European Trip Wrap-up

Overall, the trip to Europe worked out pretty well. Since everything is pretty expensive over there, I couldn’t afford to be too spontaneous. Everything was mapped out in a spreadsheet and all of the reservations were made while I was still in the USA. I didn’t want to wander around Rome on foot looking for a place to stay. The Eurail pass was also very convenient, although you have to make reservations in Italy. Traveling first class rail was not bad. Buying city cards in Dresden, Berlin, Florence and Rome was a really good idea since it removed a lot of the hassle of getting into museums and on public transit.

The Eastern European tour with Globus was a nice break to my solo traveling. I got to meet and talk to new people, and I didn’t have to worry about getting around and finding food. However, that did mean getting up on time and packing my bag to get on the bus. That tour redeems Globus after the Southern Italy one that disappointed me. More sightseeing time and no shopping days. I wish I hadn’t gotten sick so I could have checked out Budapest and done more beer drinking in Vienna.

The iPad definitely made life easier. It replaced most of my travel books and save a lot of time navigating to the right place. 3G would have helped even more, but I didn’t want to pay the AT&T rates. The City maps to go applications did most of the heavy lifting. As backups I did take paper books for Berlin and Rome with me, and they were convenient sometimes, but in the future I could probably make do with just the iPad. Although I disagreed sometimes with the Rick Steves books, in general their e-versions on the iPad were some of the most useful references I had.

The Mobal cell phone also worked well, and in some places it was the only way to access my email. It wasn’t that cheap, but it was convenient when you’re visiting so many countries. Wifi access is still not that easy to get in Europe, especially free access. While in Germany you can make use of Starbucks, but there are no Starbucks in Italy. In Switzerland you go to the bar and it’s reasonably priced there (relative to the cost of everything else there).

My MacBook Air was a good companion since it is so light and it served to process my photos on Adobe Lightroom. The only limit to posting the photos was internet access. I carried a external 1.5TB USB drive with me so space wasn’t a problem. Some trains had power outlets so I could keep using the MBA on long trips even if I was too cheap to use the onboard wifi. I was lucky that the hotel in Rome had good although not fast wifi.

For cameras I used a Canon G-12 and an S-90. Both take good raw pictures, but the S-90 is much more convenient and in the future I’ll probably replace the G12 with a S-100. The main feature of the G-12 is the flip-out view screen, but I’ve gotten reasonably good at faking it even with a DSLR. There were time I wished I’d brought my weatherproof Canon D-10, but I was luck that the weather never got too bad (except for the storm when I was hiking in the Alps.

I was glad I’d brought a complete set of Arcteryx Goretex rain gear and an umbrella since I got good use out of them north of Italy. I was glad I brought sun screen for Florence and Rome. My collapsible Platypus water bottle was essential in both Switzerland and Italy. Those bottles were pretty fragile when they first came out, but this one seemed to stand up to all the traveling pretty well. The collapsible Black Diamond hiking poles were essential for the Alps and the Saxon Switzerland. It was much colder than I expected in Germany (colder than the Alps) ad I had to buy that very expensive vest in Dresden. If you’re traveling by train remember to pack light since I had to leave behind a lot of stuff in Switzerland.

The great museums of Europe were a revelation. Some of the greatest classical treasures of Greece and Rome are in Berlin and Vienna, and of course London. You actually meet Swiss in their own service industry again. Germans are very serious about being green and riding bicycles everywhere. Stand in a sidewalk bicycle lane only if you want to die. Plan ahead. I was very ticked at myself when I found that you need to make reservations for the CERN tour weeks in advance. Count your change in the Czech Republic. Collect 1 Euro coins for the bathrooms. Using the toilet is a privilege, not a right in Europe. The automated toilet turnstiles in the McDonalds are something to see. Go to a Starbucks if you want to feel like you’ve never left the States. The water is safe to drink and keep hydrated wherever you go, and always take your umbrella. Learn to eat breakfast Italian style and you can get bananas everywhere.

Everywhere was great but a high point was definitely doing the Villa Adriana the right way and realizing how big the Baths of Diocletian must have been. There’s nothing like standing on a side of a mountain in the Alps and watching a storm come at your through the valley. Make sure they sell you the right local train ticket in Switzerland. Make sure you’re well rested before you go to the Palazzo Pitti. German review audio lesson actually work. I need to go back and finish them some day to find out what happened to the Kobold Ex the Hex.

Rome

It was a relatively quick walk from the Basilea in Florence to the train station, which was the opposite of my walk on the first day from the train station to the hotel. It was a quick and straightforward trip by train to Rome. I’d seen the train station before so it wasn’t too big of shock. My hotel was relatively easy to find on the unfashionable south side of the train station. The hotel was located on the 4th and 5th floors of an office building, which was a little strange and I was glad that I had read about that in a forum before I left the States. Once again I was glad that I had messed up and made reservations for two, since I had a nice spacious room. This one even had air conditioning, although you had to pay a deposit for the controller. The room also came with a good breakfast which was convenient. The location also worked out well since I was close to Santa Maria Maggiore and the Baths of Diocletian, among others.

I had a half day left after my arrival so I headed south and caught a very expensive lunch in a bar across the street from Santa Maria Maggiore. I paid a quick trip to this church, but it wasn’t as impressive as the first time when they were recording a choral performance inside. After that I tried to look for Santa Prassede nearby known for its mosaics, but it was closed for services. I navigated back to the general area of Diocletian’s Baths which encompass a couple of churches and a museum as well as a lot of other municipal property. I visited Santa Maria deli Angeli, which I had skipped on my first trip to Rome due to its rather unimpressive entrance. Big mistake since this is one of the most impressive sights in Rome. It’s one of the only ways to get an idea how impressive the Baths of Diocletian must have been. This was only the frigidarium, and the original floor is about a story below the current floor. The church also contains the La Meridiana sundial. There was also an exhibit where the Church is trying to rehabilitate Galileo.

Part of the baths are also preserved in the much smaller San Bernardo alle Terme. This was one of two round structures. The other one is apparently gone. You can also see but not enter the Aula Ottagona which is a little down the street. The Piazza della Republica itself preserves the shape of the outer wall of the baths. You can also go in the other direction to a branch of the Museo Nazionale Romano which also makes use of former bath structures. I also ducked in there to buy my Rome Pass, which was just as useful as my Firenza card.

Somehow I got back in time to Santa Prassede to see the mosaics before the church closed. This is another one with a very misleading entrance that is a must see.

Church photos at: http://ikemi.info/graphics3/RomanChurches2011/index.html

The next day was my first full one in Rome and one of my big adventures-Ostia Antica. First it was back to the main train station to catch one of the two subway lines. I found that the terminal had a great “drugstore” that was perfect for finding supplies for outings, including hot and cold prepared foods, fresh fruit, and hydration drinks in large sizes. On the subway you go to the Pyramid station, which I found later literally does have a pyramid and then transfer to a local train for the ride to the coast. This turned out to be easy since the train line ends there and so there’s only one way to go. The train was pretty crowded since everyone apparently was going to the beach on a weekend. At the train station you walk out the door and use an elevated walkway to cross the highway and there are signs that take you to Ostia Antica. The Rome Card covered the fares and I think it got me into the ruins. For some sites you need a slightly more expensive version of the Rome Card that is apparently nearly impossible to find these days.

Ostia ia an incredible place to visit since it’s almost a complete city. Unfortunately the Church looted it, and the Fascists made hurried not well researched restorations for political reasons. Still it is something to see and you can spend the whole day there. You do a lot of walking in the sun so hydration is essential. You are also walking on bad stones or open fields so really good shoes are also a must. There is a nice cafeteria there so food is not a problem. There’s a lot to see and explain and leave that to the guidebooks and the internet articles, but I have my photos at:

http://ikemi.info/graphics3/Ostia2011/index.html

On the way out you can also walk around the fortress that was built with stone from Ostia before you get back on the train. On way back you may want to get off the train a station before Pyramid to jump on the subway since it is less crowded-the two lines parallel each other for a while.

The second full day was dedicated to the Villa Adriana. I’d been there once before with a tour group, but they let us see only a tiny part of the site. This was much more challenging since it is not easy to get to the Villa Adriana by public transportation. It’s probably not too bad by car, if you have one. I sort of followed instructions I found on the internet (just like I did to get to the Metropolitan in New York) but I knew that they weren’t up to date. The instructions did get me to the right subway station where I could transfer to a bus. There were nice electronic signs above the bus platforms, but the one saying Villa Adriana said the next bus was at 11, which disagreed with the schedule. I went to the platform with a lot of people and jumped on that bus. This is where my iPad came in handy, since it could show me where we were and when we were getting close to my stop. I did ask the bus driver to drop me off at the Villa Adriana, too, which turned out to be a good thing since it’s not a real stop. There was a European couple on the bus who were going to the same place and they were smart enough to ask directions once we disembarked. It was about a kilometer walk with no signs. Apparently the bus stopped a lot closer at one time. The Villa Adriana was not covered by the Rome Pass, but I didn’t care. This was Hadrian’s private version of Epcot Center, and it was incredibly large, and that’s with significant portions not excavated nor open to the public. As usual, the site had been looted by the Church, mainly for the benefit of Tivoli. The site is much more complex than I thought and it’s easy to lose your orientation. It would probably be a good idea to do more research before you go. I did miss the Temple of Venus, but I read later that is a restoration. I did see the statue from the temple (or at least the torso) in the museum near the Canopus (no photography allowed). Speaking of which, the Canopus is worth the visit. You can also see from many of the ruins that the site was originally very three dimensional. Some of the buildings were pretty tall. On the way out don’t forget to visit the theater which is off by itself. Something newly located is the memorial to Hadrian’s boyfriend.

Getting to the bus I lost the way, but pulling out the iPad got me back on track. It was then that I realized I hadn’t been dropped off at a real bus stop. Some searching finally located it and it was back to Rome. Photos at:

http://ikemi.info/graphics3/Adriana2011/index.html

The third and last full day was included a number of sites. The Rome Card give you free admission to only three sites, I think, but sometimes a site includes multiple physical locations, so it can be a better deal than it seems to be. For example, the Baths of Caracalla are included with the Palantine Hill, which was the first thing I took off to see, after collecting my provisions since I wasn’t sure where I would end up. The first stage was by subway again. Although there are only two lines, they are very useful for tourists.

The Palantine Hill was one of the sights we’d skipped on my first trip to Rome, so I was eager to see it. I remember seeing its profile in the distance and wondering what it was. My planning wasn’t optimal since there are only certain days you can get in to see some things, but there was still plenty to see. The big attraction appeared to be the remains of the decorated tunnel Nero built which also continues on to the forum. Photos at: http://ikemi.info/graphics3/Palatine2011/index.html.

I decided to descend down to the Forum so I could start heading to Trastevere. There were huge tourist crowds in the Forum; comparatively the Palantine Hill had been empty. I eventually made my way out past long lines waiting to get in and started my long walk to cross the river. My goal was to visit Santa Maria in Trastevere. Photos at:

http://ikemi.info/graphics3/Trastevere2011/index.html.

I looped back to visit the Baths of Caracalla. Rick Steves says they aren’t worth visiting, and the ruth is that all you see are the empty shells of the bath, but with the Rome Card it’s considered part of the same entrance fee as the Palantine Hill and Forum, so you might as well drop in if you’re there. Unlike the Baths of Diocletian, these ruins are free standing with no surrounding structures, so you can get an idea of the the enormous size of the ancient complex, and how it was built internally.

http://ikemi.info/graphics3/Caracalla2011/index.html

From there I started walking towards the Appian Way, or at least the streets that lead to the Appian Way. The gate in the walls that opens onto the Appian Way is a small fortress in its own right. I got there tool late to enter the small museum inside of it. I ventured down the Appian Way to say that I had walked on it. If I had another day I would have liked to venture down it farther to see some of the famous sights along it, but instead I turned right to walk along the walls. From the Baths of Caracalla and along this route it was pretty empty of tourists or people in general. The walls are an imposing sight and at a certain point they turn into the modernized walls (at least for their era) that were meant to resist canon. I think I read that the modernization was too expensive so there’s only that short stretch that has been updated. I passed a few more gates, some almost as impressive as the one on the Appian Way, and reached the Pyramid subway station again. Photos at http://ikemi.info/graphics3/Appian2011/index.html

The subway took me back to the Termini and after a rest in my hotel room I went to another branch of the Museo Nazionale Romano that is a little more famous which contains sculpture, frescoes and coins. According to Rick Steves at one time you had to make special arrangements to get to some of the floors, but when I went you could freely visit everything. I especially was interested in the fittings that had survived from the large Roman pleasure barges that had been discovered and then destroyed in World War II. There are also impressive frescoes that were rescued from villas that were subsequently destroyed to make room. Down in the basement are the coins and strangely the mummy of a little Roman girl. Sadly the playthings that were buried with her are on display in cases away from her body.

I crossed the street went back to the Museo Nazionale Romano at the Baths of Diocletian, where I had bought my Rome Pass the first day. This time I went in to see the hall that had been closed on my first trip. It’s used as a display gallery now, but it’s another room from the Baths. You can see out one door that there are still more ruins behind it. There is also a museum there in a former cloisters which has an archeological flavor There are some interesting terra-cotta statues in one wing and a number of displays on the people who lived in Italy before the Romans and Etruscans. There are more branches of the Museo Nazionale Romano, but they’ll have to wait for another trip.

Photos of what I did see are at: http://ikemi.info/graphics3/NationalMuseum2011/index.html

To leave Rome I took the special train from the Termini to the airport. To get to the platform you have to walk what must have been a kilometer to the far end of the station. I got out on the train but then rushed out again to stamp my ticket. Turned out there was conductor to punch your ticket anyway. At the airport it’s more walking and then you find that you have to take a bus to the departure terminal. The departure terminal was rather small, but I managed to buy some gifts before my flight home.