For many years, Dad has heard about the extensive train system in Europe…and about the “fast trains.” We are on one now…non-stop from Milan to Rome in 3 hours. Smooth and fast…and relatively quiet. It is a wonderful way to travel…no airports, train stations are easy, carry on bags are not a problem and the seating (ok, its not like I get to sit in the seats) is comfortable. I am currently spread out on the nice carpet napping…while Dad is watching the landscape go speeding by. As we descend down the Italian peninsula, the topography continues to change. The high plains, south of the Alps look much like the American Midwest…pancake flat with miles and miles of agricultural crops. As we move South, we see the small mountains and hills of the Tuscany region…the same hills we drove through enroute to Florence. I must say, Dad is far more mellow than he was driving across Italy.
We rose early this morning…actually did I a lot of packing last night…and left the house, bags packed, at 6. Quick easy drive to the airport where we turned in our rental car without issue. Just left the keys with the attendant. Dad had (another) close encounter with a wall in a very tight roadway/alleyway in Verona…and the side of the car had some significant scratches and dents…but, you should have seen the wall. Well actually, the wall is fine…maybe has some additional blue paint now from the car…metal and rock…we sustained most of (all of) the damage.
Anyway, the transportation strike continues so no tram or bus from the Airport to the Train Station…but, no worries. UBER! Dad ordered an Uber for 15Euros…a large, black Mercedes…very nice. The ride to the airport on our first night was 60Euros…some difference. We made the station with an hour to spare so Dad was able to walk me around to do my business…its hard…I am excited to see Rome…so many smells and things going on but, after several walks around the block, I placated Dad…and felt much better…81/2 hours on the trains…going to be a long day. I will write more when we get to Rome…our hotel is only a. 20 minute hike from the train terminal…and I think both Dad and I could use the exercise….
Well…we stopped at every little town between Nice and Milan…at least it felt that way. The big/long stops were Monaco and Genoa. As we now speed across the country side in the fast train, Dad cant help but compare the landscape to the Texas Hill Country…Fredericksburg, Mason, Junction…areas outside of San Antonio. OK…so its colder…but feels very familiar as we look at scrub brush and cross small ravines and rolling hills. Much like history, Geography seems to repeat itself. Well what we do with the land provided changes…wine verses cotton and peanuts. Still Dad and I are amazed at how much the land looks like home. Even with the occasional broken down tractor or hay wagon. I was told, by several folks, that Southern France is populated by aggressive wild boars. I am not sure how I would have reacted if one had seen/attacked Dad and I. I think I would just cower behind Dad and let him figure it out…as we all know, I’m a lover, not a fighter. And a napper...I think I may be Italian or Spanish with my love of naps!
So, after four interesting days, its Addio Roma. Dad and I are on the train headed back to France, Nice and Mougins…we change trains in Genoa. It was an early rise for me…I could have slept all morning. Fortunately, Dad had the good sense (for once) to order and Uber to the train station instead of walking. We left the hotel at 530 so walking would have been interesting plus, despite the fact that Dad and I walked to and from the train station 4 times during our stay after (oh surprise) we followed Google and Maps when we arrived and got hopelessly lost. Maps sent us in the exact opposite direction of our hotel into the bowels of Rome…I mean we saw NO tourists…nothing old or nice and I am quite sure that anyone with any SENSE (as we now know, Dad is headstrong…and often wrong, getting us a a constant pickle and endangering my life and my food source. I had visions of being ferreted away to the hinterlands where someone would try to make me into a working dog…herding cattle or sheep or something. This is NOT the life I live nor the existence I envision. So, as we depart Rome on the train…watching the sun rise…let me recount some of our adventures…
As I said above, we started badly. Our 20 minute walk to the hotel turned into 2 ½ hours of anguish. Dad was carrying his backpack…his back hurt, his feet hurt, his knees hurt, his head hurt….well, you get the idea. And he was NOT in a good mood…as neither of us had eaten since we had a snack at the flat before departing. We finally arrived at the location where the hotel was supposed to be…the Golden Rooms…and found nothing but buildings. No sign, no red carpet, no friendly bellman. I mean nothing. Dad finally contacted our host, Nino, and told him that we were lost. So, Nino came down and met us…we were actually standing in front of the “hotel.” Nino pointed out the sign which was just an illegible plaque on the wall. We entered the building…poor Dad had to climb a flight of stairs with his pack on to reach the elevator to our floor. He was NOT happy. The room was just ok…very basic with a portico overlooking the street…paper cups, a coffee maker, a small tv and a double bed. But, it was spacious and very clean. We will make do. Dad (his “Grumpiness”) asked Nino to recommend a restaurant and he did…Hosteria Romana. Nino called and got Dad a reservation…and, of course, they don’t allow dogs so I stayed home and ate dry kibble and drank water. The dry kibble is just not working for me and I look forward to getting back to canned food and (ultimately) my Steve’s Raw Diet. Dad returned after an hour or so and said the restaurant was fabulous. He was seated next to an Italian International Lawyer who managed his firms office in Rome…he actually lived in Milan with his wife and daughter. The man and Dad had a wonderful conversation about international politics, Italian politics and family life. Dad said the man was dressed in suit/tie…of course Dad was in jeans and a shirt. He didn’t bring along dinner dress clothes although the rest of the restaurant was very local and very casual. The man (originally from Sicily) told Dad that he eats there every day when he is in town. The owner started as a busboy and now owns the restaurant. Dad had a lovely pasta with olive oil and tomatoes followed by chicken with peppers and tiramisu/coffee. He also enjoyed half of a bottle of local Shiraz wine…and he came home in much better spirits. We connected the fire stick to the tv and internet and started watching the Netflix series on WW2…before passing out.
The next morning we awoke around 630 and headed out to find coffee and a park for me. We found both…a lovely park close to the hotel and a small bar/coffee shop that opened at 630. YEA! The lady running the coffee shop was kind…Dad had 2 Cappuccinos and a pastry and we walked home. Dad prepared for a day of site seeing. After cleaning up a bit, we headed out to find the Trevi Fountain…but instead we found the Spanish Steps…we climbed them and took pictures and then descended. As I understand them, the steps were designed by some great artist to connect the Spanish Embassy with the church/palace at the top of the hill. After we descended, Dad and I were gazing up at the steps when we heard…English! Dad politely approached the group and asked if one of them would take a picture of us together. As it turned out, they were Australian students with 2 chaperons (the leader was the Italian teacher at a private high school and his associate was a lovely lady who taught small children and travelled in her spare time). The kids were very nice…one was actually from New Hampshire and California…studying in Gold Coast, Australia. The Italian instructor knew Rome and they graciously allowed us to tag along (so Dad wouldn’t get lost). We saw the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and a bunch of old churches and monuments…taking lots of photos. Finally, in the early afternoon, we broke away and headed back to our hotel for a nap! Dad left me in the room and returned to Hosteria Romana for lunch…this time he had soup (Tortelini in Broth) followed by a filet in pepper sauce and gelato…and wine. Although the place was packed with locals, Dad found time to engage with the owner..and his English speaking son who was his waiter…spirits are improving!!! After a nap, Dad and I walked back to the train station…just to make sure we could find the damn thing. On the way home, we stopped by Harry’s Bar…yes the same Harrys Bar that was so overpriced in Venice. This one was not as pricey…so we sat outside and Dad enjoyed a couple of martinis and potato chips / peanuts for dinner. I caught the eye of an gentleman sitting across from us on the patio. He smiled at me and came over to start a conversation with Dad. His name was Leigh and he was also from Australia…a wine grower among other things…like us, he was just traveling around Europe. He and Dad really got along well…and agreed to meet the next evening for dinner. Dad is so much happier when he has someone to talk to…in English and Leigh and Dad really hit it off…after 2 martinis, Dad paid his tab and excused himself…it was a long day. We don’t love Rome…but it is growing on us.
On Saturday, we decided to venture out to Vatican City. We left our hotel and walked along the road that led to the top of the Spanish Steps and beyond…the view was utterly spectacular. Dad picked me up to see the old city…there was a light myst over the city but you could see many of the domed structures…the gold inlay shimmering in the light. In the distance, we could see Vatican City and St Peter’s Basilica. We strolled along the road, midway up the hill, until we hit a series of switchbacks as the road descended into old Rome. We stopped and admired the many piazzas and sculptures and we made our way to the river crossing and Vatican City. Prior to the bridge, we passed many “old modern” buildings which we assumed housed the current Italian government…they had that look about them…similar to what we saw in Washington DC…but not a vast. After crossing the footbridge, we encounter blocks and blocks of designer clothing stores…as we have in every city we have visited.
Vatican City was amazing. We walked into the huge piazza in front of St Peter’s Basillica…teeming with crowds, many standing in line to walk through the cathedral. The line stretched for (what seemed to be) a mile…moving at a snails pace. We spoke to someone later who said the walk through the Basilica took several hours, the Sistine Chapel was the last thing on the tour. Tourists are hustle through this ancient chapel with minimal time to gaze at Michelangelo’s famous fresco on the ceiling. Both Dad and I were happy to pass on the tour…both of us were starting to feel the huge crush of people…which pretty much defined our time in Rome. So touristy…hard to find a restaurant that doesn’t cater to the tourist crowd. On our way back to the hotel, we walked by the Parthenon, the garden where Julius Caesar was murdered…and the Coliseum. All so amazing and yet…the crowds. I cannot imagine what this would be like in the summer tourist season.
We agreed to meet Leigh back at Harry’s Bar at 8. As we approached the entrance to our hotel, we met Aysha, another American expat who lived in an apartment on top of the building next door. After chatting with Aysha for a bit, I invited her to join Leigh and I at Harrys later that evening…and she agreed. Quite the vagabond/world traveler and it was nice for Dad to hear English spoken…and (of course) she adored me. We all three met at Harry’s and ended up eating dinner. The food was terrible and on the expensive side but the conversation was buoyant. Dad had 2 martinis and a couple of glasses of wine and was starting to feel it…it was close to 11 so Dad started to excuse himself…Leigh and Aysha would have none of it and insisted on walking home with us…I think they thought that Dad was in worse shape than he was…it was nice because Leigh and Aysha seemed to hit it off well together…we all agreed to meet again for dinner the following evening…as Dad found out the next day, his new friends ended up talking until 4AM…there is NO WAY Dad could have hung with them.
Our last day in Rome, we decided to do a little walking and shopping. Dad heard from. Aysha around noon…so he invited her to be our tour guide…she readily accepted and took us to new places and added so much insight to the places we had been. She insisted that Dad needed to see inside the Pantheon, a pagan temple that was taken over by the Catholic Church years ago…it is an architectural wonder. I stayed with Aysha while Dad went inside the church…perfectly domed with an open circle at the top of the structure…how did they create this perfectly symmetrical, massive geometric structure so many centuries ago…just a wonder. Also interesting…the church had what looked like a moat around it…about 10 feet below the walkway. Aysha told us that this was the actual level of Ancient Rome and that the dirt, the rocks on top had accumulated over time…interesting.
For dinner, my host at the hotel recommended another restaurant…Enosteria…and this time I went along. Leigh and Aysha joined us again for dinner…really pleasant to have their company and I hope they continue to spend time together. Dad and Leigh had a Lagavullen to start followed by wine. Dad had an amazing bean and sausage soup and then cannelloni stuffed with a beef stew…just wonderful! Lot of laughter…jovial conversation. Dinner was wonderful. After dinner, we all walked back to our hotel and Dad said goodbye to our new friends…it was time to move on down the road…or train track.
Well, we are finalizing our travel plans. Today we are headed back to Mougins to close our or Southern France chapter. We arrive back around 5PM tonight (Monday). Tomorrow, we will do laundry, clean up and ship a big bag back to the states…need to travel lighter. On Wednesday, the Mougins adventure ends…we have train tickets for Barcelona where we will stay for 4 days…followed by 4 nights in Seville, 4 nights in Bordeaux (do you REALLY think Dad could come to France and not go to Bordeaux…to see where his favorite wines are grown and created? Not a chance. We also plan to spend time in Paris…Dad really wants to spend time in the Louve and Muse d’Orly. Then either a quick trip to Prague or a return to Amsterdam for final preparations for our return to the States on 01 Feb. Soooo…miles to go before we sleep…thanks for keeping up with me (us).
Addio,
Ciao Bella (Maggie) and Doug
Hi Bella M! Looks like you are doing a great job of keeping dad on the straight and narrow as well as introducing him to interesting travel companions. Good girl! Love your blog. Keep up the good work.