Arrivederci Roma..............e Italia

Our last full day in Rome brought beautiful weather with the sun breaking out. It was a good thing, too, since Judy had had planned a pretty good walk in the morning. Today the main thing we were going to do was to meet up with our good family friends, Brunilde & Dino Alberti, her sister Silvana Fichera, and Irene Gianinni, who had traveled down to Rome from Arezzo to see us once again.

After a complimentary breakfast at our new hotel, we headed out to the Metro to take the subway to the Piazza del Popolo. We took some pictures there and also checked out the church on the square called S. Maria del Popolo.

Once we left Piazza del Popolo, we headed down Via Flaminia to Brunilde's house. When I checked on the internet the previous night where her house was in relation to this starting point, I discovered that it was approximately 3.5 miles down this road beyond the Ponte Milvio. I noticed right away that a tram ran down this street and I tried to talk Judy into riding this down the avenue. However, she was not having it. Oh well, it was a nice day after all.......

At the end of Via Flaminia is the Ponte Milvio which we found out is the oldest bridge over the Tiber River in Rome. It also has another unique feature......there are padlocks all over the place on this bridge. We later found out that legend has it that people go there to "lock their love" for one another.

We got to Brunilde's house right at the appointed hour, even after a stop down the street at one of the best bakeries we've seen on this trip. We just had to stop in and get some crostatas and amaretto cookies for the lunch we were going get at Bruni's house. It was great seeing Brunilde, Dino, Silvana & Irene. We visited with them for about 4 hours, which included one of the tastiest lunches that we had on this trip.

The lunch was appetizers of focaccia & supli (a breaded & fried rice ball stuffed with mozzarella), a veal saute with carrots & broccolini (you know what part of that that I didn't eat), and all of the desserts & pastries that I brought and Irene brought also. Oh, and of course, vino!

After we left, we headed back towards the Piazza del Popolo, but this time I was prepared. I had purchased tram tickets on the way there, so that we could use them for the journey back. You know, I didn't go to school just to eat my lunch. That ride was interesting because it just happened to take place right about the commute hour. Within one stop, that tram was trying to set the record for the most people squeezed onto one car. When we got to our stop, it must've looked like one of those circus cars that has the clowns pouring out of it for what seems like forever.

We made our way across town stopping at the Trevi Fountain, since Judy wanted to see it lighted up after dark...........which it now was. We ended up sitting there for quite some time gawking at all the people coming & going. At one point, I noticed that one man was making his way around the fountain slowly studying the water, not the fountain. When he got close, I could see that he had a metal rod that ran down his sleeve and he was palming the end of the rod that had a magnet at the end of it. Clearly he was going to fish some coins out of the fountain with this instrument. I watched him for a while, but it appeared that he moved on unsuccessfully, since most of the coins that were up close seemed to be Euro pennies.

After we left there, we decided to stop at a deli and get a bottle of wine, bread, some cold meats & cheese for dinner since we had to pack for an early morning wake up call. It turned out to be a good decision, since, while we ate,  we got to watch the festivities at the San Francisco Civic Center honoring the WORLD CHAMPION SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS.....will you ever get tired of saying that?..... that was streaming over the internet.

We get up at 6:00am tomorrow to be ready for the 6:45 ride to the airport to begin the trek back home. We arrive at about 9:45pm, which makes about 23 hours of traveling time when you add in the 8 hours we are picking up in time zone changes. I'm sure we are going to be a couple of tired puppies when we get back. We both had a great time and will always look forward to coming back to Italy once again.

Walking Around Rome

It’s Tuesday morning already and we are up again after our post game nap to join the group for breakfast. It wasn't easy going back to sleep after watching the Giants win the World Series! Mark is off to his meeting and I got ready to check out as we are changing hotels. We left the overpriced Excelcior for a Priceline great deal boutique hotel 5 minutes away called the Hotel Rex. The staff is very nice and we have free internet so we can keep blogging away through the last couple of days of our stay. I am feeling ready to go home.

My self guided walking Rome tour today took me to: Piazza Della Repubblica

Mussolini's Wedding Cake Building in the Piazza Venezia.

Santa Maria Maggiore is close to our hotel. It is the only church in Rome in which mass has been celebrated every day without interruption since the fifth century.

Campo de Fiori where you can get the best foccacia from Forno!

After hours of walking, I went back to hotel to meet up with Mark and get ready to join some friends for dinner at Giovannis. The food was excellent as was the wine which included 2 Nobile di Montepulciano, 1 Barolo, and 1 Brunello di Montalcino.

Touring Rome - The Catacombs & St. Pauls' Basilica

Monday morning started with the alarm being set for 1:00am for the Giants game....... which they won 4-0! After taking a nap we were up and at the BKR group breakfast at one of the Excelsior Hotel’s gathering rooms. This was the first day of Mark’s meetings and I was off on a “companion” tour via bus to Saint Paul’s Basilica, the Catacombs, and a pasta lunch at a lovely venue just outside Rome.

Monday was raining pretty much all day with a thunderstorm in the afternoon. Fortunately for us, the bus dropped us off and picked us up pretty close to each of our destinations. The first stop was Saint Paul’s Basilica which is located outside the walls of Rome. The Basilica was founded by a Roman Emperor over the burial place of Saint Paul. Apparently, in 2009 it was announced that carbon dating of bone fragments in the sarcophagus confirmed a date in the 1st or 2nd century so……… could it really be Paul the Apostle buried there? When we got to the basilica, preparations were being made for some kind of service and the choir was practicing. Being able to listen to them sing was a surprise treat.





Our next stop was the Catacombs. The ones we visited were carved through tufo, a soft volcanic rock, outside the boundaries of the city, because Roman law did not allow burial within city limits. I thought it was quite an appropriate tour for All Saint’s Day. I was disappointed we didn’t see any bones. Apparently, bones and ashes were buried in the catacombs. At the place we visited, we walked through former tomb-lined tunnels, with networks of galleries as many a few layers deep. You could see many smaller cut outs where babies were buried, infant mortality being pretty high. This tour is not for someone who is claustrophobic. One woman in our group walked in and walked right back out. I stayed very close to the guide. The thought of being lost in there made me nervous. There were 11 miles of tunnels! Unfortunately I can't put any pictures up here because no cameras were allowed there.

The last stop on the tour was lunch. We stopped at a lovely place (can’t remember the name) not far from the Catacombs that would be a great venue for a wedding reception. Two different kinds of pasta and a risotto was served after an insalata mista. For dessert, they served sorbets inside the skins/shells of what they were made from. The walnut sorbet was inside a walnut shell, fig sorbet inside the fig skin……….very tasty along with an impressive presentation.  And, yes, of course we had wine with lunch.

Mark and I both had much needed nap time back at the hotel before dinner. Tonight was the BKR Gala Dinner Dance……

Tour buses took us to the venue which was the very ornate Palazzo Brancaccio  Apparently it’s the last Roman Patrician Palace and is on one of the seven hills of Rome. The Palace was an amazingly luxurious place to have our gathering and they had so many staff members. They served dinner with white gloves on……a bit over the top.

First course was a delicious lasagna made with layers of sheets of fresh thin pasta. My Sea Bass was not so good but Mark did enjoy his veal entrée. The desserts were quite a production: with the lights out, the staff dressed in their tuxedos and white gloves (one hand behind their backs) paraded around the dining room with Baked Alaska flambé a glow in large serving dishes.

After a few dances we burned off a minimal amount of calories consumed and we were off on the second bus back to the hotel. Next on the agenda was to set our alarm for another 1AM wake up to watch the GIANTS WIN! After the game, Scott and Joe sent us pictures of the Giants celebration party on Chestnut Street in the Marina.

HOW ABOUT THOSE GIANTS!!!!

Raindrops In Rome

Another World Series game and .......another early morning wakeup. Kind of a bummer that Sanchez gave up that 3 run homer so early in the game. It just seem to take the wind out of the Giants' sails in Game 3. Hopefully, they will get their offense back on track in Game 4. I think Bochy needs to take Burrell out of the lineup. His ABs were not good ones and they haven't been for some time now. The only good thing about the game was that it was played pretty briskly, so I managed to get some sleep after it was over.

We both got up for breakfast that was provided at the conference. We got down there about 30 minutes before they were going to close up, so not many people were still in the room. We did find our friend Danielle there and her baby Mirabelle. Originally, the plan was to grab a quick bite and do a quick walking tour around the area before the group tour in the afternoon. However, we burned about an hour playing with Mirabelle at breakfast because she's is just too cute.

We hit the road for our walking tour under rainy skies. It would rain, but not hard, for a little while...and then stop....and then start again. I kept opening & closing the umbrella every 2 minutes. It was really muggy, so I also kept taking off my jacket. After a while I figured out that it wasn't the mugginess that was making me sweaty, but it was the pace that Judy was setting in this walking tour.  She had an agenda....to get to this foccaccia shop she discovered with her sisters in the Campo di Fiore. I was getting some odd looks from people walking around in the rain with a short sleeved shirt on and carrying my jacket.

One nice thing about the rain is that it kept a lot of people off the streets. Today we were able to see the Spanish Steps as opposed to the pictures I posted yesterday. In short order, we saw the Spanish Steps, walked by the Tiber River, went to the Piazza Navona, and made our way to the Campo di Fiore. Judy was quite disappointed when we arrived and found the shop closed.

We headed back to the hotel by passing the Pantheon & the Trevi Fountain. Apparently, all the people who were at the Spanish Steps yesterday reconvened at the Trevi Fountain. It was wall-to-wall people there. I can't imagine how many people would be there on a sunny day.

We got back to the hotel just in time to join in for the group tour of the city. They took us to a bunch of places including St. Johns' Cathedral, the Colosseum, the Gianacolo, and ended with a whirlwind tour of the Borghese Gallery. By the time we got to the Borghese Gallery, we both were so tired that we really needed to get a coffee and/or a nap.

We got back to the room after the tour for a rest before the group dinner at the hotel. The intention was to rest for a little, but I turned on the TV and found that the 49er game at Wembley stadium was just starting and being broadcast on the local ESPN channel. Oh, well.....so much for that idea. We did go to the nice, cozy dinner for about 150 people and, by the time that was over, we really needed to get some sleep. Good thing that the Giants game starts in only about 2 hours from now.

Arrivederci Firenze..........

Today we had an early train ride scheduled from Firenze to Roma, so last night we had to deal with the fact that we have to leave this beautiful city. Even though I have visited here 4 or 5 times now, I don't think I will ever tire of coming here. There is so much to do and so much to see..............

When we left on this 3 week trip, we purposely packed light (1 bag each) as we knew we were going to be moving around a fair amount, especially by train. Knowing that I had a business conference that was going to last 4 days, I brought 1 pair of black pants & 1 pair of blue pants figuring that I could bring multiple shirts to wear with those pants to get me through the conference. Well, that decision came crashing down on me last night. Knowing that the blue pants needed ironing and that they were a material that required a cool iron, I plugged in the iron and almost immediately starting ironing thinking that it had no time to really heat up yet..............WRONG!  I touched the iron to the pants and.............sizzle, burn, F@&$#@***!!! So, now I am left with one pair of pants to make it through this conference. DOH!

The train ride to Roma was fine & uneventful. However, when we got to Roma, the city was a mass of people. Apparently, this is a big holiday weekend and not just any holiday, but a religious holiday (All Saints Day) in the city that is the seat of Catholicism. It is hard pack people everywhere!

We took a cab from the train station to the Excelsior Hotel on the Via Veneto which did not seem to be that far of a distance. The cab fare was 40 Euro, which is about $55. Judy insists we were ripped off. I tended to believe her until we checked into our room and saw that the American Breakfast that we could get delivered to the room was 42 Euro.  Yeah, that's right....42 Euro for coffee, juice, eggs, ham & toast.

Judy & I ventured out for a walk towards the shopping area to see if we could find a pair of blue pants to buy before our group tour to the Vatican. We got to the bottom of the Spanish Steps and were overwhelmed by the amount of people everywhere. You just couldn't move. Craziness! we quickly abandoned that idea.

Our group tour took us to the Vatican where we saw some beautiful works of art, sculpture & architecture. It is truly a unique collection that really should seen by all. Words really cannot adequately describe it.

One of the best things about these conferences is touching base with the many friends we've made with people from all over the world. The highlight today was seeing our good friend from Chicago, Danielle, who had brought her 7-month old baby, Mirabelle, who we had not met. This little girl was an absolute doll and was the hit of the conference. Everyone was gathering around her watching her smile & laugh which she did so readily. It was really a treat playing with her.

Getting & Going Up in Firenze

For the 2nd night in a row, I woke up at 1:15am without the alarm going off and got up to see Game 2 of the World Series that was starting at 1:30am here. I have come to the conclusion that my body automatically knows when a Giants game is on and the internal alarm is always ready to function. I had a good feeling about this game, as Matt Cain has been pitching lights out for some time now and I just felt that he would dominate. The only thing I was worried about was whether the Giants would score any runs for him, as they have a history of not doing so when he is on the mound.

As was the case in some of the previous games, Judy stayed in bed and slept until I woke her up with an update. She got a little more rest last night, since nothing really happened until the bottom of the 5th. Judy missed Renteria's HR, but did get up in time to see the rest of the fireworks. Again, another sacrificed night of sleep that was well worth it. We are really stoked to see the Giants take a 2-0 lead. Would it be to soon to think about...........a SWEEP?

Anyway, it was back to bed at 5:30 with really no requirement to get up again at any particular time. However, Judy had an agenda today.........climb up every freakin' stair & hill that she could find in & around Firenze. OK, that is a little bit of an exaggeration, but that is what my legs are telling me tonight. I rolled out of bed a little before 9:00am and the Energizer Bunny was already up, dressed, and chomping at the bit to head out. Our first stop was the Campanile and to climb the 414 steps to get the panoramic view of the center of Firenze. If you do come here, you really should do this as the view is incredible.



Our next stop was Fiesole, a small town on a hill overlooking Firenze. The good news was that we didn't have to walk there.....a local bus took us there.  However, once there, walking around that town was like climbing the Alps. Going up steps are not so bad, because you can see the landing and there are intermittent ends in sight. Walking up steep hills though never seem like you are ever going to get to the top. It's especially frustrating when you get to the top and you see that the next hill is waiting for you just around the corner. All kidding aside, it was a charming little town that did have very nice panoramic views of the city.

We had a nice lunch overlooking some interesting ruins from the Etruscan times (amphitheater, etc.) and headed back down to Firenze to Piazza San Marco. On the ride down, Judy is talking about walking up to Piazzale Michelangelo, San Miniato al Monte & Forte Belvedere. Thinking fast, in order to save time.....(yeah, that's the ticket) I suggested that we take the local bus from Piazza San Marco (which is on the other side of town from where we were going) up to Piazzale Michelangelo.......and it worked.

Next stop was up the hill to to the church at San Miniato al Monte. It's not far from the Piazzale Michelangelo, but it's uphill and up stairs to get there. It's perched up on the hill over Firenze and I believe that I have some relatives buried in the cemetery that is adjacent to the church.

Next on the agenda was to get to Forte Belvedere which is on top of the next hill to the left as you look back towards Firenze from San Miniato al Monte. You start out the walk going down hill and I was thinking.......this is more like it. However, I soon came to the realization that the more I went down this hill, the more I'd have to climb to get to Forte Belvedere.

By the time we got to the top of Forte Belvedere, I was pretty much done. Luckily, the sun was beginning to go down, so we headed down. After stopping for the obligatory photos at the Ponte Vecchio, we started to work our way back to our apartment.............and the 67 steps up to it! I am going to be glad to sitting on the train for the 1 1/2 hour ride to Rome tomorrow.