From Hola to Ciao!

Hola!
Well, this is definitely a first! Working off-line from my lap while waiting at the Gerona Airport, which is actually quite a nice (and new) smaller airport! We’ve checked in (40 Euros for 5 km of overweight luggage...) They asked us if we wanted to take something out, but what would we do with it then? Add it to our already too heavy carry-ons? I don’t think so! So, paid the money, got our boarding passes (and wondered yet again if this may be out next-to-the-last-time on Ryan Air...) and headed through security and passport control. Interesting side note: I had my little right-size baggie of liquids and gels, and showed it to one of the security guys. He held it up, and then asked one of his colleagues, is this OK? He was assured by his colleague that it was, but it does make one wonder how tightly or how loosely some of these restrictions on carry-ons really are! At any rate, we’re through security and are now waiting at the gate only to wait again once the line forms to get on the plane...oh well! To start the day...got up and out fairly early. There was a very interesting buffet breakfast available at the hotel – included some of the oddest things, like red and white wine, a myriad of pastries (the Catalans must really like their sweets, as the buffet was VERY heavy on them) and what looked like cut-up hot dogs ... didn’t try them, though – still a bit leery from last year’s TDF hotdog in Wintersheim ... thanks, but no thanks! Then headed out to explore the city. The hotel is within walking distance of the city, if you REALLY like to walk. We decided on a 5 Euro cab ride into the Plaza Indepienda ... Now, let me say this – I do not speak Spanish; took a semester in college, but started mixing it up with my French, so quit while I was ahead ... however, Catalan, which is what is spoken in Girona (notice the two spellings: One is Catalan; Girona, the other is Spanish, Gerona...SO confusing!) And the folks here all speak Catalan – it’s like everyone is talking with a lisp! Bar-tha-lona; really! So, instead of saying Buenos Dias, it’s something like “buenoth diath...” Can’t say or understand much; even R is having a problem! Fortunately, everyone is very nice and helpful, even though not English speaking, so we can manage. So, took the cab into the city center, and headed out across the river Onyar to the Cathedral, by far the highest point in town, and always a good place to start. Brilliant morning; not too many people ... then. Got to the Cathedral, and it is lovely; typically Spanish, though, ie. LOTS and LOTS of gold – everywhere! I asked R if it was gilt or paint, and he said that paint doesn’t glitter like that; it was the real thing!

Hi! Back now on Sunday, as the line started up, and you know how airport lines are! Once one person lines up, everybody else follows! So, catching up from la Bella Roma! Ok...the cathedral. Really lovely, and they had HUGE side altars that would actually illuminate upon the push of a button – for free! Quelle concept! From the cathedral, we headed out to the walls. Girona is a walled city, and a huge section of the walls have been preserved and reconstructed; incredibly good job! Beautiful views; lovely gardens and lots of publicly displayed flower-oriented art-work; great fun! (Note to Kathy and John Spiller, whose nephew is a Ryan Air pilot who lives in Girona: You’re going to LOVE it when you come this fall!!) And that’s when we found out that we had hit Girona on the first day of their annual two-week festival of flowers! They were everywhere, and all were open – public and private gardens alike, including some huge signs like “LLIBERTAT” in flowers (Catalan, we think, for Liberty) along the river bank. And with that, were the people! Buses were coming in from everywhere, and it looked like the city was being invaded by tourist hordes! So, walked the walls the entire way from the cathedral, and came down in town, and walked back to the Independencia square. By this time it was approaching 11, and we needed to get back to check out. Fortunately were able to find a cab and get back, check out and head to the airport. Lovely new airport on the outskirts of town. Had about half an hour before our check-in time, but decided to start a line of our own. Checked in, had some lunch – good baguette with jambon & fromage and made our way to the gate. No problems getting on the plane; good flight, and voila! Here were are in Roma! R decided that rather than spring for a cab (my option of choice...) we would take a REALLY hot bus into Termini, the central train station in Rome. Once we got rolling it wasn’t too bad, and the traffic also not bad. Off at Termini, and right into a cab to our hotel, La Residenza on Via Emilia near the Via Veneto and the Villa Borghese. Lovely place! Incredible public rooms; the ceilings are amazing; lots of angels! Our room (#1) is HUGE; the bathroom is larger than some hotel rooms we’ve stayed in! Were also invited to a cocktail party hosted by the management, which started about an hour after we settled in! So, first headed there before going out for dinner. Lovely prosecco, and lots of munchies – pizza, panini, nuts, sweets – and this went on for an hour and a half! They even had a harpist playing, which was amazing! Met some nice folks from Naples FL and chatted about their trip to Tuscany. Then out for dinner – our favorite place, Orso’80! For those of you who are not familiar with this restaurant, we first found it as a “Big Splurge” in the Cheap Eats book by Sandra Gufstafson. Over the years, the title has been changed from Cheap Eats and Cheap Sleeps to something slightly more up-tick – but I noticed in the latest edition that she still raves about Orso’80. It was about a 20 minute walk; we got there about 8:15 p.m. And OH, it’s SO nice that people can’t smoke in restaurants anymore!! YEA! Seated immediately, and ordered the usual – their antipasti of the casa. Counted this time, and they had at one time or another, 14 different places of food on the table...no room at all left over for anything else, including dessert! They had: fried cheese, fresh mozzarella, roasted peppers, meatballs in sauce, beans with tomatoes, cheese with celery, incredibly good melon, prosciutto, marinated mushrooms, fresh-from-the-oven flatbread, and the list goes on; as I say, you really need two tables (which they provide); more food than you can ever eat, and we enjoyed it immensely! Rolled out of there, and started back home ... unfortunately, more up-hill than down, but got home about 10:30 and rolled right into bed ... there could have been an earthquake last night for all I would have been aware of it! Wow, lovely albeit long, day!

Up about 6:30, and headed to breakfast about 7:15 – and WOW, another incredible buffet! HUGE table spread with cold cereals, breads, pastries, juices, cheeses, salami, ham, hard boiled eggs; side table with scrambled eggs (which were GREAT), good bacon, sausages and mushrooms and they were in the process of sauteing peppers, onions and zucchini! Not sure what more they could have added, but boy, what a display! Ate our fill (will there be any need for lunch, one wonders??) Put on my pedometer when we left, and as we’re now back – and it’s 3:15 in the afternoon – I’ve recorded 19,254 steps ... hit 10,050 by 11:15 a.m. Whew!!!

First, we went to the Barberini Metro station and got all-day transit tickets, as we greatly prefer to take the buses whenever we want. Got the Metro there, changing at Termini, and got out at Coloseo two stops later, at, voila, the Coloseum. Wonderful sight, but we were actually heading next door to the Forum. Apparently all this week, because this is Family Week, everything is free! Wow! Who knew?! Walked the Forum from one end to the other, enjoying the ruins and reading in our books. By the time we reached the end, again, the tourists were POURING in! Mental note to self: Next-time, do Rome ANY other time than spring, summer or early Fall! Way too many tourists, and most of them speaking English!! From the Forum proper, we crossed the street to Trajan’s market & forum, which is still under excavation. His column is magnificent! There was some sort of rally going on in front of Emanuel II’s monument, so they had the street blocked off – made for a very peaceful crossing at any rate! From there we headed to the Pantheon, my all-time favorite building and Rome sight. Unfortunately, they were having a mass inside, so we had to wait – took time for some Cokes and a good sit-spot. Then headed to Piazza Navona to see the fountains, but they are working on the central fountain, so it wasn’t operating! It is shrouded in scaffolding! The other two fountains at either end of the piazza are fine, and there were lots of artists displaying art work. (Note: This country is SO civilized! There are actually stores and shops OPEN!! And it’s a SUNDAY!) From there, it was just about time for the re-opening of the Pantheon, so we headed back for a good look around. Really a great building. I always think back to the rainy winter afternoon when we had the place almost to ourselves, with the rain hitting the marble under the oculus! Quite a sight! (This was about the 10,000th step of the day...) Then headed to the Trevi fountain, which was SMOTHERED with tourists, but what could we expect? We were there too! (May get up REALLY early tomorrow morning and out before breakfast to see some of these things...) From the Trevi, we started to walk back UP hill to our hotel. Stopped off at a lovely galleria and bought the latest Andrea Bocelli album that we first heard at our hotel in Orange; lots of neat shops open!! Caught two different buses, one to take us to Barberini from Via Tritone, and the second to get us half-way up Via Veneto. Definitely needed some refreshment by this time, so stopped along the street at a little café. R had a Greek salad, and I had a plate of mozzarella, fried eggplant and tomatoes – YUM! R had two BIG glasses of beer, and I splurged on a glass of prosecco. Then headed back to the hotel, where we are now in the “resting” stage...with all those thousands of steps behind us! (Robert says we don’t have to walk at all tomorrow, as we’re SO far ahead on our steps!) So, now all caught up and get this posted, hopefully with some pictures! Blogs are SO much more fun when they can be illustrated!!

Take care; more later!
Love,
m