As is the case with most trips, I'll break the trip into multiple posts (so that you don't get bored, and I don't spend THREE DAYS writing it before being able to publish it!)...!!
We started with a DELIGHTFUL upgrade to business class on the leg from Detroit to Rome. We get upgraded every so often, and it was a really nice flight. We tried to sleep a bit so that we weren't COMPLETELY exhausted when we arrived, but, as usual, I only dozed a bit.
I can't sleep on airplanes. The seats recline, but only about 3/4 of the way to flat, so I end up all "slanty", and keep sliding down towards the foot rest. If we hit turbulance, I get a little freaked out, and am WIDE AWAKE from that point on. I HAVE gotten better about turbulance, and flying in general, but it's still a LOST CAUSE to feel rested upon arival at our destination.
Anyway...we arrived in Rome around 10:00 am on Tuesday morning. We booked our tour through a company called Avventure Bellissime, which I found on the internet. It's always somewhat disconcerting to submit your credit card information to a company with which you really don't know anything (other than what you read on "TripAdvisor"), but this was a TOTAL WIN!!! We were SO IMPRESSED with this company!
They took care of accomodations and transportation, with various "small group" tours of no more that 8 to 10 people, and left PLENTY of time to explore the cities we visited on our own. PERFECT for how we like to travel. With a series of vouchers, sent via email, we were picked up at the airport by a private car, taken to each of our hotels, picked up to go to train stations for our next destinations, and given AMAZING, insightful, knowledgeable tours of key attractions in each city.
An added bonus was that ALL of the others who booked the tour that we were on were AMAZING people from throughout the United States and Canada. We met some really FUN people, and enjoyed getting to know them through the course of the tours. Marilyn, Jim, Mikey, Lee, Derek, Loren, Dennis, Tammy, Chase, Ann, Sandy, Bill, Barb, Tiffany, Megan, Cynthia, and Kim...you were AWESOME!!!
Our first stay was at the Hotel Diplomatic, a three star hotel, about a five minute walk from the Spanish steps. The driver that picked us up at the airport gave us a really informative introduction to Rome as he drove us to our hotel.
The first day was completely on our own. We checked in, took showers, and attempted to wake up. The room was typical for Europe...small, clean, and efficient, with a not so fabulous view of the windows of the building next to us across a slate roof (which was fine...we don't tend to spend much time in our room while on vacation anyway!).
After bathing in sunscreen, we headed out to explore the city.
We decided to walk, which, in hindsight, was a bad idea. When people tell you to NEVER wear new shoes until you've broken them in...they know what they are talking about! Everything started out just fine, but, by the time we got to the Borghese, I had blisters in multiple locations, on the tops and backs of both of my feet (which didn't heal the entire time we were in Italy, due to the continual walking that we did ALL WEEK LONG).
Before arriving at the Borghese, we happened upon our first gelateria...Blue Ice! We have a very decent gelato place here in Eagan...Ring Mountain...and it's very good, but there's just something about actually eating gelato in Italy that takes it to a completely new level.
We started with a tour of the paintings galleries, and, nice as they were, we were a bit underwhelmed (my sister and brother-in-law recommended that we visit the gallery). When we got to the sculpture and statues on the floor below, however, we understood why they liked it. STUNNING! The rooms in which the sculpture were placed were ornate, and colorful, and really, really beautiful!!!!
Two Bernini's, especially, took my breath away...
"Apollo and Daphne" ...
I especially loved how "soft" the skin of Proserpina looked, considering that it was carved in marble. Bernini was an AMAZING sculptor.
After spending a couple of hours in the galleries, we went to the gardens, sat on a bench (so I could rest my throbbing feet), then walked around near the gallery.
After walking around a bit, we grabbed a taxi outside the garden gate (neither Duane NOR I could handle walking any further!), and went back to our hotel.
Duane got on his ipod, checked Trip Advisor (which he did for most of the restaurants and attractions we visited...VERY helpful!), and found a really nice trattoria a few doors down from our hotel...Splendor Parthenopes. Although the reviews on Trip Advisor were mixed, we found it to be really good. We were REALLY early...and practically the only ones there, but we had great pizza, and enjoyed SITTING DOWN for awhile!!!!
After dinner, we went back to the room. Luckily, I had packed bandaids....just in case,,,and used FIVE to cover things up. I switched to my reliable and comfortable loafers, and we headed back out (we WERE on vacation, after all...there were things to see and do!!).
We headed down the street, and worked our way toward the Spanish Steps, which were, luckily, fairly close to the hotel. It was PACKED with people, but BEAUTIFUL!!!
After the steps, we explored a nearby neighborhood...
...then headed back toward the hotel to go to bed! On the way, we HAPPENED across Venchi...the gelato place that Robin and Davey recommended...so OF COURSE we had to have more gelato!!!
After gelato, we went back to the hotel, and COLLAPSED into bed! So far...Rome was AMAZING!!!!
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