Let's talk about our arrival weekend! (forgive me for not using specific names - my best way to use anonymity on the 'net) Three of you will be on the flight with me; three of you will arrive on your own. Two of you already know where to meet me (just outside of customs), and one of you arrives just 15 minutes after our flight, so we can meet up before exiting customs. If we're all wearing the SPI shirts, it will be SO easy to find each other, and then we can promptly head to the center of the city. And please expect to get the customary "two kisses" - it's a normal way for family/friends to greet!
As soon as we've all gathered together outside of customs, we'll walk through the airport to the train station, which will consist of walking down a few corridors, then down one flight of escalators, then back up three flights. (a side note: I so appreciate how American-based airports have gotten the cue from European airports, and incorporate their local transportation system into the airports - made it so easy to get around Atlanta . . . DFW will be there soon - the Trinity River Railway is a good start) We'll have a moment to pause - you can get a snack or bottle of water - while I buy the tickets for the next Termini Express. We'll queue up for our first experience of public transportation, hop onto the train, and sit together to ride in to the center of Rome. When we arrive, we'll have to walk through the entire train station, then a few blocks away to our hotel.
We're staying at a NICE, four-star, hotel located near Termini. We usually stay in a different area of town, but Jeremy found this spot, and, after receiving my approval, booked it. He loves us few Italy crew . . . Our check-in will be quick (like, just enough time to find a place to put our bags, and slap on deodorant and brush teeth), and we'll be off! We will do the Ancient Roman sites today, and mostly on foot. It's the perfect thing to do on the first day of arrival into an international location - dusty, hot touring. You're blessed to have an Italo-phile who has lived in Rome, and whose favorite area of study is Roman topography. I know the right places to sit in the shade and take in the sights, will take you to some of the best spots for great pictures, and will share with you a taste of history with which I'm so familiar. After a day's worth of touring, we'll return to the hotel for showers and rejuvenating before heading to dinner at Pancrazio's, a historically-significant restaurant (and a good one, at that). We'll spend a little time hanging out in the Campo dei fiori, then return back to the hotel to crash.
On Saturday, we'll get up early (I'll insist everyone eat a good breakfast, and be sure you're dressed appropriately - we enter many churches today), then we'll be off for a stroll through Medieval/Renaissance Rome (with a few ancient spots thrown in). Seriously, guys, the amount of ground we cover between Friday afternoon and Saturday morning is equivalent to what most tour groups cover in a week. Students in the past have complained of a "death march" . . . I don't know what they're talking about. It's a thorough touring experience. You'll have time for lunch on your own at the Piazza Navona, then we head to our individual museum experiences (some to Vatican Museums, some to Castel Sant' Angelo . . . all of us to Old Bridge Gelateria beforehand). After a few hours, we'll meet back up at the Piazza di San Pietro, and visit one of the four Major Basilicas of Rome, the Basilica di San Pietro, or, better known, the Vatican. After ample time at the Vatican, we'll return to the hotel to clean up, and head to a great pizzeria in town, then time for hanging out at the Piazza Navona.
Sunday morning, you have time on your own. We are staying just down the way from another one of the four Major Basilicas - Sta. Maria Maggiore - whomever would like to join me for Mass can do so. Maybe you'll want to go to Porta Portese, the huge market, before services? Maybe you want to get one last view of the Forum before we depart Rome? You'll have until 1:30 PM, when we'll meet to taxi to Tiburtina Station (bus/metro/train), where we'll catch a direct bus to Siena. During this ride, we'll chat about expectations and questions regarding our first day or two in Siena. When we disembark the bus at the Siena Statione FS, we'll meet and greet our homestay families, and head home for dinner and our first night in Siena!
It may be a quick glimpse of Rome, but, then again, my goal is for you to want to return! :)
Please feel free to send me more questions, either through this blog or through my personal e-mail! This one might just be my last entry before we meet next Thursday!
Hugs to you all!
Laura :)
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