Rome - Day One (JC)

The day started off with a shot. I had spoken to my uncle last night and he mentioned in passing that he would take us to the airport on Tuesday. So we didn't bother to call for a taxi to take us to the airport this morning. Bonus!

However, not everything was as it seemed.

Something funny happened on the way to the forum. The Clark Kent/Superman routine my uncle did when I thought the Tuesday pick up at 7:00am was today and not when we were going home next Tuesday. Oops.

After a lot of confusion and panic, he was at our door in 15 minutes, unwashed and without his false teeth. Yes, he made a point of telling us that. TOO MUCH INFORMATION!

Thankfully, Glasgow's airport is small and there was only one flight to Amsterdam covering three airlines. A trip like this to Heathrow with its multiple terminals would have been catastrophic.

We flew from Glasgow to Amsterdam and then on to Rome. The plane trip was uneventful with a too short stop in Schipol.

"No diamonds for you!"

For some reason our seats were not side by side on the last leg of the journey. I had two Cossacks sitting next to me who spoke Russian and Portuguese. Rhonda had two smelly Dutchmen sitting next to her. I was glad this was not the non-stop to Shanghai.

Arrival in Rome!

The hotel was modest, but clean. Hotel rates skyrocketed, four to five star hotels were 100 euros per star. Yikes! We got away with 130 euros/night. We have a balcony, hot shower and breakfast was included. It's not a Holiday Inn, but it has AC and soundproof windows which kept the noisy street and pollution out.

We had a close-up view of what it's like for those 'in power'. We went out to dinner on the Via Veneto to a little cafe that was literally on the sidewalk and all enclosed in glass. A woman sat at the next table and she must have been important because three waiters were looking after her. They kept bringing her alcoholic drinks, coffee, etc., and when it was time for dessert they brought out a huge piece of pastry, an apperitif and espresso. When all was said and done, she walked away without receiving a bill.

We called the hospital where Deuce is, and success! He peed on his own today! (Yes, you needed to know that).