Wrapping it all up, June 2017

Wrapping it all up, June 2017

The flight from Rome to Atlanta was uneventful, always the best kind. We left at 12:20 pm and arrived (early) at 4:45 pm making a valiant effort to stay awake during the crossing so we'd avoid major jet lag.

Remember the 4,000+ steps to get from curb to gate at FCO in Rome? Well, when we got off the plane at ATL we were greeted with a snazzy electric sign telling us it was an eleven to thirteen minute walk to immigration control. Every so often an airport employee was there to say "Welcome home" and urge us on or another snazzy sign telling us we only had another nine minutes to walk. But God bless Global Entry! When we got to Immigration the line was endless except for Global Entry--maybe ten people ahead of us. We figured we saved at least an hour. Luggage was on the carousel when we got there and our car service at the curb. Despite the rush hour traffic we were home by 6:45. And in bed at 8!

All in all the trip was a great success. We enjoyed the trans Atlantic crossing and will definitely try to do that again whether to or from Europe. I'd also go back to Bermuda for a longer stay. Even though it's no where near the Caribbean for some reason I thought it would be like the islands there, not at all my cup of tea. Serendipity took us to Brittany and quaint Quimper. I'm so glad we opted to go to Mont St Michel and Brussels. And Italy....

Dr. Howard Shealy was a wonderful guide, escort, problem solver and travel companion. We all said over and over, "If only I'd had a teacher/professor like Howard..." So knowledgeable without being pedantic. And when he wasn't sharing nuggets of history he'd regale us with stories revolving around "my roommate, Rusty." The dream date for any college guy is a cute blonde whose dad owns a Budweiser distributorship. And the dream roommate? Rusty who kept a sailboat in Key West where his grandfather owned a bar. And thus the Rusty stories. With a set up like that how could there NOT be Rusty stories?!

Howard arranged for us to learn about Italian history and culture through Tuscan food and wines and even better, enjoy said food and wine. While the restaurants are available to anyone, our very special wine tastings were once-in-a-lifetime experiences thanks to Howard. Our last one was in a palace next to a castle at Nipizzano outside of Florence. Before the tasting we followed our host, Giacomo from the Frescobaldi group again, who suggested we "walk just a few steps to the castle." I managed the long uphill drive way to the castle and 29 of the 30 old, uneven, high stone steps up to the parapet to enjoy the view. I didn't quite clear that last one and ended up face down on the view site. Nothing hurt other than my dignity but I did return home with a special souvenir of Italy, a big ole bruise on my knee and shin. The view was magnificent as it seems all views in Tuscany are.

Montepulciano was so special. It's small and friendly, especially when compared to Florence and Rome. Florence was crowded but Rome was packed. It seems that half the world is traveling and visiting the same places at the same time.

Photos to come...

Alitalia Lounge, somewhere on the E Concourse at FCO, June 1,2017 First of all I must take everything back about arriving at the airport too early. The drive to the hotel was 45+ minutes and gave us one more time to enjoy the thrill of riding in a car in Italy. We shared the ride with another from our group which meant too much luggage for a car so the hotel booked a van for us. They are posh, comfortable and at 60 Euros for the three of us, not that expensive. Good driver, too. My favorite traffic maneuver is the Vespa (of course) quick pass in the oncoming lane. Signor (or signora in dress and heels no less) on Vespa wishes to pass car in front of him. He ALways wishes to pass car(s) in front of him. If the oncoming traffic is five meters away, give or take, he zips over the double yellow line into oncoming traffic, passes offending car(s) and then zips back right in front of said car causing it to slam on the brakes. Annnnnnnnd repeat. I could watch that all day. FCO, the major airport serving Rome.... I've always thought the ATL was well arranged with plenty of signage, big enough to accommodate the millions that pass through every year. FCO is a combination of the fall of Saigon, the running of the bulls and the start of any marathon. They do have free luggage carts, though, so big points for that. Terminal T-1 is overseas international as opposed to "domestic" which is any destination within Europe. The curbside arrival is semi-organized thanks to a small army of uniformed guys with white hats and whistles. And then you push the cart through the doors and Yowza! Thousands of people commandeering carts aiming for the dozens of check in counters for Alitalia. And then an angel in a red jacket appears announcing "For Delta flights go past Alitalia to the end of the room." Easy check in. Passport check #1. Then to the gate leading to security. Passport check #2. Once again Global Entry and TSA Precheck means squat outside of the US of A. The usual routine there and then onto Immigration and passport check #3. If you'll remember our passports were never stamped when we entered the EU but the guy just compared us to our passport pictures (me with fingers crossed as my hair color is a tad different than my passport photo from 2013), stamped them and sent us on our way. And then we tried to find the Delta Skyclub Lounge. And we walked, and we walked and then I saw the VAT refund window (if you spend over a certain amount buying goods you can get a refund of the tax with a loooooooong form that has to be stamped by a customs official and then mailed to some place in the supplied prepaid envelope. I'd already gotten my 50 Euro refund so just needed the stamp. Silly me, I went to the window marked "Customs" with signs in many languages taped to the window saying "This is not an information desk." The official behind the glass yelled at the guy in front of me and pointed him to the long blue line. Undaunted, I showed him my paperwork and was gruffly ( at least he didn't yell, Italian men are gracious to women) pointed to the orange window with no line. Score! And passport check #4. Form stamped and now I don't have to look over my shoulder for Italian Customs ready to haul me away. And we walked, past food courts, past dozens of shops from newsstands to Gucci, Bulgari and that ilk, asking anyone with an employee badge for the lounge. The directions were always the same, straight ahead to the end. Huh. Eventually we did find it, 4,271 steps from the airport entrance. It's run by Alitalia, a Delta Skypartner, and it's pitiful. I know this is the ultimate First World problem, but it's a bit scruffy, with limited seating and refreshments. Step up your game, Alitalia. Oh well, it's quiet and has the NY Times. Time to go from curbside drop off to this point: 1 hour 15 minutes. We have some Euros left so it's time to roll through a souvenir shop/news stand and see what we can get. Coming next the trip reviews and a few more anecdotes including "My roommate, Rusty," "And now we'll walk a few steps to the castle" and my face plant at said castle.

Alitalia Lounge, somewhere on the E Concourse at FCO, June 1,2017

First of all I must take everything back about arriving at the airport too early. The drive to the hotel was 45+ minutes and gave us one more time to enjoy the thrill of riding in a car in Italy. We shared the ride with another from our group which meant too much luggage for a car so the hotel booked a van for us. They are posh, comfortable and at 60 Euros for the three of us, not that expensive. Good driver, too.

My favorite traffic maneuver is the Vespa (of course) quick pass in the oncoming lane. Signor (or signora in dress and heels no less) on Vespa wishes to pass car in front of him. He ALways wishes to pass car(s) in front of him. If the oncoming traffic is five meters away, give or take, he zips over the double yellow line into oncoming traffic, passes offending car(s) and then zips back right in front of said car causing it to slam on the brakes. Annnnnnnnd repeat. I could watch that all day.

FCO, the major airport serving Rome....   I've always thought the ATL was well arranged with plenty of signage, big enough to accommodate the millions that pass through every year. FCO is a combination of the fall of Saigon, the running of the bulls and the start of any marathon. They do have free luggage carts, though, so big points for that. Terminal T-1 is overseas international as opposed to "domestic" which is any destination within Europe. The curbside arrival is semi-organized thanks to a small army of uniformed guys with white hats and whistles. And then you push the cart through the doors and Yowza! Thousands of people commandeering carts aiming for the dozens of check in counters for Alitalia. And then an angel in a red jacket appears announcing "For Delta flights go past Alitalia to the end of the room." Easy check in. Passport check #1. Then to the gate leading to  security. Passport check #2. Once again Global Entry and TSA Precheck means squat outside of the US of A. The usual routine there and then onto Immigration and passport check #3. If you'll remember our passports were never stamped when we entered the EU but the guy just compared us to our passport pictures (me with fingers crossed as my hair color is a tad different than my passport photo from 2013), stamped them and sent us on our way. And then we tried to find the Delta Skyclub Lounge.

And we walked, and we walked and then I saw the VAT refund window (if you spend over a certain amount buying goods you can get a refund of the tax with a loooooooong form that has to be stamped by a customs official and then mailed to some place in the supplied prepaid envelope. I'd already gotten my 50 Euro refund so just needed the stamp. Silly me, I went to the window marked "Customs" with signs in many languages taped to the window saying "This is not an information desk." The official behind the glass yelled at the guy in front of me and pointed him to the long blue line. Undaunted, I showed him my paperwork and was gruffly ( at least he didn't yell, Italian men are gracious to women) pointed to the orange window with no line. Score! And passport check #4. Form stamped and now I don't have to look over my shoulder for Italian Customs ready to haul me away.

And we walked, past food courts, past dozens of shops from newsstands to Gucci, Bulgari and that ilk, asking anyone with an employee badge for the lounge. The directions were always the same, straight ahead to the end. Huh. Eventually we did find it, 4,271 steps from the airport entrance. It's run by Alitalia, a Delta Skypartner, and it's pitiful. I know this is the ultimate First World problem, but it's a bit scruffy, with limited seating and refreshments. Step up your game, Alitalia. Oh well, it's quiet and has the NY Times. Time to go from curbside drop off to this point: 1 hour 15 minutes.

We have some Euros left so it's time to roll through a souvenir shop/news stand and see what we can get.

Coming next the trip reviews and a few more anecdotes including "My roommate, Rusty,"
"And now we'll walk a few steps to the castle" and my face plant at said castle.