On the (two hop) road home; or Gordon of Glucester goes to the Wedding Cake

Late addition- lunch in London

Today was our last day in Rome, with a 1725 flight to London Stansted.

We’ll start there (yes, food porn at the end, again – no molten chocolate cake for breakfast today, dammit!).  Again, the trip to the airport was a breeze, and the driver, arranged by the B&B only charged E30, instead of the 55 the guy charged coming in! Great.

We were way early.  And the plane was late.

K was much annoyed.

But it gets better.  EH gets to the check in spot and the woman wants her to put her bag into the rack that you’re supposed to fit into.  Of course, it’s like nowhere near close to fitting on one side (there was a moment when I blamed, OC, but that disappeared).  50 euro! OC, they did the same to me and I got to pay 50 more!  It is clear from the plane there wasn’t room for everyone to have a bag in the overhead compartments, so they needed to – but how are our bags ok on the way out and not on the way back?  One suspects something.  Just a little.

What’s another 100 euros?  Com si, com sa.

We were out of the B&B before the 10 o’clock checkout time and ate at my favorite neighborhood patisserie (I had raisin Danish, EH a Nutella filled donut) and off we went to the Pantheon.

We were told repeatedly this was a must-see in Rome.  K actually asked standing inside “why was it we had to see this?”  Sheldon fun fact, the dome in the Pantheon, built ca. 125, is still the highest concrete one in the world.  Wikipedia includes speculation on how they did it.  It is 43.3m high.  It is a beautiful building, another Roman place that was turned into a church.  The artist Raphael is buried in one circular corner.

Since we were quickly done the next question was “what else is close?”  The tour bus on Saturday had highlighted “the wedding cake,” supposedly American GIs’ nickname for Il Vittoriano, the huge monumental to Victor Emmanuel, the first king of the newly unified Italy (ca. 1861), for the 50th anniversary.  In other words, it is new.  Michaela pointed it out Sunday from the Forum what an eyesore it was – the huge white stone v. The more Mediterranean cliché reddish color of the buildings in the Forum – and towering above them.

It was the typical twenty minute Google 15 minute walk (if you get what I mean), but the rain stopped somewhere in here (we came to Rome for the weather, remember?).  Here’s shot from street level.

There are A LOT of steps (EH criticized yesterday’s for the step count…TL!).  There were 60 to the front door, then another 80 up to the first observation level (not that anyone counted).  But from that level, we got this pic:

But there was a sign for ascenia panorama – an elevator up!  After what some might call bickering, it was determined only I would go up (since I’m the one who likes heights).  Part of the question was “how much cash do you have left?” as yet again Rome lives on cash (I’m not sure if they collect the Euros or just print a lot more each day for the bank machines).  Remember how cheap the cab ride to the airport turned out to be (irony).

After not throwing up on the ride up, I took a lot of pictures.  Gordon of Gloucester goes to the top of the wedding cake!  Here’s a picture of Gordon (you thought I was kidding about the hat?) –

And then this view – that’s St. Peter’s (the dome on the horizon) through the overcast.

And then this one into the Forum (where we stood and Michaela complained Sunday), with Titus’s Arch there in the center.

And the Colisseum.

I put from the day in a file on picasa – here’s the link (if you want this version of the proverbial “we went on vacation, come over and we’ll show your our slides, no! We’ll bring them to your place”):

https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipMzYHo6e3gFPXAY645OBQbQ-LNpHifIwSANBYL1

Then back to the neighbor of the B&B (on the last trip on the bus we found there was a stop across the plaza from it – not 50 yards from our front door – we blame Google maps), where we returned to the site of dinner Saturday night.  Here’s their lasagna (which no one had Saturday):

And then, off it the airport.

Into Stansted half hour late, waited in passport control for almost an hour, onto the2030  Express, which took 45 minutes, then a taxi (I have British pound notes left) to the “executive apartment” which is just across Bayswater Road from Hyde Park – a half hour ride across town.  We were exhausted when we got in, and a German fellow was busting on the front desk staff about his room, so we got in, laid down, ordered Chinese carry-out from “400 feet away” (this from Yelp) and collapsed after an episode of Sheldon’s visit from another physicist who likes to role play. :)

Tomorrow we return to the States.  We need time apart (smiley face) as we’ve begun to bicker over whether we bicker too much. :). The room in Rome didn’t even have a chair – two beds and an en suite bathroom that had a standup shower so small we worried large Italian food meals might mean some of us (yours truly) couldn’t get in (or out).  Small.  Cozy.  And the apartment in Hyde Park is similar, though the bath is larger.  Cozy.

So, home. I doubt there’ll be another blog piece.  We just hope our favorite child comes to JFK to pick us up as planned. :)

Who knew Frank doesn't come out in the rain?

M&B,

You will be disappointed to learn I got a text from Frank early afternoon saying, "Sorry Stefano mi  amici but it's a-raining. But Guido Sarducci is always good for free cappuccino+"

I hear people come to Rome for the weather. WTF is with THAT!?!? At noon my app said 43 degrees and raining... Sightseeing weather. Fortunately I was wearing my Christmas present (known as my Gordon's fisherman look, which you can imagine from family photos here), so kept dry; I bought two collapsible umbrellas for "girls", which turned out clever.

Let me begin our visit to the Vatican with this: we are amazed at the stuff  collected in the British museum. Amateurs. Rank amateurs!! These guys have more s*** than Lord Elgin ever dreamt of! Greek s***. Egyptian s*** (we were reminded it was part of the empire after Agrippa & Octavia won in Antony& Cleopatra).  NS -- our guide actually said "that's a modern chapel" and when I asked when, she said "oh, the 17th century." Here it seems if you don't go back to Constantine ("the Great"), you are new!

But first, a picture of brunch.

Tortino caldo  di ciocolatta.  You will guess from the picture what it is. Frank has it for breakfast often, I hear.  Paese che vai usanze che trovi. (My Italian is getting better :))

We were told to show up to the guide office at 11 with cash. We showed up at ten till, took a card, & said "come back at 1130." Our guide (Fabriola) showed up at 1145 & had to go to the toilet (don't I know the feeling!)

& Then off we went through a light rain.

Rather than trying to pick pictures, here's a link to 20+ selected from the day (from 50 - I could still be there taking pictures). I've just included a couple good ones w captions. (Some food porn at the end for those of you who read for that)

https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipOEaYKZ8C4-mbOc45GnQon65RbMQaosVNWnixn9

After a short walk from the office, as you can see from photos, we went thru the east (north?) Gate of Vatican city into the public portion of St Peter's Square. It was pouring; we got our first long lecture standing in a large glass phone booth. NS!

Then out thru same gate, around the medieval city walls, past most of the 20,000 daily visitors (it gets 6 bleeping million a year!), And through security (long umbrellas not allowed! Concerns over a John Steed-like attack, I guess) &, after a toilet break (bless you Fabriola), we entered & wandered a maze of passages to the garden outside the Sistine chapel. Here we got our Michelangelo does the Sistine Chapel lecture. 4 years for ceiling. 350 days for altar wall (judgment day- there are no photographs allowed in there, so none in my album). 

Then Fabriola walked us back through. There are twenty-five some museums (we learned from the word "muse" -- tour guides are big on etymology, no matter how specious, here) in the Vatican. You can't prove to me we didn't walk thru them all. I took a photograph in each gallery. I also started counting stairs up. 37, 40, 22 ... You know, not like 6. 

After walking to Jerusalem & back, we got 15 minutes in the Sistine Chapel. The Michelangelo frescoes (plaster with paint in it) get a lot of press, but some other hacks did the walls.  It was wall to wall people. Outside, Fabriola showed us picture of the cardinals in conclave, which takes place in that room (you get distracted by the art?!), & where they put in the stove& the smokestack, only for papal elections, & where the new pope goes first to wave to the square. Blah blah

Then out to St Peter's. Your Sheldon fun facts (first of more): St Peter's was built by pope Julian (who Fabriola could not get, he was "Julia" throughout), by first razing the medieval church there, then erecting this little place to surround his tomb. To get the stone, he sent men to the forum and colosseum (see yesterday) were they took the travertine marble. Remember both were ruins buried in flood and earthquake then (a later pope made minimal restoration payment). So Julian's inTom is the center, right under the dome -- the largest in the world. 

But below him in the crypt are the remains of St Peter. Supposedly. We non-Catholics are skeptical - there were 250 years between his death on this site (then a circus) & Constantine's turning the place Christian & them worrying about what happened to Peter. But our Catholic guide said she believed it was there. 

It's huge. We compared to York, which is much earlier (tho by Roman standards not old), and it's bigger. By a bit. The dome seems just a little higher than St Paul's. 

Then out. We've figured out how to use Google maps and the bus system so got fairy quickly as darkness fell to the Trevi fountain (see pic). Then fifteen minutes on foot to the Spanish steps. Built in early 18th c to connect that church on top & square that housed the Spanish envoy by will of a benefactor and after a competition for the design. Seems those steep steps had been tried before and no one had gotten them to hold up. 

Dinner was pizza at the place, Remo, across the piaza from b&b. I had the house special & EH the "verdure " (veggie). I didn't photo K's, which, a la Sheldon, had "Frankfurters". 

And the third consecutive tiramisu dessert, determined second best behind Saturday night's. 

And, for those of you wanting more toilet humor (& I've been told you're out there) -- EH, in an Innocents Abroad moment said after the first two unisex toilets of the day had neither "thank god for America were they have both toilet seats AND paper towels."

And finally our room has a bidet. The question was verbalized  "have you used it [no]... And HOW would you?!" Innocents Abroad. 

Vive la Italiano!

Michael & Barb,

I start recounting the night's meal by saying I'm not proud of what I did. But I enjoyed it :)

But first, a series of family stories that may amuse you, knowing the principles.

A sign you've been traveling together too long web the pre dinner discussion was about applying more deodorant after a long day of walking (at that point almost 12,000 steps by my Fitbit). TMI!

Then there was the discussion about why K keeps getting emails from "Seffridges" --sounds a lot like suffragettes-- (answer, I used her phone to log into their WiFi looking for EH when we were there Thursday night looking for more wedgewood) & EH practically yells in annoyance "it's Selfridges! It's another Chipotle!" See it annoys both children when the parental units pronounce it chip-ol-te.:) Turns out in England they even have an advertising campaign about "we don't care how you pronounce it..."

And then the classic EH at dinner. "Do you think we'll here the same bullshit tomorrow about how Michelangelo was the first to depict Jesus like that?"when asked if she knew of other examples she said "in medieval class we saw all kinds of Anglo-Saxon paintings depicting a six pack Jesus."

Now to the food. My primi--

They didn't have lasagna. You see, this restaurant, Felice, had a different set of items for each day of the week. "The lasagna gone at lunch" I was told.

I was good & ordered salad for my second course. K & EH weren't.






Instead they had this:

Yes, the classic carbonara. Discussion ensued as to whether it was best they'd ever had, & about the tendency to use American bacon, not prosciutto. Disappointment about no peas. LOL

At the next tables the waiter kept bringing this pasta topped with parmesan, then they stirred at the table with a spoon and fork. I ate some of my salad as EH had this--

And K had this:

And I ate salad; I may have mooed a bit at K (a long tradition from me when someone eats veal). . Finally, I asked her what it was "house specialty, cacio  e pepe-- I tried to get you to order earlier." I ordered it. I'm ashamed. 

Don't tell my cardiologist. 

K & EH split their house tiramisu, which they determined wasn't as good as the night before's (they are taste testing tiramisu across Rome)..

But it was a very interesting place: the woman at the next table kept her pug on the chair next to her for dinner (I don't think it got its own plate of meatballs). 

Now to digest, rest, & prepare for Frank. Good night. 

Well, they can't claim this town's a toilet

Dearest Michael & Barb,

Today we saw the Colosseum. & the Forum, you know, where Zero Mostel went in the musical? And a bunch of other stuff. 

But for those of you who read this for the food porn, wait till tomorrow-- dinner reservations aren't till 945 (Michael eating time) & I'm taking a pillow. The place serves food & is a block from the b&b & we couldn't get a res last night till 1130... Who does that?! I guess the revelers outside our b&b at 3 a.m. 

So, to the Colosseum. If you didn't know (we were told in line like we should), admission is free on the first Sunday out the month. Good price. So, we weren't the only ones there. As in, the place held between 20,000 & 85,000 (we heard different numbers) & that many were in line at 11 a.m. They don't open till 10 & close at 330. 

Standing in line gave us the opportunity to buy a selfie stick. Again & again. With the charming sales pitch of a single word, "selfie?" As good Americanos, we discussed the effectiveness of the technique & the dispersion of hawkers. Gee couldn't one of then sell a pope hat or something?

Yes, what's left of the place is impressive. Our tour guide, who didn't look Italian, but was named Arianna, repeated it took 9 years to build, they were worried about the emperor dying. It has four levels, representing the three types of architecture (Ionian, Doric & Corinthian, I think), which you can ten from the picture (???). More impressive is it has five internal circles, so there's for more layers like the one in the photo. It's a lot of fecking stone.

Sheldon fun fact: the Colosseum is not it's real name. It's really the Flavian Amphitheatre (& amphitheatre we were told means seats all around). But Nero, of fiddling fame (a linguistic story for another time) built a 35-meter gold statue of himself just outside (in imitation we were told of the colossus at Rhodes) & the place became nicknamed for it. Huh.

After an hour tour, where M&B, we learned that "arena" is sand in Latin (for the floor of the amphitheatre), etc, we were given an hour plus to explore, take pictures, have lunch...

But not find a toilet.

Ooh, yes, there was a sign for one on the second level (a mere heart-attack-inducing number of steps up from entry level), but it never appeared. Nope, not one on the grounds, or in the subway station-where we grabbed a quick sammy before relying our tour guide.

Our new guide was Michaela (sp?) Who is Swedish. & spoke better English than we do. Michaela was kind enough to point out the nearest toilet when we got inside the Forum gates. It was locked. You may have heard me give, I think, the same yell Sheldon does when Wesley Crusher beats him in the card game.

The Forum was the center (market, etc) of the ancient city. Many ruins, some nicely preserved because they were made churches. Funny how many Roman ruins have crosses on them.

This is a shot down the Forum. The arch in the center is Titus's, built by said emperor himself in congratulations for conquering Palestine & bringing its wealth back to Rome (more on arches later).

You've heard that Rome was built on seven hills? We climbed all seven today to find a flipping toilet! Okay, a massive exaggeration.  But, you get the point. At the top, yes TOP, of Palatine hill, the center of ancient Rome as the founder of Rome, appropriately named Romulus (not for star trek purposes), there was finally a toilet- yes! ONE! & a line (it's what they seem to do here to kill time).

And the path was closing. 4 o'clock & the sun setting. We made our way a shorter, less steep route, to our bus stop. On the way we passed this:

This is the Constantine arch. Built to commemorate a victory over some now unknown ca.312. Yes, 312. No missing digit. It is the last structure built in ancient Rome-- you will all recall he moved the capitol to Byzantium and, OC, renamed it after himself. Lack of ego didn't seem to get you to be emperor.

We waited half an hour for our bus, a 75. For #51s came & went. No less than 3 81s. But, as you know, buses aren't interchangeable. Fun fact, no one actually checks your ticket on the Rome bus system. Just saying... There might be money in that.

We stopped at out now regular patisserie for afternoon nosh (that word for Allan & Ken) -- I had a ciavattori au chocolat. Enough to get me through the NFL & dinner (one specialty is pasta with lamb sauce).

Tomorrow we have reservations in Vatican City. I look forward to seeing Frank & maybe doing some fashion comparisons. 

Or, as they call it in Rome...food...

Michael and Barb,

In Rome.  This was lunch.

EH regaled us with "Notes to Live By" and the first about Rome was "there's always traffic and it's not helped by the insanity of Roman drivers."  This was confirmed by the taxi driver from the airport, who made it seem like one lane was two, made his own shortcuts, and did all kinds of hand gesticulations shooting through the wet Roman streets.

They said it hasn't rained here in two months.  It rained here today.

But we made it with ease from Stansted, with only a minimum of hassle (EH pulled a Michael and got double checked by security, for who knows what?).  Other than that Ryanair was on time and we were in central Rome for lunch.

(For fun, you might want to have a drink for every time I make a Michael is old joke here)

We decided the thing to do to get an overview was to get on one of those hop on hop off tour buses, which conveniently talk to you in like 24 languages (not all at once).  We started at the nearest hop spot, the Circus Maximus -- pictured here.

You know. Michael, Maximus, the one who was emperor in your middle age.

The streets are tight and the bus is large.  It was maybe 50 with a drizzle.  Not a day for being out on the top of a moving bus.

Our overview is that the city is very old and historical and there are LOTs of people here.  You couldn't get near St. Peter's due to the pilgrims (the real ones, like carrying wooden crosses) and some closures.  Maybe another day.

There are fountains.

There are lots of palaces.  And churches.

I didn't get a good shot of the Colisseum (today) and all I got from our distance was this one of the St. Peter's dome.

WE are going to the Colisseum, a short bus ride from our B&B, tomorrow.

After an afternoon nap, we found a place nearby for dinner.  The local pizza place was too full. So we found a place that specialized in Italian...error...food (as they call it here).  How's this?

It's been suggested I have died and gone to heaven.  Not sure about that, but I do like they do with cuisine.

As a final EH moment, she asked why we call it "Rome" when the Romans call it "Roma?" Is the extra A too hard? Who knows the vagaries of Anglicization?

And with that, we move to day 2.  Buonsero (or something like that)

...YES, I'd take cheese with that

Traveling is both a great adventure and a big pain. As they say, life’s a struggle, right?

Let’s start with Ryanair.  If you haven’t heard of it, it’s the British isles equivalent of southwest.  Or JetBlue.

Their initial prices are grand, if their website is clunky, but they charge for everything, almost including air. For instance? After checking in online, I was told “all non-EU passport holders on this flight have to have a printed boarding pass.” After some searching, I find Ryan will charge you £15 each to print one at the airport! Yikes.  Want to take a checked bag? From £15 to £75, depending on the flight.  On ours it was £40 for a 20 kg bag. Each way. I read an article where the company CEO said they were revolutionizing how people traveled(not making money, right?) I see that as I now know how to get three days worth of gear into half a duffel bag AND where the left luggage counter, and what  they charge, is  in several train stations and airports.

But enough on Ryanair. Let’s talk airport express train construction. First, the Gatwick express emailed to warn about construction over the holidays. The half hour trip, we were warned, became a 90 minute one. First, by bus eastward (not towards London) to east Buggtussle for half an hour. Then the full (unprepared for all the luggage) slow train northwest to London, stopping at west Buggtussle, Bumfuckhampton, & River Worthing. Then, the Stansted express (again takes half an hour) is closed today (the day we are traveling) & tomorrow. you can hear my teeth grinding from there. Luckily, one bus alternative was only two blocks from our flat & took “just” 75 minutes.

And, now, for a even more middle-class whine: the damned phone isn’t working worth f***! Okay, right now, somewhere over the south of France, it still  thinks I’m in Potter’s field-where  I’d  claim to have never been, but seems to be near the trainline on Thursday. Not helpful when you want to know where you are or where you’re going.

And my texting hasn’t worked right, eventho at this point I’ve paid Verizon $140 extra for service in Europe. & part of the point of paying was so EH & I could keep in touch. Common conversation “did you get my message?” Yes, did you get mine? No. Wtf?! & yes, one wonders how we managed to find each other without cell phones.

But, despite those minor headaches (& neither Ryan or Norwegian from JFK has offered a free cup of water), it beats staying at home, hoping Ellen isn’t a rerun (I’ve seen two episodes w the blonde from 2 Broke Girls, who’s really not that interesting).

I’m sure in all this Michael would have gone all Glengary Glenross on someone, which makes me miss him. LOL

The New Year

So, Michael and Barbara,

Yes, yesterday was too much and I didn't have the energy to write you.  Sorry.

So, here goes the last two days, as quickly as I can since the bus arrives at 545 for the airport in the morning (as you know, I need my beauty sleep).

At some point earlier in the week, we decided to go to York yesterday.  None of us had ever visited the seat of the second archbishopric of the kingdom, so we jumped on the 8 o'clock train (early enough) and made the hour and 50+ minute ride (this was a fast train).

BTW, if you missed the news, northern England has been under a flood watch all week.

Let's start with the inside of the wonderful Gothic cathedral -- might be the best in England.  EH did all the steps to the top of the Tower (like 265) but I never saw the pictures, and she said the view "wasn't that good."

We followed that with lunch (a horrid affair at an overpriced chain pub), then walked down to the "castle area" to see that.

But the Viking village was underwater (so we were told by a guy in Viking gear at the door), and the castle was pretty much a museum, with amusements, but little castle to it, really.

The Clifford Tower, a 12th century affair (York was doing a lot of building that's stood up about that time), was impressive, so here's your picture.

The museum including a toy collection, a recreation of a street from Victorian York, complete with about a dozen shops (it smelled a bit of urine, but maybe that's to make it more authentic), a big section on how the Great War changed the world, a prison section, with video of 18th c prisoners and jailers.  Love the wigs.

Then a cuppa and we were too tired to walk the XXX back to the train station, so nicely, easily found a cab and we were back on the way to London by 335.

In one of those moments K will never forget (it pairs w the 2008 trip from Paris where the woman talked from the Chunnel to London), the guy behind me decided that he was in the Quiet Train and that meant calling his mates in London and working out the evening was the thing to do.  And he didn't know much about how to get around in London.

Back at King's Cross, EH wanted to go to the Harry Potter store (I know Michael knows of it).  Yes, America, there was a huge line on New Year's Eve to get your picture taken at Platform 9 3/4, which has a fake trolley car, loaded with a white owl in a cage, and a person to put a scarf on you and take a professional photo.  New Year's Eve, 7 PM, in line to get your picture...I will say no more.

None of us was up to going out in the rain for New Year's.  Call us lame.

This morning started with French breakfast at Paul's Patisserie.  I had croque forestier and K quiche lorraine.

Then off to the V&A.

You know that the V&A (Victoria and Albert) is the largest (in square footage) design museum in the world.  I drug along, knowing I would hear about splotches.  To K's credit, she only turned to me once and said "I want to re-do the living room like that."   While K & EH went into the Indian Fabric exhibit (like I was paying money to look at more splotches?!), wondered around  -- it is large.

Speaking of which, you may remember their cast court -- they have some impressive casts of statues elsewhere.  This is by far the most famous --

I thought the wall was a nice color, right?

While EH went to see the 19th c stuff, as she said at dinner, including 5 samples of William Morris wallpaper, we waited and K looked in the shop.

We had early dinner reservations, and made the trek "cross town" (cross the touristy center of town, given it's Europe's largest city) to one of Gordon Ramsay's dives.  It was the closest one to the flat.

EH started with this, what she called the best sushi of her life.

K and EH had the British sirloin, not the US, rare, or Japanese that were on the menu --

I admit I had rigatoni.  I had had enough meat on the trip so far.  And I wanted to prep for Italy tomorrow.

We decided that Jamie Oliver's was probably a bit better than Gordon's place.  The determining dish was this mac and cheese (I didn't order it -- I really didn't!)

And, with that, good night...more tomorrow (maybe) from Italia.