Commotion at the Vatican

This past week has been an interesting on for the Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI has decided to resign for "advance age" reasons. He is the first Pope since the 1400's to resign, only two other before him to have done so. Some people are in an uproar because the Pope is breaking tradition and think he is trying to change the church, whereas others are ok with this "divine decision."

Last Sunday the Pope attended his last Sunday Mass, and today he is delivering his last Angelus Prayer at St. Peters Square. It is a historic time here in Italy. Marito's dad flew into town last weekend and we made the trip to the Vatican on Thursday. The Square was being set up for the mass of people expected today and the rest of this week. Pope Benedict XVI is resigning on Thursday Feb. 28th, and this Wednesday will be his last day at the Vatican as the Pope.

I don't know much at all about Conclave and the process of electing a new Pope. In fact all of my information comes from the book and movie Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. Not the most reliable source. So I scoured the Internet and threw together information that I have found to pass on to you, to help you understand the up coming process.

So, what is next?

The College of Cardinals will gather in the Sistine Chapel, and will bunker down until a decision is made on who the new pope is. The 116, eligible for election, Cardinals will pray for guidance on who should be elected as the Successor of St. Peter and will not leave until a 2/3 decision has been reached. No one is to enter or leave Conclave (Latin for "with keys") as to prevent any outside influence on voting.

When does Conclave start?

Typically, Conclave occurs between 15-20 days after the death of a Pope. With Pope Benedict XVI resigning there is talk about Conclave occurring sooner than later, with hopes of having a new Pope by Easter.

Why 15-20 after the death?

This timing is to allow the eligible electors to reach Rome for the funeral and gather in the Sistine Chapel for the secret voting.

Pope Benedict XVI is resigning on Feb 28th, so will this speed up the process?

The Pope can amend the law and with the pressure to have a new elect by Easter it is quite possible that Conclave will start early. All of the Cardinals will attend a farewell meeting, planned by Benedict, and since they will already be in attendance, why would Conclave need to wait 15 days? There is pressure to have a new Pope by Palm Sunday, March 24th, but during the time of Lent traditionally it is frowned upon to celebrate, including the installation of a new Pope. The exception is on March 19th, the Feast of St. Joseph, but Conclave will need to have been started and a new Pope picked in time.

What are the rules or qualifications of electing the next Pope?

The maximum numbers of electors is 120 Cardinals, 4 ballots are casted a day- twice in the morning and twice in the evening. The Pope may not be over the age of 80 when the Papalcy is vacated, and must be elected by a two-thirds plus one vote. If 12 or 13 days pass and a successor hasn't been elected a simple majority vote is placed.

So what happens behind the locked doors?

Each rectangular ballot is inscribed at the top with the words Eligo in Summum Pontificem, meaning "I elect as supreme pontiff." Below these words, each cardinal writes down the name of the person he chooses as the pope. The vote is done in secret with paper and pen. The voting cardinal then folds the ballot twice, holds it in the air, and carries it the chapel's altar. He then says, "I call as my witness Christ the Lord who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one who before God I think should be elected." The cardinal places the ballot on a plate that sits atop the ballot receptacle and uses the plate to drop the ballot into the receptacle. After bowing before the altar, he returns to his seat.

Three Scrutineers, who are selected by all of the cardinals, are charged with counting the ballots. Once the ballots are collected, the Scrutineers count the ballots to determine if everyone has voted. If the number of ballots doesn't match the number of electors, the ballots are immediately burned and another vote is taken.
Here are the steps for the vote-tallying procedure:

1. The first Scrutineer takes a ballot, notes the name on it, and passes it to the next Scrutineer.
2. The second Scrutineer notes the name and passes it to the third Scrutineer.
3. The third Scrutineer reads aloud the name on the ballot, pierces the ballot with a needle through the word Eligo at the top of the ballot, and slides the ballot onto a string of thread.
4. Each elector notes the name that is read.
5. Once all ballots are read, the Scrutineers write down the official count on a separate sheet of paper.
6. The third Scrutineer ties the ends of the thread on which the ballots are placed in a knot to preserve the vote.
7. The ballots are placed in a receptacle.

After each vote, the ballots and any notes regarding them are burned. Smoke from the burning of the ballots appears over the Vatican Palace. If no pope has been chosen, a chemical is applied to the ballots in order to create black smoke when burned. White smoke signals that a pope has been elected.

As close as I am to the Vatican, I would love to make a trip to Rome to partake in this historic event, but I will probably stay home and watch BBC or CNN live coverage. I can still say to my kids one day, "Hey! I was in Italy when this happened!"

If you don't mind the crowds and congestion, I urge you to make the pilgrimage to the Vatican and witness this historic religious event for yourself.

Carnevale- Rich in Culture and History

Carnevale is what Americans refer to as Mardi Gras. Celebrated across Italy, the biggest celebration is held in Venice every year. Approx 3 million people flock to Venice to don fancy masks, elaborate costumes and dance the night away at the ball. I wasn't fortunate to make the trip to Venice in time to experience Carnevale myself, but it was nice to know that MWR/ITT offered a trip, which means if I don't want to plan one, I can easily sign up for a hassle free experience.

What is Carnevale all about?

Venice used to called the Repubblica della Serenissima, and the Carnival originated from a victory against Patriarch of Aquileia. People of the town met in San Marco Square and danced to honor the victory. Carnevale became an official festival during the Renaissance but diminished during the 18th Century. In 1979, the Italian government brought back the festival to commemorate the history and culture of Venice.

When does Carnevale start?

It used to be that Carnevale began in October, but now it begins on the Day of Epiphany and lasts approx ten days before Lent. Masks are allowed to be worn starting on the Festival of Santo Stefano (St. Stefano's Day) on December 26th.

When does Carnevale end?

Fat Tuesday is the last day of the celebration. Forty Days before Easter.

What's with the masks?

The masks play a big role in Carnevale. They hide people's identities, therefore allowing no differentiation between commoners and noblemen.


Fun fact!

The Tuesday before Lent starts is called Shrove Tuesday. Shrove is past tense for "shrive" which means to obtain absolution for one's sins by way of Confession and doing penance. Therefore, Christians are to be "shriven" before the start of Lent.

Shrove Tuesday is also known as Pancake Day in America, but why?

It is traditionally to eat pancakes before the start of Lent to help use up rich foods such as eggs, sugar, and milk before the fasting season of Lent. Fasting doesn't mean starving ones self, but to eat plainer food- no meat, dairy or eggs.

What food is eaten during Carnevale?

Italians indulge in rich, fatty foods, thus the term for Fat Tuesday. Popular dishes include: gnocchi (potato-pasta dumplings), tortelli (meat filled pasta), even Sanguinaccio di Carnievale.

Sanguinaccio di Carnevale has been banned from public sale, but the locals still make it. Why is it banned and what is it you ask? Well... if you really want to know.. it is a bitter chocolate pudding. Not bad right? I forgot to mention that it is flavored with fresh pigs blood. It was banned in 1992 for health- law concerns.

Lasagna is also eaten on Fat Tuesday, again as a way to use up the richer and fatty foods from the home before Lent. So in honor of the tradition, I went to the NEX and bought a Stoffers Lasagna!

Something for the Kids!

Italians don't celebrate Halloween like Americans do. They celebrate All Saint's Eve on November 1, but the tradition of wearing Halloween costumes is slowly becoming popular. The last day of Carnevale, however, the children dress up like Spiderman, Princesses, and anything imaginable. I went to the local shopping mall the weekend before and about fell on my butt from all of the confetti on the ground (didn't help I was wearing heals!) from the parade put on for the children.

Being here for 3 years, I have all the time in the world to go to Venice. but having missed one Carnevale already I have only TWO MORE CHANCES to attend again with ease. Time to start planning my trip for next year!

Here are some interesting websites that I ran across while researching for this blog!


Official Sites: http://www.carnevale.venezia.it/
                     http://www.venice-carnival-italy.com/
Types of Masks:  http://www.venetianmasksociety.com/History-of-Carnevale_ep_37-1.html
General Information: http://www.twistedimage.com/productions/carnivale/
                             http://venicexplorer.net/carnevale-di-venezia/index.php

Flying Space A

Who wants to know anything about Space A flying? Ok who doesn't want to know??? If you have never flown Space A (formally called MAC Flights) I'm sure you have a LOT of questions. I know I did. Well I just took a little trip across the Atlantic Ocean, and along the way I asked questions and I'm hoping I can answer some of yours!

Before I give you the Q and A, I'll tell you a little bit about my experience.

First step, Marito asked to get a Command Sponsorship Letter for me, and he also asked to receive an EML form (which boosts you up a category). After receiving the proper documents we went to the Terminal on base to register for the flight back to Norfolk. You can call and ask when flights "typically" are scheduled to your destination, but they aren't confirmed until 72 hours prior.

When registering for the flight, you need to ask "When is roll call?" Roll call is when they announce who has made the flight. You need to be checked in BEFORE this time or your name will drop to the bottom of the list- no matter what category you are.

I didn't know if I had made the flight until an hour before boarding time, but I asked the clerk how many empty seats their were on the plane and how many people were registered for the flight. It gives you a ball park idea if you are going to make the flight. YOU NEED TO BE FLEXIBLE!

The flight was a regular Chartered Commercial Airline (Omni Air and North American Air)- so you're not sitting in the back of a military plane but you can catch flights on some of those to certain locations.



Let me break down your timeline if you were to catch a flight from Naples to Norfolk and back

Friday morning (day of flight)

• Check in no later than 0930 at the INFORMATION Desk.  (Time changed to OPSEC purposes)
• Listen for you name to be called around 1000, then proceed to the CHECK IN Desk with your luggage.
• If you are PCSing you can skip the Info Desk.
• The flight is $29.10 currently (I don't know if they take credit card, but exact change is preferred)
• 1100 you will board your flight
• 1205 is take off.
• Stop in Lajes, Azores, Portugal five hours after take off.
• Exit plane onto runway to board a bus which will take you to the Terminal while the plane refuels and is loaded with fresh food.
• The Layover is approx 2 hours
• Board the plane for a 6 hour flight to Norfolk, Va.
• You will arrive in Norfolk around 1900
• You must go through customs, so please fill out a customs card (flight attendants pass them out)

Tuesday night (almost 2 weeks later)

• Check in no later than 1900 at the information desk
• When name is called, go to check in and get your ticket.
• The cost is $16.10
• Board and hour before take off
• Take off is at 2120
• Fly for 4 hours and 15 minutes to Lajes.
• Two hour layover
• Fly 4 hours and 15 minutes to Naples.
• No custom form was given on my flight back nor was I asked to present one when I arrived here.

Ok! Now for some Q and A. Below is the "dummy version" that I wrote. The proper answers are located on a PDF that you can open up at this link! The Air Mobility Command website is found here, and the links on the left side are VERY helpful.

What is Space A you ask?

Space A means Space Available. If there are any empty seats on a military flight about 2 hours before take off, there is "space available" thus allowing the terminal to give those seats away to people wanting to travel.

How do I sign up for a flight?

Your sponsor must first get you a Unaccompanied Command Sponsorship Letter. Simply go to admin and ask for one. It will then go up the chain of command. This allows you to fly on a military flight, without your sponsor WHILE STATIONED OVERSEAS. Then you can email/call your terminal that you want to book a flight with, or you can personally go to the terminal with your proper documentation and book a flight.

Along with a Sponsorship Letter, you can also get Environmental Morale Leave (EML) and/or Emergency Leave. Not sure about Emergency Leave, but EML is granted twice a year per family. Meaning since I took EML leave to go to the states, as a family, my husband and I have one EML left for the year. I can go with out him, him without me, or together. Flying under EML or Emergency Leave boosts you up a category. For more info on categories see below.

How much luggage can I bring?

You can CHECK TWO bags up to 70 pounds per person. Families can pool their luggage together as long as the total is not over the allotted amount. Each person is also allowed one carry on and one personal piece of luggage (purse, briefcase etc.) You cannot have or pay for excess luggage unless you are on duty status.

Can I bring my Pets?

No. DOD has pet shipment for families undergoing PCS.

Is Space A Free?
 
No. There are fees. For Instance when I flew from Naples to Norfolk the flight cost $29.10, and the flight back to Naples only cost $16.10.

When is the best time to fly?

Any time other than peak holiday and travel seasons (Dec-Jan, June-Aug)

What are the Categories?

Cat I- Emergency Travel, Uniformed Service family members whose sponsor is overseas and there is an emergency in CONUS, full time, paid personnel for American Red Cross serving overseas, and US civilian citizens of DOD serving overseas.

Cat II- Sponsors on EML with their family members (sponsor must also be on ordinary leave), DOD Dependent School Teachers and their accompanied family members on EML during school holidays and vacations.

Cat III- Military members on TDY while house hunting, military members on ordinary or reenlistment leave status, uniformed service patients on convalescent leave, dependents of military members deployed for 365 consecutive days or more.

Cat IV- Unaccompanied family members (18+ yrs) traveling on EML orders (under 18 must be accompanied), DODDS teachers or family members traveling in EML status during summer break, dependents of military members deployed for 120 consecutive days.

Cat V- students whose sponsor is station in Alaska or Hawaii, students enrolled in trade school in CONUS when sponsor is stationed overseas, military members traveling TDY for other than house hunting, unaccompanied military dependents  (18+) stationed overseas traveling CONUS and return- must have Command Sponsorship Letter which is valid for 90 days and one round trip.

Cat VI- National Guard/Reservists who are on the Active Status List and retired members (and their family when accompanied) who are issued DD Form 2.


Now that I have overloaded your brain with information, take into consideration that if you fly Space A, you are NOT guaranteed a seat. You need patience and flexibility, especially if you can't make it to your final destination.

It was wonderful to be able to pick up and go on this flight back "home" and I encourage everyone to attempt to fly Space A, but don't rely on this method if you MUST get back to the States. I hope this helps answer some of y'alls questions.

HAPPY TRAVELS!

Christmas Markets, Accidents, Parties and more

Hey Ya'll!! Happy New Year! I am so sorry I haven't written in so long. This girl needed a mental break, but I have a few stories to fill you in with. So please bear with the long post- I'll do my best to keep you entertained! Lots of pictures in this post! You have been warned.

I left off talking about the Costa Concordia, and the trip my mom and I took out there. I can't believe a full year has almost passed since the disaster. Two people are still yet to be found, and the ship is still there. I do recommend a quick day or weekend trip out there to Giglio Island- it's a story you will have with you for the rest of your life.

After Mom left to go back home the holidays came in, and so did my 25th Birthday! As my birthday/Christmas present from Marito we took a USO Tour to Germany and Austria to experience the Christmas markets. We took a 14 hour bus ride overnight to Garmish, Germany where we stayed at Edleweiss (the military only resort). From there we headed straight to Munich to walk through our first Christmas Market.

Let me tell you, Germany is a gorgeous country. Clean, crisp, and beautiful. Our tour guide, Oscar, walked us through town to get to our destination, pointed out some good restaurants and places to shop and then set us loose. The first spot on our list was lunch. Marito, myself and some new friends made our way to the Hofbrauhaus Brewery to get a taste of local cuisine. I am not a big beer drinker... who am I kidding? I barely like Apple Cider "Beer" but being in Germany I couldn't pass up the opportunity to try a German beer. So I ordered the fruitiest beer there and Marito ordered the darkest. I took my two sips and was good! Still not a beer drinker I guess. We feasted on a sausage platter, and sauerkraut. It was as delicious as everyone claims it to be.









We made our way back to the markets and got a mug of Gluewein (mulled, spiced wine). It was just ok, but apparently I went to the wrong stand to get the good stuff. The stands give you gluewein in a mug that you can keep, or return the mug and get 2 Euros back. Marito wanted to keep the mug, but I didn't want to keep a mug from a not so delicious Gluewein stand! Do you blame me?! We will get another one later.


It snowed in Munich, which was awesome. Thick heavy snow, Christmas markets, warm Gluewein, being in Germany with my husband, it was one of those perfect memories that if there was music playing it could have been in a movie. My heart was soooo happy!

The next day we went to Salzburg, Austria, and in my opinion has the best market. Marito, Oscar, some friends and I went to a little place to grab lunch and kill time, then it was off to go shopping. I bought so much STUFF! Christmas ornaments, nutcrackers, cutesy decorations for my house! Oh and CHOCOLATE! Mozart chocolate everywhere! Don't look at me weird when I tell you that I spent 40 Euros on chocolate alone! And of course I didn't eat it all! I ate about half and had the rest as a dish for a Christmas party! I also tried Gluewein again, and it was much better. I am not a big wine drinker, and I thought it was a very nice winter drink. It definitely kept my fingers warm. Even beer drinkers like gleuwein, so when you are in the Germany/Austria area during the winter time, I urge you to try it! Oh! And keep the cup!

Edleweiss was very nice and WARM! Do you know what heat means in the winter time? It is so precious when you live in Naples because it costs so much to heat your house. We had a day off, where you can go skiing, walk around the town of Garmish or do as I did... sleep in and get a massage. I will never go back to a normal massage, after having a Hot Stone Massage. Oh Em GEE! It was phenomenal! I highly recommend one to everyone! A group of us from the tour went out to dinner at an authentic German restaurant and feasted on some amazing food. Don't ask me what I ate, I just know it was finger licking good!

The day we left to head back home, we stopped in Innsbruck, Austria, a picturesque town at the foot of the mountains. Again, I bought more chocolate. Don't judge me. The bus ride back was long and torturous, but it was a lesson learned- check to see if it is a bus ride or a flight! 14 hour bus rides are NOT comfortable. But over all it was a great experience and a wonderful birthday gift.



To continue the birthday celebrations, I have been working with the Hotel Agora to throw an Ugly Sweater party to celebrate the reason for the season and the slew of Sagittarius birthdays. It was potluck style, Trap Neuter and Release brought door prizes and we were able to fund raise for them. They were able to fix 3 female dogs with the donations they received. The local markets had tons of ugly sweaters, my girlfriends and I had a blast digging for gold. I swear the vendors should have paid us to take these sweaters off their hands, but for 1 Euro or 2 it wasn't a bad deal and made us laugh. We had a fantastic turnout, and some seriously U-G-L-Y sweaters! I am pretty sure we will have to do this again next year because it was a superb time.

A few days before hand, one of my girlfriends and I braved Christmas Alley. We didn't take the metro, instead we drove my big ole SUV through downtown and inevitably we drove down Christmas Alley. The streets were packed, and how I didn't hit anyone is a miracle. It was pretty interesting to see the different shops there, but pretty much everything for sale was either a magnent, an ornament or a nativity scene. I am glad to have gone though, so I know what to expect. Nothing really worth getting but like I said, interesting to check out and be in the athmosphere.

On the way home from Christmas Alley we saw a bright rainbow. Double rainbow at that! And if you want a good laugh check out this Double Rainbow Youtube video. With this rainbow being all the way across the sky, full arch, and so vivid, we were geeking out! No, like seriously geeking out! We actually pulled over on the Tange and took a picture. Then we decided to follow it to see if we could find where it ends, who knows maybe we will find a pot of gold. As we get off the interstate, we notice that it looks like it ends at Ipercoop (a mall). So like the women we are, we of course take a picture of the rainbow ending at the mall and then went shoe shopping!

Just two days before Christmas I get a text from a friend who lives a couple of parcos down, her husband was in a car accident. Before she could ask for me to come get her I was out the door. Fortunately he was ok, and so was the other driver but they didn't have the number to call base and get help. Marito works for Dispatch (911) so I was able to call and get the process started. If you are in an accident here is your to do list:

• Call Dispatch- 081-568-4911
• Get the Insurance information from the other driver

Dispatch has Local Nationals (some really cool and nice people by the way) who speak both English and Italian. So they can talk to you, and they can talk to the person you were in an accident with. They will ask you if you need a Tow Truck- from Lago Patria to Support Site it is 100 Euros. Make sure you ask for a receipt because your insurance company will probably pay you back for it. They will also send out the Carabineri. If there is no injury they will not come out. I recommend you say "yes there is an injury" because, better safe than sorry. Besides, the Carabineri work closely with the Military. Now here is the kicker, my friend is Canadian and the person he was in an accident with was from Bulgaria, so it made things a bit complicated. India 7 (another form of police) was called to come out, but they had a higher priority to handle at the time. You want someone to be there to get your side of the story. So make sure the Carabineri come out.

After everything is said in done, you want to go to Support Site and go to the Police Station (connected to Pass and ID) to turn in your Official Statement. Hopefully no one will need this information, but it is always good to know!


The next day I had a Christmas Eve party at my house, and three cars got broken into on the street. The burglars got 10 liters of gas coupons and some CDs, they tried to steal a stereo but weren't successful. Park in people's driveways! So what you have to play musical cars when people need to leave. It's better than getting a window busted out, and the heart attack of seeing your car has been messed with. Or leave your car unlocked with nothing worth stealing in it. It is one of those risks you take, and the joys of living in Naples. Again if your vehicle gets broken into, file a report at the Police Station.

New Years came and went, but it was a New Years for the books! Naples knows how to party on New Years. It seemed like EVERY house in Naples was setting off fireworks. I can't even imagine how awesome Naples looks from the top of Mt. Vesuvius! The Hotel Agora (my home away from home) had some entertainment, food, and music for the evening. But let's not forget the fireworks. The owner must have spent a couple of grand in explosives! After majority of the citys' fireworks were done, that's when the hotels' firework started. A SOLID 20 minutes of AMAZING HUGE FIREWORKS. Not those wimpy blah fireworks. I'm talking POW POW! BOOM! It was a blast.

Now the New Year is here and it's time to start cracking down on planning trips for 2013. First on my list is Norfolk, Va. I am going home next week on a Space A flight (fingers crossed). So I will update you on the ins and outs of Space A travel.

Buon Anno!

Leaning Tower and Ship Wrecks

Last week, my mom flew in to town. It was truly wonderful to have her visit.

Mom is a flight attendent, and her schedule is hectic, so for her to find a couple days to spend with me was simply awesome. She's done the whole Rome thing and had her heart set on something a little more unique.

The Costa Concordia. For those who don't remember what the Costa Concordia is- it is the Cruise Ship that sailed by an island off the coast of Tuscany, hit the reef, and fell on it's side. Fortunately the ship was SO close to land and a port that a lot of help was available. Unfortunately over 30 people died. The Captain evacutated the ship while passengers and crew members were still onboard. Very uncool. This happened on January 13, 2012- almost a full year later and the ship is still there, being worked on so it can be towed away.

Pisa was also on Mom's hit list. I haven't been yet, so I was excited to go there as well.

Mom flew in Tuesday, hung out Wednesday around Naples, and then we caught a train to Pisa (via Roma) that afternoon. I've taken the train a couple times now, I will post below my thoughts and tips for train travel. We arrived in Pisa about 5-6 hours later, walked one block to our hotel (Hotel La Pace- SUPER GREAT PLACE TO STAY), checked in and then went exploring.

The front desk clerk- Regina, speaks excellent English, and directed us to a local restaruant that was super quaint and traditional, Risorante Lo Schiaccianoci. We walked in and to our left was a very large family eating dinner together- something you see in the movies. I tried gnocchi for the first time, and it was pretty good! It is pretty much tiny potatoe like dough balls served in cream or red sauce, and whatever toppings. It's very heavy on the stomach, but hey! We're in Pisa!

After dinner, Mom and I walked through town, making our way to the Leaning Tower. It was a 20 minute walk, through clean streets, precious shops, and over a large river. Before we knew it, we had arrived. Seeing the tower at night is a MUST! So glad we did that first. There were maybe 4 other people at the tower when we arrived. Taking pictures and admiring its' beauty. The towers' white marble against the dark night sky is a stunner. By far the most beautiful and crisp historical building I have seen.

We came back the next morning to take pictures. I was compelled to take a picture to make it look like I was supporting the tower with my hand. I felt very original! Haha! A friend on Facebook told me to go and give high fives, so I saw a young girl posing with her hand out to "support the tower" I ran up to her and gave her a high five. I must admit, it was pretty funny!

The tower leans 3.99 degrees today. Pictures really don't do justice to show how much it really leans. It used to lean 5.5 degrees and was deamed unsafe to the public. So after years of counterweights, and shifting dirt around, the tower has been reopened and is claimed to be safe for the next 200 years. I really wanted to climb the steps inside- I hear you get some pretty crazy vertigo, or drunk feeling. I didn't climb the 290+ steps, because I decided to wait until Marito cameout with me, something we can experience together.

There are a bunch of tents and vendors along the streets in Pisa, so plenty of touristy knick knacks and keychains to look at. I lately have been a sucker for magnets. I can't help but to want to buy them ever since I moved to Italy!






We caught the train and made our way back towards Roma. Instead of getting off in Rome though, we got off at the Orbetello Monte Argentario station. Walked outside and caught the first city bus to Porto Santo Stefano. This is the port where Mom and I caught the ferry that took us to Giglio Island. Our hotel (Hotel Alfiero) was 2 blocks away from bus stop and ferry, so it worked out great.

Porto Santo Stefano and Giglio Island are not big tourist attractions by any means. Infact, because the cruise ship sunk there is the only reason why I know about it. Many people have gone to take pictures of the ship, but they come in go within the same day- not doing much to boost the economy.

We caught the 0730 ferry to the island. It was an hour long ferry ride, and the water was a bit choppy, but we stayed warm inside with a cappuccino in hand. As we approached the island, you can see the ship. It's length of 950 feet was fully exposed as was the gash that was ripped into the hull. It was a very cool thing to see, but it is so hard to be excited over seeing it because it was such a tragic event. The Italians are not proud of this, and don't want this to be the reason why people come to Giglio. But it is what it is.

The ferry pulls up so close to the ship, we were maybe 100 feet away. Being the only two tourist on the boat, we stuck out like a sore thumb taking pictures. But this is the reason why we came. Mom and I wanted pictures with the Costa Concordia because who else has pictures with it? Everyone has pictures with the Statue of Liberty, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, but out of our friends and other world travelers not many people have been to this shipwreck. So again, kinda cool but still very tragic.

We docked about two football fields away, and hailed a taxi. For 15 euros the taxi driver drove us up the rocky coast, and stopped so we could jump out and take pictures peering down at the ship. Five minutes later he drove us back. We had spent less than 30 minutes on the island. Round trip ferry tickets, and a taxi, it's an expensive trip for 30 minutes and some pictures- but it's something that we can say that we have been to. Mom's friend wanted to make the trip with us but couldn't, so to lighten the mood we cut out a picture of her and brought her with us.

This wrapped up our whirl wind trip. We hopped back on the next train to Roma, mom went to the airport and I headed home. I'm sure that 3 days with your mom may not be ideal, but the relationship mom and I have, 3 days was perfect. She doesn't want me to tote her around, and go out of my way to be super hospitable to her. She knows that she will be back more often than anyone else, so little doses at a time is perfect.



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TRAIN TIPS

• Catching a train from Downtown Naples can be pricey.
• Catch the train from Villa Literno- 15 minute drive from Lago Patria
• From here to Roma you pay 10 euros!
• Have a friend drop you off and pick you up to avoid parking
• Visit TrenItalia.com enter Villa Literno and wherever your desitiantion is.
• We spent roughly 40 euros to Pisa, 20 euros to Orbetello from Pisa, and from Orbetello to Roma was 10 Euros.
• I say don't bother with buying 1st class. It's not a huge difference, unless you are on a train for endless hours- then it may be worth looking into.
• Make sure you validate your ticket before boarding the train.

• Look for a yellow box on the wall or a TrenItalia green box.
• When you enter your ticket into the slot, it will punch a hole. Congratulations your ticket has been validated.
• If you don't validate your ticket- it can cost you an additional 50 Euros!

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Getting to The Costa Concordia

• Visit the website TrenItalia
• I travel from Villa Literno to Orbetello-Monte with a stop in Roma Termini
• When you arrive in Orbetello, catch the local city bus to Porto Santo Stefano (the bus will say so on the digital display at the top) and when you see the boats you know you are where you are suppose to be.
• The city bus is 2 Euros a person (Taxi is 30 Euros)
• We walked about 2 blocks down the road to get to our hotel.
• Buy your ferry ticket across the street from the ferries
• There are only two ferries to get to Giglio Island- Torremar or Maregiglio.
• View their ferry time tables here
• It costs us 10,30 euros a person there, and 9,30 to get back
• The ferry is an hour each way, and give yourself time to catch the city bus to get back to the train station.

Here is a good website for Giglio Island

Doing Rome the Right Way

This past weekend my sister in law and niece flew in to Naples for a quick visit. One of the issues about living in a foreign country is that MUST SEE AND DO list.

When Marito and I arrived, we quickly went to Rome, saw the Coliseum, the Trevi Fountain, visited Pompeii and all that jazz.. Well, now that we have done these things, we kinda don't want to do them again. Does that make us bad hosts?

Fortunately this trip worked out great for us. Marito had to work a few days the ladies were here, so while he was working, us girls went out and did the things Marito didn't want to do again.

I took them to Pompeii first. I had only been once, where as Marito has been twice already, so I didn't mind going again. Pompeii is so big, so there is plenty of things I missed out on seeing the first time I went. We had a blast, my niece kept saying that every room was a bed room, a bathroom, a jail cell, or it was a bakery. To her, some of these buildings had 4 bathrooms side by side! Silly kid! She was definitely entertaining us with her teenage imagination- made the trip super funny!

We showed the family what our favorite Italian meals are. If you are ever in Lago Patria, the rotisserie place on Via Staffetta is to die for! You can't eat until 7 PM at the earliest, but the chicken is sooo tasty, it is totally worth the wait. And they put the french fries under the chicken as it cooks and gets the drippings on them. OH EM GEE YUMMO! Don't forget the fritatina pasta- friend mac n cheese!

Saturday morning we had a friend drop us off at the Villa Literno Train Station where we caught a train to Roma for 10 Euros each!!! It was a two hour train ride, not too shabby! You are going to pay 20 euros in tolls each way if you drive to Roma, and this way we didn't have to worry about gas or parking.

When we got to Roma, we checked into our hotel, dropped off our book bags (don't want to carry luggage around in Roma the day we check out), then we headed off to the Vatican.

When you first arrive at the Train Station in Roma, if you want to buy Roma Passes (30 euros) go to platform 24 and find the information desk. If you want the Omni Vatican Pass (85 euros) go to Platform 1. We were going to get the Vatican pass because it seems like the best deal, be we decided not to.

Roma has two train lines, the A train which is the orange line on the map, and the B train which is blue. Both of which intersect at the main Train Station. Super easy to travel on, and find your way. I learned at a young age how to make my way on a metro. My mom taught me in London when I was 13 and I mastered it in DC where she lives. I remember one trip where I ran away from a hotel and went to the Airport in London- boy did that plan back fire! That is another story, for a different blog, but thanks mom for teaching me the ropes.

Quick lesson in metro riding- you want to take the train with the end destination that will pass your stop. For example, the metro runs from A-Z and you are at stop S and want to get to stop M you need to get on the train headed to A. Does that make sense? I sure hope so!

Back to the Vatican! We arrive at the Vatican and get approached by tour guides, they are offering a 2 hour tour through the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and ending in St Peter's Church. The Line to get in was a 2 hour wait, and the price was 35 Euros. So we paid it, waited for the group to get larger for almost an hour. I was getting super ansty! The guide was cool. He told us what to look for in the Sistine Chapel, what each picture meant and who painted it. It was totally worth the 35 Euros. We received head sets so we could hear our guide talking in a microphone, which was nice so we could hang back a bit and not worry about not hearing him.

When we got into the Sistine Chapel, we left the tour group. I wanted to spend more time in there admiring the masterpieces. The tour guide exited stage right and we exited stage left. Stage left took us to the rest of the Vatican Museum. After walking for a bit I turned around and said "I just really want to see Mary holding Jesus." I was then informed that because I left the group I would have to go back and wait in line. WHAT?! So we turned around, went back to the Sistine Chapel and then exited Stage Right (tour groups only). We snuck through this door and pretended to catch up with our group and found ourselves at the entrance to St. Peter's Basilica.

We walked into this massive, beautiful church, and I remember a conversation from the day before where someone told me that you will hear "Oh My God" or "Holy Sh*t" in many different languages from people's first impression of this church. And it is pretty true- that was what my first impression was. of course I thought it, and didn't say it!

To the right was a crowd, and naturally I go to it. Low and behold is the statue of Mary holding the body of Jesus. My mother warned me about this beautiful, realistic statue. The compassion, and love resonating from it touched my heart. I cried. Never in my life did I think I would cry over a statue, but being in this church, staring at the piece of art- I was caught in the moment.

As we left the church, the Swiss Guards were changing, we stopped and watched- it was very uneventful. The best changing of the guards ceremony I've seen is in Athens, Greece- they are entertaining to watch!

The SIL and I maid a postcard home from the Vatican- it's 1.60 Euros for a stamp. Then we headed off to the Trevi Fountain.

When Marito and I went in August the Trevi was under construction (half of it was) and I was shocked to see that the scaffolding was removed! Just 2 or 3 weeks ago it was still up from what I saw from my Enterprise friends who visited in port.

My niece took her one coin and made a wish to come back to Roma. We made our way to the Coliseum, walked around it, and found a great restaurant. I wish I had grabbed the name of it, but we went there before and found our way back, so I know we will return next time.

The next day we got up and headed back to the Coliseum to go inside and check it out. Tickets were 12 Euros, and the wait wasn't too bad. It had started to rain, so all of the street vendors were selling crappy umbrellas for 5 euros. I talked them down to 4 and bought two, just in case it started to pour.

The Coliseum is pretty cool, the stairs a pretty steep, and like a dummy, I wore boots with heals, didn't bring a change of shoes and my feet were KILLING me both days. So naturally, I want to find some new shoes. After the Coliseum we made our way to the Spanish Steps- the widest staircase in Europe. Directly across the street is the high end designer section of Roma.

We went to Prada, Gucci, LV, Versace, Jimmy Choo. It was a girl's dream come true- if only we had a ton of money to blow.

My niece had just turned 14 on her trip out here, so we wanted to spoil her a bit and went into the stores. She had a great time looking at bridal jewelry in Cartier, trying on 600 Euro fur scarfs in Gucci, and then we went to Jimmy Choo and the sales consultant went and grabbed 4 pairs of shoes for her to try on, JUST FOR FUN!

The rain picked up so we left Roma 2 hours early. Amazingly we didn't buy anything to take back with us!

Their last day in Italy, Marito had to work, so I took the girls to Mt. Vesuvius and let them climb it. I have already climbed Vesuvius twice, and I didn't want to pay 8 Euros for a work out, so I stayed in my car and read a book while they had a good time. Afterwards we went to Compania Mall and bought a bunch of accessories, and shirts. That mall has 181 stores!

Before they caught their flight the next day, we went to Auchan to pick up a ton of candy and other goodies for them to take back to the states.

It sucks to see them leave, but I know they had a great time here, and I look forward to my next visitor. Mom wants to come out and go see the Costa Concordia (the cruise ship that bottomed out and is off the coast). Should be fun to take pictures there!