Rick Rambles – A blog

Roma 2010-07-13

I actually tried to plan!!!  The shuttle from the hotel took over an hour in traffic so I could not see as much as I wanted to I went to the Termini to get my tickets organized…  I can plan at least 2 days ahead now… progress… but they won’t let me.  Oh, yea I over shot the Termini metro stop by one because I was distracted.  Fortunately once you are in you are good to go.  So I tried to book my train from Pisa to Livorno and the ferry to Barcelona.  The kiosk would not let me.  It told me to go stand in line.  I stook in line and had a nice chat with a guy that had an easy train to book.  I instructed him on how to use the kiosk, I am now the teacher… so I am in line and I talk with a guy from Seattle that studies in Paris for June and now is traveling to Munich via Bari.  I told him how to do that, because that is way I came.  I am even learning some Italian, thanks to Google translate.
Next mission find train 518 to Pisa… everyone says that there is no need to stay in Pisa after you see the tower, but I have no idea where I am staying tonight because getting the 19 hour, yes, 19 hour boat ride to Barcelona has to be book AFTER I get to Livorno, so I hope to be sleeping in a bed tonight and not a port terminal….
Off to find a train…  oh yea, I snagged a small towel off the cart from the Marriott so at least I can dry off in this non-air conditioned termini… AND THERE IS NO WIFI!!!!
I thought my train was at 13:07, but that turned out to be the date, not the time, DOH!  I finally found the pick-up point for the second tour bus.  I almost gave up twice because it the heat and the rush but I persevered!  I think it was worth it.  There were a couple of new views… but I paid for it so I was going to take it!!!
Then the train to Pisa is not labeled Pisa anywhere.  It is the train to Ventimiglia. Fortunately I have no pride when it comes to asking directions.  I don’t care what country I am and even more fortunately almost everyone is happy to tell me where to go…  I think that is good.
Finding the train wasn’t bad except for the fact we jumped the gun and go on before the people got off…  oops traffic jam.  The halls are pretty much one way.  Picking my seat was completely counterintuitive.  I attempted to get the window going in the direction and ended up with the isle facing the opposite way?!?!  The picture looked like a window and apparently mis figured on the direction of the train… maybe an arrow on the picture would help….  Also they said that don’t announce all stops so pay attention to the time…  US wins on travel… so far…
So I arrived in Pisa with little trouble.  I did not get here until 8:00 which was ok if I knew the train and ferry schedule.  I looked on line for a hotel near the train station and found one called Capital.  They wanted $63 on price line so instead of booking there I walked on down and got it for $50 :>  it is no Marriott, but it will keep my butt off the floor.  I think that I am going to stay in Barcelona for 3 days.  Not sure why, it feels right.  Spend a night at the beach.
Off to see the tower…
OK, sight seeing at night in the summer might be a good plan.  It was way cooler, but still hot.  Man, that tower is leaning… it was pretty cool.  When you walk up you can feel the tilt of the tower on the very narrow and very worn stairs…  The crypt building was pretty cool at night too…
My plan is to get up fairly early spank the sites and head to Livorno and look up the ferry.  It seems a bit elusive… I will look up a hotel in Livorno just in case….

So I made it to Bari.  My trip was supposed to continue at 2:00pm, but no.  It is at 5:00 tonight.  I had a great cabin on the ferry and I have been hanging out with Jodi from NYC.  Everything is closed on Sunday except the grocery store.  We got food and drink there and hung out in the park.
The train from Bari to Rome takes 6 hours…  I am pretty sure I am on the correct train, but I could swear it was going the other way before I fell asleep… Jodi told me about a thing called couch surfing…  I think I will check it out after my stay at the Roman Marriott…  save a bunch of money and meet some new people.
The hotel in Rome is awesome even though it is WAY out of the way.  Next time I will look at a map before I book.  Two days in Rome and then to Pisa and then Barcelona.  There are some high-speed trains that should help…  we will see…
Good morning (for me) it is time to figure out Roma…  at least it won’t be Greek.  I am going to start with the hop-on hop off tour again…  I like them.
So I made it to Bari.  My trip was supposed to continue at 2:00pm, but no.  It is at 5:00 tonight.  I had a great cabin on the ferry and I have been hanging out with Jodi from NYC.  Everything is closed on Sunday except the grocery store.  We got food and drink there and hung out in the park.
The train from Bari to Rome takes 6 hours…  I am pretty sure I am on the correct train, but I could swear it was going the other way before I fell asleep… Jodi told me about a thing called couch surfing…  I think I will check it out after my stay at the Roman Marriott…  save a bunch of money and meet some new people.
The hotel in Rome is awesome even though it is WAY out of the way.  Next time I will look at a map before I book.  Two days in Rome and then to Pisa and then Barcelona.  There are some high-speed trains that should help…  we will see…
Good morning (for me) it is time to figure out Roma…  at least it won’t be Greek.  I am going to start with the hop-on hop off tour again…  I like them.

So the hop-on hop off thing worked out pretty well.  We hopped on in the beginning.  We know where it was because we scouted it out yesterday.  It turns out that there are two companies operating the exact same line with very similar double-decker red busses… confusing.  We got our bus, cruised thought the VERY crowded Athens streets watching the scooters and motorcycles zip through traffic, splitting lanes and rushing to the front at every light.  That should be allowed in CT!
We hopped off at the Museum and spent the next 3 hours going through the place…  Lauren feels the need to take a picture of EVERY SINGLE EXHIBIT!!!  I am go to send her with my father, I think they do museums at the same pace… note to self, make sure that any potential partners have the same museum speed!!!  Otherwise that could be trouble.
We finished up the museum and decided we needed to stop at FastFerries so that I could actually figure out my second leg of the great European tour.  Some would say that this should be figured out already, but heh!  Anyway, I have to go to the train station to activate my pass to be able to book my ferry to Bari Italy and then I can book a discount tour of the Greek islands for Lauren and I…  complicated.  First I need to find the train station, then activate the pass, then go back to FastFerries and THEN I can book everything… simple :<
It is also time to attempt to piece together at least the first couple of stops on the tour.  So far, I know that I am going to take a train (from the station that I don’t know where is) from Athens to Patras where I have to find the port and then get a ferry to Bari.  Then I need to get a train from Bari to Rome and find a place to sleep…  I think I need a spreadsheet…  Excel is running as I type…  There is going to be some serious layover time I am thinking… but hey its an adventure after all!!!  And I have an android phone that WON’T navigate in Greece, what up with that!??!?!

Tuesday July 6… Jet lag
So, when it is 11:00am here it is only 4:00am body time…  we should have set the alarm.  Yup we were going to get an early start to the day and do the “hop-on-hop-off” bus and do some serious touristing, but alas we woke at 11:11 am…  change of plans.  We are going to go into the center of Athens and get a phone, a money clip, sun screen, and a visor.  My visor did not seem to make it into my suitcase…  those people who pack ahead of time may have a good idea…  They want 19Euro a day for internet access, what’s up with that.  Hopefully my phone will get me that.  Also there are a bunch of hot-spots…
I found out that the ferry from Greece to Italy might actually be included in my rail-pass, sweet… now I just have to figure everything else out…  yes, it’s all Greek to me…
We went to Athens center to see where the bus was and the market… we ended getting a phone that took forever.  Then we ended up walking to the Parthenon and the Acropolis  and having a bunch of good food.
The hotel is very nice, but it cost 19e for internet access, what up with that?!?!?!