The Trip!
A.M. Portland time Friday June 29.
All the planning and packing, list
making and dreaming are done! The time to travel is NOW! The flight
will take me first to Amsterdam, with a quick turnaround to the
connecting flight to Rome. Approximately 11 hours in the air for my
first International flight! Nervous? YOU BET!
But the excitement is almost more than
my body can hold in! It's time to board! Here I go!
A.M. Roman time Saturday June 30.
I am on Roman soil! Before I go any
further, I must say that the most difficult part for my brain to
adjust to is that I left American soil in the AM, and arrived here in
the AM the following day, without traveling through any darkness
other than the airline imposed drawing of the shades for the sake of
those watching movies. I will have to ponder that for a bit...
The flights themselves were quite nice
with nothing notable to write about. As we descended for the landing
in Amsterdam we opened the shade to get our first glimpse of a new
land. (actually, the man in the seat nearest the window had traveled
here many times, but he was a nice chap and opened the shade for me)
The cloud cover was such that at first I was unable to see land, and
then... The pilot shut down the engines! OK so maybe he just changed
the acceleration but suddenly it seemed as if we were silently
gliding through the clouds. When we broke through the cloud cover my
first sight was a waterway filled with red vessels that reminded me
of sprinkles on a Christmas cookie. The water was also home to what
at first looked like white crosses, and in my artists way I
immediately thought it was a political statement art installation!
But no, as we descended I could see it was windmills...my first
impressions, Christmas cookies and crosses, maybe I should have slept
on the plane?
The serenity of the landing was soon
shattered by the reality of gate locations for my connecting flight.
But I made it, just as the plane was boarding, and this time I had a
window seat! I was hoping luck would be on my side to see the
countryside of Italy as we flew over. Maybe I would even get a
glimpse of the Carrara marble quarries....As we took off, it seemed
as if we were flying over Iowa farmland. Flat sections of land in
various stages of growth or fallow. Pretty, but not what I expected.
I am in a new land, shouldn't it look different? Then the clouds set
in... disappointed, I turned my attention to yet another snack
delivery.
My next glance out the window had heads
turning to make sure I didn't need attention. My reaction was
intense, and verbal. OMG.....I was looking right at the Alps....It
will take me days to find the words to describe the beauty. Now THIS
is what I was waiting for! My eyes never left the window, and I was
NOT disappointed! The land quickly changed in appearance after we
passed the mountain ranges. The only way I can describe it was that
the land looked like a swirling patchwork quilt, or maybe a moment in
time captured by a kaleidescope... even the land here is art! My
imagination flew with thoughts of living here and tending a
vineyard...
Again, serenity ceased by airport
reality! After finding my luggage on a conveyor meant for another
airline, I was off to find a taxi.... what was I thinking!? After
dropping me off blocks away from my destination and collecting his 60
euros, he was off. Now that I am safely in my room and able to look
at the MPH/KM conversion I realize that I was driven to Rome at a
pace of about 95 to 100 miles per hour....wait, I thought Europeans
liked to take it slow... back to my story. The view was pretty dirty
as we left the airport and I wondered if my lifelong dreams would be
shattered by current conditions of a big city. And then we passed
through the Aurelian walls, and I gawked like a kid at a candy store!
Oh yeah...this is it! I shall save my insights for Rome itself for
the blogs to follow in the days ahead. I am in Roma....the cobbled,
scooter lined streets are awaiting my exploration.... Arrivederchi!
