| Rob confided after arriving in Amsterdam that he | | | | provided a wake up call for Peg. She was |
| didn't feel like he was in a foreign country, yet. | | | | awakened by birds singing, which is not a bad |
| That was how I felt until just a short time later | | | | way to start the day. |
| on the second leg of our flight. I raised the plastic | | | | After settling in I took a short trip around the |
| curtain at my window seat, which revealed the | | | | block to scout out the area. I left a note and |
| snowy Alps below. I saw peaks and glaciers as | | | | took a walk. I think I was looking for a friendly |
| well as peaceful river valleys. In one I thought I | | | | place to have a glass of wine or beer like Cheers |
| saw Heidi and her grandfather as they waved. | | | | in Boston. After walking a very short distance and |
| Arriving in Rome our five couples took two cabs | | | | turning a few corners I found what I was looking |
| to two different hotels. Our van driver spoke a | | | | for. I chose the second bar on the block. I chose |
| little English and pointed out some of the sights as | | | | a seat outside on the street at the Amici Bar (we |
| we passed classical Roman ruins and sights within | | | | translated this to mean The Friendly Bar . . . and it |
| the city. | | | | was.). |
| Soon we were in our rooms at the Cambridge | | | | I had hardly a chance to get comfortable when |
| Hotel, unpacked and asleep. As Americans we | | | | our group arrived. Jan and Mike must have turned |
| were all used to a hotel being a building with | | | | the block to the Cambridge and I turned the block |
| overnight rooms for rent at a certain location. In | | | | going the other way. Our mood and outlook |
| Rome we were introduced to Eurorooms where | | | | changed from jetlag to adventure. |
| a hotel could mean just one floor of hotel rooms | | | | With a cigarette and a beer Randy's eyes popped |
| at a certain location, which means several hotels | | | | open and a smile spread across his face. A giggling |
| could share the same location with each floor | | | | Sue looked out at the occasional scooter darting |
| being a different hotel. | | | | past parked cars and confided between toasts, |
| Our rooms were all on the third floor. There was | | | | "This is what I dreamed Rome would be like." |
| a continental breakfast on the first floor, and | | | | The staff at the Amici joked with us and plied us |
| across from the office on the ground floor was a | | | | with a free taste of some kind of lemon liquor |
| small business office for guests with a printer, a | | | | and excused our lack of Italian language skills. |
| computer and connection to the internet. | | | | Unlike America, almost any kind of store or shop |
| Everyone at the different hotels shared the | | | | is a drinking establishment in Italy. If you visit a |
| services including a very, very small elevator, | | | | Gelateria (an Italian ice cream store), you can |
| which served us all. With either Rob or myself at | | | | order hard liqour. Randy is mostly a beer drinker, |
| the narrow end of the elevator, our shoulders | | | | but is willing to try just about anything when he is |
| touched the two outside walls. You would think | | | | on an adventure. A few days later in Tuscany we |
| that two people and a bag would be pretty much | | | | bought something similar to the Lemonchello, but |
| of an overload, but we never had any mechanical | | | | it wasn't the same. Perhaps, we should have |
| problems. It worked perfectly. | | | | taken notes. |
| For eighty Euros a night each couple had a room | | | | Upon leaving the restaurant, we gave our waiter |
| with a lavatory and a shower combination. The | | | | a Mountain Bar (produced by Brown & Haley |
| bathroom was down the hall offering two toilets | | | | in Tacoma, Washington. The candy bar is shaped |
| that also served as shower stalls. Our shower | | | | like our own Mt. Rainier, which dominates the |
| didn't work and the "down the hall" option didn't | | | | skyline of the Puget Sound area of home.). We |
| appeal to us, so we waited a couple of days for a | | | | knew the bar stayed open until 8:30 pm and |
| shower. | | | | opened again at 6:00 am. This gave us a |
| The rooms had fifteen-foot ceilings and hand | | | | restaurant we knew we could come back to if |
| painted doors and armoirs. The floors were | | | | we couldn't find another one that evening and also |
| marble. We were lucky to get rooms at the | | | | gave us a place for coffee in the morning. |
| Cambridge. The staff were helpful and the rooms | | | | We headed out to a "hop on hop off" tour bus of |
| were clean. | | | | central Rome. I fell asleep during the tour and I |
| We didn't book the rooms because of their | | | | don't think any of us ever hopped off. The tickets |
| brochure, otherwise we would have been | | | | were good for twenty-four hours, however. Keep |
| disappointed. The brochure has great photographs | | | | your receipts. When visiting other cities in Italy |
| and from appearances, you would assume you | | | | (like Florence) you can buy discounted tickets |
| were booking accomodations in a four or five star | | | | from the same company there by showing your |
| hotel. The Cambridge is nowhere in those | | | | tickets from Rome. |
| categories. Nothing came out crawling or scurrying | | | | After riding the bus, we were ready for dinner. |
| during the night, so I was happy. | | | | Although it was still early for Italians to eat, we |
| A window in the hallway looked out into a shaft | | | | were starving. We stopped into the strangest |
| where people dried their laundry on clotheslines. | | | | place: The Living Room Bar Café ( We |
| We thought this was quaint at first, but this is | | | | stumbled into what looked like a typical bar, and |
| more universal. People everywhere in Italy dry | | | | the waiter poured us each a glass of sparkling |
| their clothes outside, besides saving electricity, the | | | | white wine. While we drank, the waiter stepped |
| warm air dries clothes quickly. It is very | | | | into the dining room and arranged a table for ten. |
| convenient. Out in the countryside the clothes pick | | | | Soon the music changed from techno-pop to |
| up a fresh smell . . . perhaps, not so much in the | | | | geezer music and Frank Sinatra was crooning |
| city. | | | | some of his worst songs as we all laughed and |
| For us the climate was warm. A constantly | | | | sang along. "So, here's to you, Mrs. Robinson . . . |
| running radiator in our room was a thorn in our | | | | whoa, whoa, whoaaaaaaaa." |
| side. I kept our window open, which was pleasant, | | | | The bathroom featured swinging doors and toilets |
| but a little loud. In the late evening we could hear | | | | and lavatories that didn't really work, but we had |
| constant crowds having a great time, but we | | | | a nice time. The carbonara was excellent and the |
| couldn't see them. Peg and I would hang out the | | | | antipasti feautred parmasean cheese slivers, |
| window and look onto a mostly deserted street. | | | | tomatoe slices, salami and rocket. The food was |
| Just a few meters down the block there was a | | | | good and the wine went down easily. |
| private courtyard or garden. Perhaps, there was | | | | We arrived back at the hotels early in the evening |
| unseen partying going on there, although Pegs | | | | and laid down for a little nap. We were tired and |
| says it belonged to a convent. If so they were | | | | happy to be in Rome. |
| having a great time after vespers. The garden | | | | |