On Tuesday, after we returned, Jane was forwarded an email from a colleague that was so opportune I include it here;

A woman was at her hairdresser's getting her hair styled for a trip to Rome with her husband. She mentioned the trip to the hairdresser, who responded:

"Rome? Why would anyone want to go there? It's crowded and dirty... You're crazy to go to Rome . So, how are you getting there?"

"We're taking Continental," was the reply. "We got a great rate!"

"Continental?" exclaimed the hairdresser. " That's a terrible airline. Their planes are old, flight attendants are ugly, and always late. Where are you staying in Rome ?"

"We'll be at this exclusive little place over on Rome's Tiber River called Teste."

"Don't go any further. I know the place. Everybody thinks its something special and exclusive, but it's really a dump."

"We're going to go to the Vatican and maybe see the Pope."

"That's rich," laughed the hairdresser. "You and a million other people trying to see him. He'll look the size of an ant. Boy, good luck on this lousy trip of yours. You'll need it."

A month later, the woman again came in for a hairdo. The hairdresser asked her about her trip to Rome .

"It was wonderful," explained the woman, "not only were we on time in one of Continental's brand new planes, but it was overbooked, and they bumped us up to first class. The food and wine were wonderful, and I had a handsome 28-year-old steward who waited on me hand and foot."

And the hotel was great! They'd just finished a $5 million remodeling job, and now it's a jewel, the finest hotel in the city. They, too, were overbooked, so they apologized and gave us their owner's suite at no extra charge!"

"Well," muttered the hairdresser, "that's all well and good, but I know you didn't get to see the Pope."

"Actually, we were quite lucky, because as we toured the Vatican, a Swiss Guard tapped me on the shoulder, and explained that the Pope likes to meet some of the visitors, and if I'd be so kind as to step into his private room and wait, the Pope would personally greet me."

Sure enough, 5 minutes later, he walked through the door and shook my hand! I knelt and he spoke a few words to me."

"Oh, really! What'd he say ?"

He said: "Who in hell gave you that hair - do ?"

I'm just beginning to absorb what was a whirlwind tour. I'll be adding to this section as I step back and think about what we've experienced.

Things we noticed: Italians are a passionate people. Young love was everywhere... and men and women had no hesitation in regards to appreciating the human form. The physical nature of this, in park, bus or street, is much different than I've become accustomed to. Sunglasses, perfect hair, leather in footwear and coat, and being well dressed were the norm. They love their sports as well... especially football we've come to realize. Food, drink, and the sharing of it is an art form... food is not meant to be consumed but to be savoured. Like my experience in France... the day starts and ends later. A note I read sums this up stating, "Italians don't live to work, but work to live". In all, the Italians we met were very obliging, moreso in fact than the comments we gleaned from tourists from around the globe (in all their haughtiness) that were invading.

Planning: Organizing this vacation was, for me, a huge part of the fun. We selected what we wanted to do and arranged those items within day tours that made the best use of our time and resources. The internet was essential, as we had accessed all travel arrangements, many attraction / entertainment tickets (any that were available) and our accommodations all prior to departure. We dealt directly with the businesses involved and had no issues with any (yes... none) of our arrangements. Further, the volume I learned about these cities prior to our departure and during this planning stage made for trouble free touring while on the ground.

Citizenry: It should be very much understood that we frequented what I would consider "tourist areas" during our travels in Italy. Apart from some homelessness and people in distress in and about the train stations, piazza and on church steps, we saw very little of the realities of poverty that must exist. It seemed that some effort to control this may be in place to screen visitors. That being said, we felt very safe in the cities we visited, and we moved very freely without consequence.

Italy in March: As for weather, it was absolutely "handsome". Temperatures ranged from 14 - 18 degrees Celsius with sunny skies and cool evenings. Milan had a sprinkle of rain on our last day!!! The non-peak arrival has many benefits. We avoided much of the summertime heat and humidity, line-ups were tolerable (I can't imagine what high season would bring) and transportation modes were uncrowded. Other than the odd class trip/March Break excursion and tour, we avoided large groups and tackled most attractions/exhibits/entertainment at our own pace. We probably got better deals on accommodation as well. In short, I can't think of a better time to be in Italy.

Food: Traveling without the family allowed meals and times that would have been difficult to sample with children. In Italy we frequented street side shops for coffee, sandwiches and snacks. Breakfasts at our accommodations were excellent day starters and especially appreciated when we spent much of our visits on foot. We had several cafe/restaurant/pub stops and sampled local fare while on the move. However, what we especially enjoyed was visiting the grocery stores, buying fresh fruit and vegetables, wine and cheeses, and meats and breads. We purchased from these most days and often enjoyed late evening meals at home.

Transportation: Wisely choosing not to drive in Italy (Rome was fun to watch with all those vespas buzzing around) we avoided the stress that would have created. We had planned very carefully travel from city to city, as well as moving about while there. Our travel plans to specific attractions required informed transport info so we could ensure on time arrival for timed events. Web sites for public transport systems enabled a high level of organization. We really had none of the travel issues noted on websites, such as random strikes and delays. Our "spontaneous" bus trips were also fun as we saw more of the city than the subway allows. Also advantageous was the fact that the cities were more foot traffic friendly than I imagined. Walking times and distances to attractions were continuously quicker/easier than I had planned. It made our busy schedule comfortable.