Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Day 1/2

I am sorry for not getting these updates in sooner. I had some difficultly getting onto the internet here at the hotel with my computer and figured out how to get onto the network this morning (Wed). I hope to post updates more frequently as we progress through our trip.

Despite the rainy weather on Monday in Providence, we got off to an unblemished start, arriving in Boston two hours prior to the 5:35 flight to Paris and well ahead of a long line that assembled at the check-in counter just after all of us had checked our bags.

We took up the back of the plane and arrived in Paris on time at 6:15 a.m. (12:15 a.m. EST). The process to get to our connecting gate for our flight to Rome was somewhat of a learning experience that had many of us appreciating the systems in place in America. In order to keep some sort of traffic flow, there were a series of doors that people must walk through in Charles de Gaulles to get to the customs area. These doors only a pre-determined number of people in at a time and then you must wait until the opening comes around again to enter and pass through the doors. With several flights having just landed, you can imagine the scene of people with their carry-on bags crowded in front of the doors, trying to then squeeze through an opening wide enough for two people. The pushing and shoving continued down a set of stairs and through a narrow passage-way, where two lines formed to catch a tram to the connecting gate.

All of us made it on the same tram and upon exiting the tram we were corralled into another line, this time to get our passports checked and stamped. The line was long and hot with a lot of people from different backgrounds and speaking different languages trying to communicate with one another - which just resulted in people attempting to push their way through the line. After getting stamped, we moved onto another (and final) line for the security check point to screen our carry on bags, arriving at the gate with about an hour before taking off for Rome. Most of the team used this time to catch up on some much-needed sleep.

After arriving and collecting our luggage (all of it made it!), we were joined by Caitlin and Andrea, who met us at Rome’s Fiumicino airport, and greeted by our tour manager, Elena, who will be with us for the entire tour. Before heading to the hotel, we enjoyed a one-and-a-half-hour driving tour of the city (although I think several of us were so tired, the drive in the bus lulled us to sleep). Fortunately, we will have the chance to see all of the sites Elena pointed out to us in the coming days, when we visit Vatican City tomorrow and then the Coliseum, Roman Forums and Spanish Steps on Thursday.

Upon our arrival at the hotel, Elena had announced that she had some snacks and sodas for the group, which was much appreciated after the long day of travel and little to eat! We checked into the hotel around 1:45, and then enjoyed some free time, which most of us used to shower and to rest. Some of us headed back into the city for some shopping and site-seeing before going back to the hotel for our 7:00 dinner. The meal was a four-course Roman dinner – salad, pasta, meat, and dessert.

Everyone was ready for bed following the dinner at 8:00, and tomorrow will be an early morning with our wakeup calls scheduled for 7:00 a.m.

One thing about the city of Rome that was immediately apparent is the traffic. It was mid-day when we were initially driving in and relatively quiet. However, on our return trip to and from the city, we were driving in the middle of rush hour. The roads were pure chaos. Cars, most of which are extremely small in comparison to those we drive in the U.S., buses, scooters, pedestrians, people washing windows, and vendors, all weaving in and out of each other at high speed. It seems that they do not adhere to many rules, relatively few turn signals are used, and cars were parked anywhere they could find space, even on the sidewalks.

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