Buongiorno!

June 8/9, 2016--day 1

I’m not even sure if I should put day 1, as it will be a combo of day 1 and day 2 of travel. Today, we’re doing nothing more that leaving on a jet plane...and staying on it forever. One hour, fifty minutes from St. Louis to Charlotte, then nine hours fifty minutes to Rome...that’s a long time on a plane...way longer than I’d like to be on a plane. In fact, if I could be granted a superpower, I’m pretty sure it would be teletransport--blink my eyes and land in Rome. Yep.

Deane dropped us off at 9:40 a.m., and by 10:10 a.m., we were sitting at our gate on Concourse C. Did I mention that our flight takes off at 12:50 p.m.? That had to be the fasted check in ever. With everything going on internationally, we thought for sure we would be waiting in line for hours. The suggestion was that we get to the airport three hours early...and we did. We were met in front of a kiosk to print our baggage tickets, by an American Airline agent who was just there to help. The only, and I mean only holdup we had was when the kiosk wouldn’t read my passport. We just moved to another kiosk and it worked. A different agent put our baggage tickets on our bag. We stepped right up to the check-in, put our luggage on the scale, and lickety-split, we were on our way to TSA check-in...where again, there were no lines...almost eerie. Through security (I got patted down, Tim did not...a first) and on to the concourse--seriously, the fastest we’ve ever been through to the gate!

Our stop in Charlotte was quick. Craig and I got our lines crossed a bit--he thought we were coming out to his car; we thought we was coming inside the airport to visit. By the time we get our stories straight, we had a quick fifteen minute visit that ended with him walking through the security line with us. Our original seats were not next to each other, but no one ended up sitting next to me to Tim did move next to me...yea!

The flight over was uneventful until the landing. I slept most of the way. We descended in Room, there was a nasty little squall right over the airport. The pilot made one pass and gave it a shot--a really bumpy shot, but pulled up at the last minute. We were in a holding pattern for about twenty minutes while the major part of the storm passed. Our second attempt was much better but still a little bumpy.

After a little roaming around airport, we found our way to the Trafalgar post, where we were told that they had added an extra shuttle to the hotel. Can I just say that an Italian accent (especially when speaking English) is dreamy. We would not have to wait around until 12:45, but instead would take one at 11:30. That gave us a chance to get to our hotel, meet our tour guide, Dina, and wander the streets close to our hotel, The Cardinal. :) We both needed to pick up an umbrella and were ready to start sampling.

Within maybe four blocks, there were no less than eight little cafes, all of them crowded for 1:30 in the afternoon. We decided on Pinsa and Gusto for pizza. Tim got a serrano ham and cheese stratta (maybe?) There was serrano ham, and probably provolone cheese between this pizza dough--not sure I can describe it--light, airy, a tad sour, chewy--on the top and on the bottom--a sandwich...Oh. So. good. I got charred eggplant and mozzarella pizza--same heavenly dough, thinly sliced eggplant that had been well charred and really good mozzarella--equally as delicious.

From there, we walked some more until we came to Il Pappaggallo. Everything there looked scrumptious, but we popped in for one thing...gelato--stracciatella for me, cioccolato for Tim. Everyone who has been here tried to tell me it’s better here. They’re correct. Creamier without the butterfat from heavy cream. I’ll eat a lot of that while we’re here! So will Tim. :)

We just finished a little orientation and dinner at La Locanda di Pietro. It started with bruchetta, cheese, salami, and olives then went on to pizza and ended with a crumbled pastry dough, a little chocolate sauce, and some pastry cream with some ricotta. We were serenaded by a dashing Italiano with an accordion.


We got to the restaurant via the scenic route, stopping on the Janiculum HIll with a giant monument to Garibaldi, the guy who fought all the Popes and united Italy (that's all the history I have for you). We also wound around the larger streets in Rome, which aren't very large. On a side note of culture, the scooter riders are insane, weaving in and out of cars all over the place and making up lanes that didn't exist. Daniello, our driver, is a master.

Okay, that's day one and a half. Tomorrow, Vatican City and the Colosseum.

 Pizza for the second time today--just as good

 Dashing Italiano

Sneak peek of tomorrow--St. Peter's Basillica