting more. We rolled it out bright and early for our "Date with David" at the Accademia. Per Travel God Rick Steves' advice, we had our reservation in hand and appeared at 8 - though I had forgotten that the reservation was actually for 8:15. Oops.

My people forgave me for denying them that much needed 15 minutes of sleep. My day had a bit of a rough start. When I put my backpack through the metal detector, my water bottle popped open and poured into my bag. When I picked it up, it started pouring onto the floor. Shit. Sam wisely suggested I hold it over the trash can but i had already created a water hazard and perhaps even an International Incident. Before the injuries began to pile up, we quickly darted into the museum. I loved being in the Accademia early. We pretty much had David to ourselves for a blessed 20 minutes before the crowds literally came pouring in. He is the definition of "worth the price of admission." After the Rick Steves tour of the Accademia, we had a street breakfast, including cappuccino for Sam and Tony. I chuckled at the silly cups, non coffee-drinker that I am.

Florence's lovely Duomo.

Next we visited the Duomo (impressive) and then climbed the Duomo (really tough less than two days after our Siena climb, but SO worth it. The views were sweeping and spectacular. And the breezes were amazing on a very warm, but gorgeous day.

Sam loses her mind in the Mercado Centrale.

Our next stop was Mercado Centrale, where Sam and Claire nearly had seizures from excitement over amazing food. I am not a foodie, but even I thoroughly enjoyed wandering the aisles of the mercado, which were filled with different foods of impressive quality. Eventually Syd and Tony (who managed to get lost even though the mercado was only two blocks from our apartment) and we made our own alfresco picnic. Wonderful!

Our time was quickly slipping away, so we headed to the Arno to visit Ponte Vecchio, which was crawling with tourists, but still managed to be lovely. Next the street market, where we each found an item to treasure. Mine was a bel cappella, which I have been wanting since I arrived. It's adorable.

All too soon (again) we had to pack up. We dropped our luggage with our landlord and had one final bicchieri de vino rosso in our neighborhood before climbing aboard the train to Napoli. Train to Napoli was in first class and womderful. I love the trains here. About 2.5 hours later we arrived in Napoli and our perspectives shifted very rapidly. We had to switch from our fabulous Trentalia line to the Circumvesuviana, which services areas below Naples. Hellish. When the train arrived, an enormous mass of humanity was bound and determined to force themselves onto already packed cars. I was undeterred and literally jammed myself, Claire, and Syd into one car, luggage (piled up) included. Tony and Sam decided to try the next car, where we promptly lost sight of them for more than an hour. Ironically, while Sam and Tony didn't think they could cram into our car, plenty of others did. For the next three or four stops (did I mention there were about 30?) no one got off, but at least 5 or 6 more people got on.

We were literally mashed flat against other people and it was about 300 degrees. I knew the girls were miserable, and literally dripping with sweat, but they didn't complain once. Sydney couldn't reach the bar so I told her to hold on to me. But honestly, if that train had come to a screeching halt, she wouldn't have moved since she was packed in like a sardine. After about 20 minutes, people started getting off and I eyed a back corner where I thought we might be able to stash our suitcases. A wonderful man saw me looking and basically made room for us, and directed people to move around so we could crawl back with all of our stuff and even get two seats. It was so generous. I was touched. Once we sat down, I braided the girls super sweaty hair to try to help them cool off a bit. Then they whipped out their itouches and were perfectly happy for the rest of the ride.

View from our terrace in Sorrento. Jaw-dropping.

As we circumnavigated the Bay of Naples we were able to view a gorgeous sunset just before arriving in Sorrento (technically Sant'Agnello) where our landlord had arranged a car to pick us up. We took a five-minute, basically straight uphill drive to our little slice of heaven - the apartamento Agave. Our landlord was attempting to show us around, but we could barely pay attention because we couldn't take our eyes off the view. The apartment is lovely, but the main selling point is the huge terrace where we basically have spent every moment so far. The view of the town, the Bay of Naples, "Vesuvio," and even Naples are simply jaw-dropping. When night fell, I stood outside and nearly cried at how pretty it was. The stars came out and completed the tableau. Actually, splitting a bottle of Chianti with Sam and Tony completed the tableau.

Venice

June 20 

Venezia or Bust!

Our first day post-all-night-flying-hangover was a memorable one. Tony knew how much I really wanted to see Venice so he made it happen. We walked out of our lovely apartment at 8am, crossed the street for some breakfast baked goods, walked the three or so blocks to Santa Novella Train Station, and still had time to spare to make the 8:25 train to Florence. I am a HUGE fan of the high-speed trains in Italy. They're convenient, comfortable, and make it easy to sit back, relax, and enjoy the scenery. Or check Facebook. Whatever.

My only complaint about the trains is that when you buy tickets at the kiosk, the seat assignments tend to be a little...random. So, we have to decide who sits with which child and who sits alone and, inevitably, the person sitting solo has a child's ticket and has to explain the situation to the conductor, who has clearly heard this tale too many times and simply nods his head, rolls his eyes a bit, punches your ticket and moves on.

This morning I drew the "solo" assignment for the two-hour train to Venice and I have to say I enjoyed it. Just cool to be an observer, rather than the observed, which we too often are with a mixed race family with children of odd ages. Once in my seat, I immediately got a text from Tony, informing me where to find the charger for my seat. There was only one for two seats, so I immediately plugged in my iPhone. Score! This meant that I could read my book on the ride without worrying about wasting my battery life.

Just after I got settled, my seat mate arrived. A 70-ish Italian senora who was not pleased to find me (or I'm guessing ANYONE next to her). She commenced what I assume was griping in Italian for the better part of the leg to Bologna. I was completely entertained by her, particularly her habit of doing crossword puzzles by simply consulting the answer keys and then filling in the right words. I was a little sorry to see her go.

Pulling into Venice was pretty magical. Crossing the water, you realize, hey this place really is on/under water. Exiting the train station leads you straight to the vaporetto station, where I managed to put us on the wrong route. Instead of heading down the Grand Canal, we took the scenic route around the outside of the island. Although I contend we saw some sights that most people miss.

We exited at San Zaccario and purposely walked away from Piazza San Marco. We were hungry and wanted to eat somewhere away from the touristy area and wanted to savor the Piazza after lunch. We found an excellent restaurant with simple, delicious food, and got our first taste of just how convoluted the streets and alleys can be. It was a challenge just finding our way back to the Piazza.

Oh, the Piazza. So incredibly beautiful, yet so stinking hot. I was okay with it, as heat doesn't bother me too much, but the girls were pretty uncomfortable. We toured the San Marco Basilica, and were very disappointed not to be able to take photos. However, this did lend itself to Tony's favorite moment when an older woman literally slapped down someone's camera to prevent them from taking pictures.

Since Tony and I did the Siena bell tower, we sent the girls (all three) up to the top of the Camponile. They got the better end of that bargain as their bell tower had an elevator!

Next, we spent the next several hours just...wandering. Every street, every alley, every bridge was beautiful and interesting in its own way. I loved every minute of walking through Venice and we managed to walk from one end to the other, with lots of sidetracking along the way.

When it came time to start heading to the train station, Sam did a wonderful job of navigating, which impressed me because there is just no rhyme or reason to Venice's layout.

Too soon, it was time to head back. A relatively quick two hours (not too hard when you can travel at more than 150mph) and we were back "home" in Florence. We love our apartment and will be sad to leave tomorrow afternoon. But first, we get to spend most of tomorrow sightseeing in our "hood." : )

Forced March Thru Tuscany

June 19

I put makeup on in Newark, NJ and (eventually) took it off in Florence, Italy - with side trips to Milan and Sienna. I don't recall the last time a shower felt so good.

When I left off, we were 30,000 feet in the air and I was trying to catch a few winks. I got a few, but that was about it. Sydney, who was seated between Sam and me lapsed into a sleep coma and it took both of us to wake her once breakfast was served.

Thankfully, the flight was uneventful and we had a breezy trip through customs and onto the one-hour train from Malpensa Airport into Milan proper - which we never saw aboveground. Once in Milan, we needed to book ourselves onto the high-speed train to Florence. By the time we found the correct kiosk Tony noted that the next train was leaving in four minutes. That man is a miracle worker with a kiosk. While he completed the transaction, Sam located our track and we literally all ran, full tilt and then jumped on the train in whatever car was closest. It took a bit of sorting out as we were booked in three separate cars, and we were all pretty far from our proper seats, but we made it! The train (Trentalia) was fabulous. I was paired with Sydney, who spent the entire two-hour ride lapsing in and out of her sleep coma.

Upon arrival in Florence, we had a very easy five-minute walk to our apartment. Though the apartment wasn't officially ready, the awesome landlord let us change our clothes and leave our luggage. Because of our "lost day" we knew the only way to afford a full day in Venice tomorrow would be to force ourselves onto a bus to Siena today. And so we did and it turned out beautifully. Despite the heat, coupled with exhaustion, we loved the one-hour bus ride through gorgeous Tuscany to spectacular Siena. So glad we went. We only had a few hours but we made the most of it by hitting the highlights, including the Duomo, Il Campo, and just wandering the lovely streets. Upon Rick Steves' recommendation, Tony and I climbed the bell tower, which may not have been a good idea from an exhaustion perspective, was a fabulous idea from a perspective perspective. Cannot wait to see those photos!

We rode back to Siena on a double-decker bus and the girls (and Sam and I) got actual thrills from riding in the front-most seats of the second level. It's a crazy drive from an Italian bus driver's perspective!

Back in Florence, we stopped at a market for fresh bread, fresh fruit, mascarpone cheese, and a bottle of Chianti (all for about 10 euros) we headed to our apartment where [cue sound of brakes squealing] we were met with the multi deadbolt locks from hell. Long story short, it took Sam and Tony a full 10 minutes to figure out the confusing series of locks, while we all just wanted to go inside to eat, shower, and relax. I am happy to report that, once the lock was decoded, that that is precisely what we did. The apartment is amazing!

Good night all - now it's time for MY sleep coma.

Making Progress

June 18

The theme for today was "making the best of things" and I'm happy to say that we really did.

After having a delightful breakfast at the Elizabeth, NJ Crowne Plaza, (which COMPLETELY compensated us for our loss of an entire day in Venice including lost hotel fees and lost train ticket fees, right?) we decided to get out and spend a day in NYC. Great decision.

In a fairly complicated "planes, trains, and automobiles" scenario (which in our case translated to a shuttle bus, airplane airtrain and New Jersey transit train to Penn Station scenario) we made it to NYC and emerged above ground to a truly beautiful day. We walked and walked and walked and the forewarned girls never complained once.

Relaxing in Central Park - before and after a 30-block march.

We wandered past the Empire State Bldg, to Times Square, to the fashion district (for Syd - who had her photo taken on the fashion walk of fame), the lunch, and then about a 25 block walk to Central Park, which was the highlight of the day for me. We sat in the cool shade and watched the world. bustle by. Heaven.

Then it was time for our 28+ block walk back to Penn Station. Then back to Newark Airport, where we caught the shuttle back to our hotel to gather our luggage and go right back to thé airport - VERY early. No chances today. Plus we had to sort out seat assignments, which were a mess after yesterday's series of snafus.

We actually had a lot of fun at the gate where I had to eat crow and tell Tony he was brilliant to bring a mini powerstrip so we could all plug our devices into one outlet. Outlets were such a premium that we saw one passenger drag a chair into the ladies' room so she could sit and charge our phone. To make things even better, Tony came back with snacks for himself and the girls, a mini bottle of white wine for me and a bottle of Budweiser for Sam (yes, she's 21).

Charging every device at Newark Airport.

We lucked into the one professional and empathetic employee at United Airlines who greatly improved our seat assignments since the dimwits from yesterday had Syd by herself several rows from any of the rest of us.

Right now we are in the air and pretty happy campers to finally be crossing the pond to Italy. The plane is new and is filled with a ridiculous number of tremendously appreciated amenities. Soon dinner will be served and the I will do my utmost to get a few hours of shut eye before landing in Milan at 8:30 local time - which translates to 2:30am EST. In other words - not pretty.

Upon landing, we will train from Malpensa Airport and then another train for the approximately two-hour ride to Florence. Our landlord says we can't take possession of our apartment until about three, but we can drop off our bags, which will be super helpful. We are currently trying to figure out how to squeeze in a day trip to Venice. I would absolutely love it if we could pull it off.

Love to all from 35,000 feet. I am such a happy camper to finally, really, be on our way.

There's No Place Like Newark

June 17 Our intrepid travelers begin their day with a relaxing Fathers's Day breakfast on their very own screened porch. A scant twelve hours later, it ends in a cramped hotel room in Eliazabeth, New Jersey. How did this happen you might ask yourself? Well, the two word answer is United Airlines.

To hear how truly awful they are, pray read on. I received several texts and even an email or two in the morning, assuring us that all was well and our initial flight to Newark (through which we were scheduled to connect to Milan) was lovely and on time. At about 12:30, literally just as we were about to head out the door to the airport was the first sign of trouble. An automated call, informing us that instead of a 2:45 departure, we were now looking at a 4:18 departure. However, the arrival in Newark was still posted as 4:09. Well, that's a neat trick, isn't it? Because our connecting flight was scheduled for 6:30, we knew we were potentially in trouble, so I jumped on the phone and Tony jumped on the Internet. I got my first taste of what United loosely refers to as "customer service" (which even Claire was putting air quotes around by day's end) and should have seen the writing on the wall. The rep put me on hold not less than six times,several of them for more than ten minutes at a stretch. Tony found a flight that we could make via National, but by the time the woman came back from hold the third or fourth time, thirty minutes had elapsed and we had no hope for that flight. Meanwhile without asking my okay, she switched us to the second flight. I asked her to put us back on the first one, which entailed another wait, totaling thirty minutes. Next we asked her to check on alternates from Newark or really from anywhere. She listed one or two, but halfheartedly. Tony has them all pulled up and we has to tell HER the flight numbers. Quite a few had seats but we couldn't have them because they were in business class. Sigh.

At this point we figured it might be easier to work with an agent face to face so we confirmed we were back on our first flight (for which we lost our seat assignments because we booked "less than 24 hours ahead - hahahahaha) and headed to Dulles. Our first "human" contact was at the check-in counter. When we explained our situation, the employee told us that we wouldn't make the connection and to go to "special service." Well I certainly felt special at that point. This person went through the motions of looking for other flights but told us we really would have no problem making the connection. I was asking questions, because I could see that our plane, which was actually at Dulles, still had to go to Richmond and back before it went to Newark, hadn't even taken off yet. She got testy and asked "where did I get my information?" Um...the United website? Which clearly, btw, said that the delay was because the plane was "waiting for a flight crew." it also showed that United knew there was a delay as early as 10:30, but didn't notify us until after 12:30. With just a bit more notice we could have easily made the National flight. So, assured by our "special services" agent that we had enought time, and having some air blown up our skirts about possible replacement airplanes and the possibility of the Milan flight being delayed, we headed to the gate. When we arrived, I chatted with a nice FA for our flight who expressed doubts about our making it. So as the boarding time grew closer, I stood in line at the gate counter for one more opinion. The gate rep was rude, naturally, but assured me that she was going to get this plane (which still hadn't arrived) boarded lickety split and that we damned well better be on it. When I mentioned that several expressed doubts about the connection, she snapped, "well who were you asking? A person standing next to you?" I told her that the information for several United employees. She then assured me that they didn't know as much as she did, because she was part of United Express.

So the plane arrives, we get on (a tiny plane so we think it should load quickly) but of course it doesn't. Finally all are onboard and the door is shut. Ready to go!! Except...oh yeah, they forgot to put GAS in it! Silly United! So, the door opens, and we anxiously await the arrival of the gas truck, knowing that each passing minute was diminishing our chances. I'd say we spent a good 20-25 minutes waiting and then fueling. Okay, so off we trundle towards the runway, thinking we still have some hope because you GOTTA have hope, right? Wrong. Our pilot pulls our plane out of the takeoff line and basically parks it for ten minutes with no explanation. Eventually he comes on the intercom and we hear something staticy message about needing to wait for paperwork or something and that it was going to be another 15 minutes of sitting on the tarmac.

That's when I realized we really weren't going to make it. Knowing our itinerary and what we had booked, I just lost Venice. I really hate United Airlines, but they weren't done with me yet. Let's add some insult to injury, shall we? Upon landing, i check my phone, praying for a miracle, butnourndlight was alreasy gone. The girls and I waited for the luggage (plane so small that luggage had to be stowed below) and sent Tony ahead to the customer service desk to weigh our options. While we waited for the luggage, I heard a pilot and the nice FA I had spoken to earlier, talking about all the delays and that it originated with a "broken" plane. The FA spotted me and asked if I had missed my flight. I said yes, and she said "they owe you vouchers - hotel and food." Another ten minutes of waiting for luggage, we find Tony at the "Customer Service" desk and he is clearly upset.

I soon find out why. Those of you who know Tony, know that it takes a LOT to upset him. United has saved the best for last. We get Attila the Hun in a skirt. She was rude. She was accusatory ("why did you take this flight?"). She was supposedly looking up connecting flights through Madrid and Lisvon that involved us splitting up and then I heard the word stand by. I asked if she was booking us on something with standby because frankly, no thanks. She stopped what she was doing and proceeded to lecture me LOUDLY about how I needed to let her do her job. She was trying to HELP me you know. Seriously, a three-minute lecture. Then she asks Tony if he speaks Spanish. He says no. She says, "why not? Your name is de la Paz. So Tony has to defend himself by explaining that he is Filippino. Attila (actually Shannon because i have taken the time to note her name tag) launches into what I believe to be Portuguese or Spanish to the woman next to her, clearly she is disgusted with us and feels the need to vent. Then the adjacent lady feels a little sorry for us and intervenes. We could try connections through Europe but they do involve standbys and splitting up. More connections seem like a bad idea so we officially give up and allow her to book us on the next evening's flight to Milan. We are defeated. As we get ready to slink away, I ask Attila to write her name down, which she refuses to do and that sets her off again. She yells/lectures me about how HARD she tried to help us. I admit, I laughed a little and asked again for her name. She Said "it's Maria." I mentioned that that was interesting based on the fact that her name tag said "Shannon." Then she aputters that her name is Shannon Maria and we walk away.

We try to console ourselves (not much luck there) with a terrible dinner at the airport, followed by a shuttle bus to an "okay" hotel, and a beer at the bar (the girls had juice). We did, however, have an unobstructed view of some lovely oil refineries.

Is This Mic On?

Wow. It's been a while. Nevertheless, here I am testing out Blogger's functionality on my iPad in preparation for next week's departure for Italy. Testing...one, two, three.