2+6+ 8.5+4293=Roma

On a clear Saturday afternoon, two sisters were together in Terminal C of Newark International Airport ready for a trip of a lifetime to commence. Italy here we come! United Airlines was ready and willing to take us away-especially since we paid them to do so. And they did along with 238 other passengers. Since first class was not part of our plan, we sat in preferred seating. What we really would have preferred was the ability to recline. But you could only move the seat back about a quarter inch. Trying to move in the aisle was difficult because you could only comfortable walk without bumping into someone if you were a size 8, which of course I am not. Can we say feeling like a sardine in a can at 30,000 feet?

With two hours of sleep achieved, Donna and I stumbled off the plane at 8am Sunday (2am Jersey time) and somehow went through security, customs, found our luggage and our driver. To Rome dear sir as we plopped into his black fancy car. Immediately I noticed that Italians drive on the same side of the road we do. Not that I wanted to rent a vehicle, but I felt comfortable being on the "right side" of the road. Fiumicino "Leonardo da Vinci" International Airport is located on the outskirts of Rome, about thirty minutes drive to where the hotel was, which was near the Colosseum. I felt like I was riding into New York City, but with Italian flair. We passed low income housing and a great deal of graffiti. I was hoping things would get better. Which they did.

We arrived the Grand Hotel Palatino and was mesmerized at the beautiful and very old buildings that surrounded the hotel. Since we couldn't check in, we decided to find a place to eat and start checking out the town. Right next door was a cute café called Benso Ristorante Bistrot. A couple of cappuccinos and an omelette gave us the energy to explore.

Accidentally we stumbled into an Arts and Crafts fair at our hotel. Local people selling their ware, which was cool. A woman with homemade headscarves (#noi noe) (_noinoe_ on Instragram) approached us and she was just the nicest woman, excited to show off her work and to sell it. Once she dressed me up in one of her creations, my sister and I had to buy it. But she spoke no English and I totally choked on any Italian I had learned. So with the help of a neighboring seller, communication was possible. Hugs and laughter are universal, which was a great way to begin our adventure.

We walked along narrow cobblestone paths, which had shops and restaurants. Paths that you wouldn't think vehicles would venture into, but they did. A dance of tires and feet. So besides trying to take in what is around you, watching what is around you, watching your footing, you had to watch out for cars and motorcycles.

Everything has a charm, a history. The details in the buildings and the splendor of the churches were everywhere you looked. I was beyond awestruck. We didn't know what was around the corner and was never disappointed. We stumbled upon a classical concert in the street right in front of a beautiful church. Food...so many places to go.....including Burger King, which we did NOT go to. Pizza and wine was dinner for the first night, inside a down to earth restaurant. What we noticed was American music from the 1970's was filling the air, and that was true of most of the restaurants and hotels in Rome.

Before the tour began, we visited various sites where excavation of ruins were taking place, The Vittorio Emanuele II Monument (Italian: "Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II") aka The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was a magnificent and dignified monument with the Myseo Central del Risorgimento, a museum located on one of the sides of the building. The day we were there, the artwork of Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollock were being featured. Donna and I were too interested in what was going on around us to go inside. And we went to churches, many of them. I was deeply moved emotionally as well as spiritually. It was a calm peace away from the hustle and bustle of the city, a place to reaquaint yourself with your soul and with God. This was even before going to the Vatican!

The rains stopped us for going much further, but after a cappuccino, we sloshed back to the hotel to relax and begin the tour later in the day. That is when we really hit the pavement, or should I say the cobblestone.