Day 4 Gala Dinner

I did some work then got dressed in my suit for the Gala Dinner. I went downstairs and bummed a cab ride with a couple of my attendees. The Gala Dinner was at the Grand Hotel Plaza on Via Del Corso, the 5th Avenue of Rome. We walked in and it was a line of course…couldn’t be Rome without it. Eventually we got into a narrow hallway where they did passed apps and either champagne or two mixed drinks that I didn’t want. The room was unbelievable here is one pic, but do check out the website! Apps were ok, basically fried veggies. Then we sat down to a 7 course meal. First some kind of “quiche” althought it was more like an egg pudding. Two pasta courses, Beef with Sweet Potatoes and Carrots, Vanilla Gelato and some kind of fruit on a cracker. Then coffee. The table I hooked up with was very cool, and it turned out I was with two of the other people receiving awards. If you are really interested in what I do, you can see the end result of my rewards on this site: http://www.niap-ccevs.org/cc-scheme/vpl/ (do a search for CA Inc, three of the validated products were ones that I received Certificates for tonight). It was fun receiving awards in a big room of geeks, government types, consultants and sales folks. The presenter with the blonde hair is the Director of the National Information Assurance Protectorate (NIAP) which is a division of the NSA. Basically a former spy. Luckily she didn’t need to do a Security check on me…LOL
After the dinner, we walked back and it started to rain…1st time all week. It was refreshing though to feel the drops on my shoulders. Tomorrow I need to pack up and get on the road. I may have some time to see something, but I’m not sure if I’ll have another post until I get back. If I can get online at DaVinci Airport, I will do so. Buono Sera!

Day 4: Pantheon and Trevi Fountain

I changed into my shorts and sneakers and went downstairs to confirm the best walking route to The Pantheon. The bell man drew me what looked like a simple path to the Pantheon, which he claimed would take about 20 minutes. Well I clearly missed the turn, and ended up walking the entire length of Via Del Corso, which is the big shopping street, with all the fru fru shops. I didn’t stop in any of the shops because I was starting to get hungry. At first I was thinking pizza, but then after last night’s poor dinner I thought I would prefer a good pasta lunch. I ended up at Piazza del Populo, which is a really cool Piazza. Its an oval shape with an arch at the opposite end of where I came into it. There are twin fountains on the long ends of each oval, with some very nice statues.
I found an Italian restaurant named Rosati with outside seating in that Piazza, and sat down to a very nice Spaghetti with Clams.







After lunch I decided it was really time to find the Pantheon, so I consulted my Rome guide and started on my way. About ½ way there, I stopped at a meat/cheese/ pasta store. I bought some dry pasta which I hope to have for dinner tomorrow night at home! Then to the Pantheon. It is immense…when you realize, again that this was built in Ancient Roman times its amazing. Its one of the only buildings from the Ceasar days that is still in working condition. The hole in the roof is really cool as well. Apparently when it rains it’s a very cool effect. Now the Pantheon is essentially a tomb of Italian dignataries. I must re-read Angels and Demons as I think the Pantheon is in that book!
After I was done with the Pantheon, I thought about getting a gelato again, but I have this big dinner tonight, so I decided to skip it. I was going to just go back, as there were a couple of presentations at the conference that I wanted to catch. But I saw the sign for the Trevi Fountain and that it wasn’t far. What a mob scene. I must admit I didn’t throw a coin in, but I did take a picture of myself. Its really beautiful.
Finally I started back to the hotel for a quick change and I bumped into Lorenzo and Allison pushing the kids in their carriage! We had a laugh about how we could bump into each other, and I promised to stay in touch. I quickly shot back to the hotel, went to one more session and had a couple more meetings.
Now to a shower and to get ready for the Gala Awards Dinner!

About my room, and Day 4 morning

Well first off, it has a bide which I have never used before, and have no idea how to use. The only time I’ve ever seen it in action is in the film Crocodile Dundee, and lets just say I’m just like Paul Hogan, no thank you! TV has one English channel. It took me 3 days to figure out that the button next to my bed controls the lights (I had gotten up and used the switch by the door every night). The room has interior wooden shutters which are great for not only the light but also the noise…as the street can be noisy. Breakfast is free, but I skipped it today as I’m kind of sick of the selection.
Today I woke up late went to the Conference for an hour and now I’m back in my room. My plan is to go back for the sessions from 12-1 then take off during lunch and do the Pantheon. Instead of doing the conference lunch, I’ll grab a pizza near in the Piazza near it.
Tonight is the Gala dinner where I’m receiving my awards. Tomorrow I fly out at 1:15, so I’m probably skipping out of the conference and either doing some shopping or going to another attraction. I can’t believe this trip is almost over!

Day 3, Evening

Tonight was a group dinner to a restaurant nearby. Comparing tonight's meal to last night's is like comparing Olive Garden to Davide's....it was good but not memorable. This is what happens when you go with a group...you gotta just go with the flow. It was Ristorante Cleto near the hotel. What is it about business travellers that they don't want to be adventurous? I had my travel book...there were so many choices!! Oh well, I'm gonna sneak out of the conference for a Siesta tomorrow and see the Pantheon and have lunch near there.
The food was ok, I had pasta fra diablo....good but not great. For Secondi I had Veal Scallopini. Cappacino/Orange Gelato....for dessert down the street. The only highlight is we had these two old guys sing at the table...That's Amore, Volare etc. They were great. Food was just ok.

Day 3

Well today was a Conference day. I won't bore you with the details of that (that is reserved for a different audience) but I'll just sumarize it by saying it went well. What is interesting from a non-work perspective, is that the conference is being held at a Seminary for training perspective Priests. The benches and rooms are....how shall I put it....stiff. However the building is very interesting and has a lovely garden and atrium.
Tonight I am going to dinner with a bunch of attendees. I have no idea where, but I'll be sure to post that experience later.

Day 2 (evening)

Its 12:35 am but I'm sort of on 1/2 U.S. and 1/2 Roma time....so I'll make my post. My plan was to meet Lorenzo and Allison for dinner at 9pm in the Jewish Ghetto. I agreed to call them at 8pm to make arrangements. I had stayed in my room for about 3 hours after I got back from shopping and the Vatican. When I called Lorenzo told me to take the cab to "Il Ghetto" and go to Via Santa Maria Del Anima. I got in the cab and the driver did not speak English. He drove around for a while then said its just there, then he pointed right and said left. I got out wandered around for a while but no Via Santa Maria Del Anima. I asked someone who spoke English and she pointed me somewhere. Still no Via Santa Maria Del Anima. I got in a 2nd cab and we drove for like 2 minutes. I got out and there was the street. Now Lorenzo's instructions to me were, "Its the only building on the right side before I hit the ghetto. See the door, look for Ricciardelli on the doorbell and ring. If I can't find it, just start yelling "Lorenzo" and they will here me. So I walk the whole street. I'm on the right one, I found the sign but no bell with that name. I start yelling Lorenzo, Lorenzo, Lorenzo. People start looking at me funny. Then I goto a pay phone and call him. I tell him I'm in front of the Insalada Ristorante, and he says he will be right down. 15 minutes go by no Lorenzo. I call again...he has no idea where I am. So I say where are they going, he says Roscioli on Via De Gibonare. I get in a 3rd cab tell him to take there. I get out walk the whole street, cannot find the restaurant. I ask someone they say its around the corner, but its CLOSED!! I go to it and its like an Italian deli. I walk back to the street and then I see it Roscioli . I walk in and see Lorenzo and Allison. 3 hours later we are walking around having Gelato. The meal was delicious we started with an assortment of salamis, etc, and bread. Then I had small Penne with a fresh red sauce and little pieces of beef. Perfecto. By the way, the reason I couldn’t find it because Lorenzo gave me the wrong street name…LOL oh well. Ciao

Day 2

The wake up call came at 7:15 am. I have to admit, that I had a slight hangover…the wine was in small doses over 3 hours, but honestly, I have no idea how much I had. My plan was to join the tour with Ryan (the same guy who gave me the tour of the Vatican). I ended up taking a cab to the Vatican because I was too lazy to take the train, plus I was running late and needed to get some money. Now the cabbie that I grabbed turned out not to speak a lick of English but I was able to convey that I wanted to get money and then go to a particular street to meet the tour.

Its fun attempting to speak Italian…the locals are extremely patient and friendly. After chatting with the cabbie I jumped out and found an ATM. The 1st one rejected my card, so I got a little concerned, but the 2nd one was fine. I then found the tour and we were off.

Now the thing about the Vatican are the brutal queues (lines). However, if you go with a tour guide, you can bypass the regular lines, although there is still a group line you have to go through.
It took about 25 minutes to get organized then we were off. So how do I describe the Vatican Museum? Well I have been to the Lourve and this is MUCH bigger. Our guide reminded us that it was originally the Palace for the Pope (or at least some dignitary), but was converted into a museum in the 1930s. There is so much wealth in this museum, I have no idea why the Catholic church should ever close a church. All they need to do is sell a few crowns, or scepters or even some minor sculptures and they could pay off any of those pending lawsuits! Here is an example of the vastness of this Museum:

At any event, we had about a 2 hour tour of the museum. There was a study that said if a person spent one minute in front of every piece of Art in the Vatican Museum it would take thirteen years (24/7) to see everything.
One of the highlights was the rooms of Raphael…I’m wondering if Raph has seen this?

Then we made our way into the Sistine Chapel. Now I always thought that The Last Supper from “The DaVinci Code” was on the ceiling. Not true…that is in Milan. What is on the Ceiling is essentially most of the Old Testament. Michelangalo’s magnificent piece must be seen. Now you aren’t supposed to take pix, but I snuck just one, see this:

At this point I had been on my feet for 3 ½ hours and when I found out that our Group short-cut to St Peter’s was closed, and we were talking about getting in line with the masses, I made my way out. Rome is just too big…you can’t do everything! I then wandered around a bit until I decided to sit down and have lunch at a Pizzeria. Now it was kind of a random choice…but it reminded me of the place I went with Shana and Matt in Miami. Manchia!

After that I did some shopping then back to my room. Tonight I am having dinner with Lorenzo and Allison in the Jewish Ghetto. Dinner is at 9pm…you can be sure I will be beat tomorrow at the Conference. I have no idea how Italians do this!!

Day 1

Got to the airport early….baggage and security were uneventful. Took a very scary taxi ride from Da Vinci to my airport. I avoided the car services and took a white cab. Good news was I got there fast and alive, but he was pushing 90. I got to my hotel and was latterly shocked at the size of my room with a window overlooking a dark hole of an allley. It was the size of my bathroom…a single bed….I know this is Italy but this was absurd. After unpacking I thought about what Amy would have said, and I went down and told them, that I’m hear for a week that I needed some sun. No problem…they moved me to a lovely room with a view of the Colleseum. I got online and uploaded yesterday’s blog, then I promptly crashed for 3 hours. When I woke up I showered and headed to the Colleseum.
The biggest surprise for me was that it was built in only 8 years. I had a very quirky Australian tour guide (the books suggested taking a tour). Here is me at the Colisium:

For 20 Euro, I got a tour of the Collisieum, and a tour of the Palatine Hill: “it’s a leafy retreat with pretty gardens and sweeping views of the ancient city.” Here is a nice shot from Palatine Hill:
When I got back to the room I called the fam and checked in. Then I called my friend Lorenzo. His fathers’ city place is about 5 minutes past the Collisium, meaning about a 15 minute walk for me. Dinner was called for 7:30. I arrived at 6:45. It’s the 7th floor flat overlooking the ancient city. Including a deck where dinner was served. It was Lorenzo and his family plus cousins, friends, it was a delightful party. Dinner was served over a period of two and a ½ hours between 8 and 10:30. I had several glasses of delicious wine and an appertif that you can only get in Italy. Food included two kinds of pastas, tomatoes and mozzarella, and the main course was broiled rabbit. Dessert was apple pie and chocolate pie, Italian style. Here is one of the pasta dishes, Fettacini ala Funghi:

Here is a nice shot of Lorenzo and I up on their beautiful porch overlooking the Colisium:

When they started to break out the pix of Sicily, I said I had to go and I did…I am so beat.

Middle of the night

Can’t sleep on the plane. Its 12:06am and I’ve maybe slept an hour. The light over the seat next to me won’t shut off, which is ½ the problem. The other half is that the knee/leg room is brutal. At any rate we’ll be landing in 2 hours and I can make my way to the hotel. I must admit, Jay’s suggestion about the OJ worked, as I did drink 16 oz of it before we took off and I am not dry throated. Dinner, by the way was fish and some kind of cheese casserole, not bad for coach. Also they offered free wine, and that was good.
Still sticking to my plan: get to the hotel, take a nap then head to the Collesium. Dinner at 7:30 at Lorenzo’s Dad’s.
Gonna do some work now…

My Rome Trip

My trip begins on Saturday night after Yom Kippor. I take the Red Eye from Boston to Rome. Sunday when I arrive I'm going to my hotel: Hotel Forum . I will try and take a nap. Then I'm going to go to the Colosseum. Sunday night is dinner at the Ferri's.
Monday is totally free...any suggestions do send them along!

Tuesday the conference begins. Here is the location of the conference:
Angelicum Congress Center