Rome and Points South
The semester is officially over. It was bittersweet to say good-bye to the kids. I know they are having a wonderful time traveling around together but it was a good semester.
After they had all left, I headed south to meet Tammie and Vivian in Rome. We spend two busy days there seeing all the things Vivian had missed on her one whirlwind day trip there in the summer of 2000. We managed to make it through will all our wits and wallets. On one city bus the man standing right behind us had his wallet stolen out of his camera case while we were all there. I think that he just put it in the camera case and the thief saw him do it.
I did discover that I had been the victim of a theft while I was in Rome but it did not happen in Rome. Starting about four days before, I could not get my ATM/VISA card to work in any of the machines. They kept saying that my bank wanted them to confiscate my card but it gave the card back anyway. I called Reag and asked her to run by the bank (since she used to work there) and see what was wrong...it seems that I was victim to the card fraud that has been going around Searcy. I am not sure how they got my information since I haven't used that card in Searcy since September but someone was using it in MEXICO. They used it at a Burger King, Walmart and an ATM. The bank shut it down before it could be used anymore. The bank also has replaced all the money they stole...thank you, Simmons! But I know in the long run we will all pay for the stolen money through additional fees an such. That just makes me mad.
Now, back to the trip. After Rome we took an overnight train to Taormina in Sicily (Tammie, write this down so you can remember where we were!) and spend the day in that beautiful town. We went back to Messina and had to spend the night there because all the trains back north were full. That is a town were EVERBODY goes down to the main piazza on Saturday night and walks around or drives around. Next morning we took a ferry to Reggio di Calibria and strolled around there until time for our train to Naples. At the train station in Reggio di Calibria Vivian and I were waiting for Tammie to finish some necessary business when all these police started pouring into the station. We first thought it had to do with the fire was billowing smoke out of an office building but then a police officer came up and asked why we were out by the train tracks. When we showed him our ticket he said in a very serious voice that it was "dangerous" for us to stand there and he moved us back into a little hallway. We told him that our friend was still in a room down the outside of the building but he didn't quite understand. In about a minute a group of either soccer players or fans came trouping through the train station and the police made them walk between two lines of poilice officers until they got on the train. Right then, Tammie came walking out of the restroom and walked right behind the police line and never knew anything was out of the ordinary. We had to laugh.
We spent the night in Naples and first thing the next morning went to Sorrento. I love Sorrento. We found a great hotel near the station and roamed all through the town. The next day we took the ferry over to Capri. The views were wonderful but many of the shops have closed for the season. We decided not to take the bus or a taxi up to Anacapri because Vivian is so prone to motion sickness. I was afraid that she would be up there and not able to get down!
After two nights in Sorrento we headed back to Rome for them to catch an early morning flight home. I came back to Firenze to get ready for the next round of company. Julie and Mark from Munich will be here tomorrow with another couple they know from church. I am trying to think of all the things they need to see in the couple of days that they will be here. If you have any suggestions, please let me know!
After they had all left, I headed south to meet Tammie and Vivian in Rome. We spend two busy days there seeing all the things Vivian had missed on her one whirlwind day trip there in the summer of 2000. We managed to make it through will all our wits and wallets. On one city bus the man standing right behind us had his wallet stolen out of his camera case while we were all there. I think that he just put it in the camera case and the thief saw him do it.
I did discover that I had been the victim of a theft while I was in Rome but it did not happen in Rome. Starting about four days before, I could not get my ATM/VISA card to work in any of the machines. They kept saying that my bank wanted them to confiscate my card but it gave the card back anyway. I called Reag and asked her to run by the bank (since she used to work there) and see what was wrong...it seems that I was victim to the card fraud that has been going around Searcy. I am not sure how they got my information since I haven't used that card in Searcy since September but someone was using it in MEXICO. They used it at a Burger King, Walmart and an ATM. The bank shut it down before it could be used anymore. The bank also has replaced all the money they stole...thank you, Simmons! But I know in the long run we will all pay for the stolen money through additional fees an such. That just makes me mad.
Now, back to the trip. After Rome we took an overnight train to Taormina in Sicily (Tammie, write this down so you can remember where we were!) and spend the day in that beautiful town. We went back to Messina and had to spend the night there because all the trains back north were full. That is a town were EVERBODY goes down to the main piazza on Saturday night and walks around or drives around. Next morning we took a ferry to Reggio di Calibria and strolled around there until time for our train to Naples. At the train station in Reggio di Calibria Vivian and I were waiting for Tammie to finish some necessary business when all these police started pouring into the station. We first thought it had to do with the fire was billowing smoke out of an office building but then a police officer came up and asked why we were out by the train tracks. When we showed him our ticket he said in a very serious voice that it was "dangerous" for us to stand there and he moved us back into a little hallway. We told him that our friend was still in a room down the outside of the building but he didn't quite understand. In about a minute a group of either soccer players or fans came trouping through the train station and the police made them walk between two lines of poilice officers until they got on the train. Right then, Tammie came walking out of the restroom and walked right behind the police line and never knew anything was out of the ordinary. We had to laugh.
We spent the night in Naples and first thing the next morning went to Sorrento. I love Sorrento. We found a great hotel near the station and roamed all through the town. The next day we took the ferry over to Capri. The views were wonderful but many of the shops have closed for the season. We decided not to take the bus or a taxi up to Anacapri because Vivian is so prone to motion sickness. I was afraid that she would be up there and not able to get down!
After two nights in Sorrento we headed back to Rome for them to catch an early morning flight home. I came back to Firenze to get ready for the next round of company. Julie and Mark from Munich will be here tomorrow with another couple they know from church. I am trying to think of all the things they need to see in the couple of days that they will be here. If you have any suggestions, please let me know!
powered by performancing firefox
posted by BW @ 12:59 PM
5 Comments:
take them to the brancacci chapel. i love that place.
oh and the 4 pm monks at san miniato.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Sounds like you guys had some serious laughs and good times. There are more to come with your fam. Have soo...much fun but know we are missing you here and the christmas parties won't be the same!
I think I'll just copy your blog and make a few changes and then post it to my blog...it's going to say almost the same thing anyway ecept you have all the towns in order and spelled correctly. In case you can't read all the misspelled words i put on your facebook wall, get a hard backed suitcase to pack any liuquids in and check it because I had to throw away 3 bottles of wine (two bought at the grocery store in Rome and one bought at the duty free shop in the Rome airport) and Viv had to throw away her olive oil and when we got to Memphis, we even had to throw away hald empty water bottles! They are not allowing any liquids over 3 ounces into the USA. I even saw them take one guy's tube of toothpaste because it was too big and he was already home in Memphis! Thanks for taking your time to be with us and showing us around. It was wonderful and like Beth said, we'll miss you after Chritmas!
i packed my olive oil in sweaters in my suitcases....that got through.
Post a Comment
<< Home