Trains, Planes and Automobiles

Remember that classic comedy starring John Candy (a very funny actor) and the king of comedy Steve Martin?  Well our group took many forms of transportation.  If your in Italy long enough you see people in SUV's, smart cars, scooters (a few Vespa's but most drive other brands, I think Vespa's are too expensive), taxi's, horse, horse and buggy, bicycle, motorized bicycles (before Italy I only saw these in museums or on American Pickers), bus, tram, street car, subway, plane, helicopter, water taxi, Vaporetto, Gondola, to name just a few.  Our gang was on most of these, though not all.  Mom wanted to go on a Gondola but we ran out of time, when she found out the price she nearly fainted.  Gondola rates start at 90-125 Euro (add 40% to get US Dollar amount) daytime and in the evenings the rates jump to 150-180 Euro, all this for a 40 minute ride.  She did get to ride a water taxi and the Vaporetto which in fact are much more fun.  I did the Gondola ride last year as it was included in our tour, nice to do but if you don't do it you won't miss it.  Nothing all that exciting.  They do not sing to you as some people think, singing is an extra fee, if the guy can sing.  If he cannot sing you have to hire someone to get in the boat and sing for you.  I don't know why evenings are more expensive since in the dark you don't see much but I suppose it is romantic??

The posts here have been thin the last two days because I have been down with a cold.  Today I am feeling a bit better, I slept all day yesterday except to see Sr. Elizabeth Mary, R.S.M. our infirmarian.  She proscribed some medicine and fluids.

Here are some photos's from Sunday.  This first one is Mom looking tired at the end of the Venice visit on the Water Taxi ride from our Hotel to Santa Lucia Station.  The water taxi picks you up at your hotel.  All of the roads in Venice are water.  The front of the buildings face the water.  Water taxi's are very expensive but your on vacation so what the heck, plus we had too many bags for the Vaporetti.

Mom on the Water Taxi

 We arrived back in Rome on Sunday around 12 noon, walked from Termini Station to their hotel the Quirinale Hotel.  Unfortunately they could not stay at the La Griffe, where they began their journey.  This weekend there was a sporting event in Rome and the Canonization of 7 saints so the City was packed with tourists and pilgrims packing in the hotels.  The city must have been beyond capacity.  The Quirinale Hotel was aweful, the staff were as surly as they come and completely indifferent, quite a contrast to the La Griffe.  Gina had a pretty good exchange with the desk staff who seemed unmoved.  Fr. Cesar said that this is not uncommon in the City as some here feel tourists are a pain and the attitude is if you don't like it too bad as there are innumerable tourists lined up to come after you.  There will never be a time when tourists don't come to Rome.  Sad but probably true.

Here are Rosemary and Mom in a taxi on our way to meet Fr. Cesar and Fr. Javier for dinner at Piazza Navona.

Taxi ride to Piazza Navona

 We had a pleasant "last supper" on the Piazza Navona and then....of course we walked to....... Grom's for..........Gelato.  Here is (left to right) Jim Mumolie, Fr. Cesar and Fr. Jim ordering up some delicious gelato.

Jim, Fr. Cesar and Fr. Jim at Grom's.

All in all we had a good tour of Rome, Florence, Siena and Venice.  The very best hotel was in Florence, the Anthenaeum.  The hotel and their staff were wonderful and went out of their way to make your stay comfortable.  They were top notch!

The trip must have been fun enough that the group threw 3 coins in the Trevi Fountain, said to certainly bring you back to Rome.  And they put a coin in the Pigs mouth and rubbed it's snout to ensure a return to Florence.  Ok, the Pig's mouth is not it's proper name.  It is the Porcellino Fountain at the New Market (Mercato Nuovo).  It was designed by Tasso and originally called the Fountain of the Boar but the Florentine's call it the Fountain of the Piglet (Porcellino).  A rose by any other name, either way the group certainly hopes to return to another magical journey through Bella Italia!!!! (beautiful Italy).